Cloning a Windows XP partition

The hard disc in my desktop started to log errors, which is a very scary sign. This means time to get a new disc. I didn't want to face up to re-installing Windows, so cloning the partition is the way to go.

1. Boot the old Windows system
2. Defrag the partition
3. Run chkdsk to check and fix any errors
4. Run regedit and delete the values in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices, otherwise XP is confused when it boots on the new partition
   
5. Shutdown and reboot from the gparted live CD
6. Select the old XP partition and select Copy from the context menu
7. Select the empty space on the new disc and Paste, this can take hours
   
8. Select the new partition and choose Manage Flags from the context menu, select boot
9. Shutdown
10. Change the new disc so that it is the first disc on the SATA and then boot the machine
    

Thanks to the people at gparted for a great tool and Michael Dominok for the XP tips.

Getting rid of NetworkManager

NetworkManager failed to get a DHCP connect more than 50% of the time. One solution that seems to work is to get rid of NetworkManager and go back to the way it worked under Fedora 8.

1. Disable NetworkManager

# chkconfig NetworkManager off
# service NetworkManager stop

2. Change the eth0 interface so it is not managed by NetworkManager by deselecting "Controlled by Network Manager" in the properties of the eth0 interface in the system network config

# system-config-network

3. Reboot and test