Re-installation disc

[Watchmaker]

I have changed the hard drive on my Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop, ie, from the original 60GB to a 120GB. The laptop is now two years old and it was supplied with a Windows XP Home edition, service pack 2, re-installation disc. Unfortunately, even with the old HD installed, and then the new one, this re-installation disc cannot be "read" and, of course, I cannot get the PC to boot up with the new, empty HD installed. Strangely, the re-installation disc can be "read" on my older Dell desktop PC. With my original (almost full) 60GB HD re-installed, I can read any CD, DVD etc, but, the re-installation disc cannot be "opened". In "My Computer" the disc drive, "D" shows that the drive is empty when this re-installation disc is in the CD tray.
Before I contact Dell, if anyone could kindly advise what might be wrong or, where I might look to solve the problem, it would be very much appreciated.
Because the re-installation disc can be read in other PCs, I am assuming that the disc is not faulty and that there is some conflict between my laptop and the disc.
Thanks for any comment or advice.

 

[Barsteward]

Try creating an image of your old drive on cd/dvd.
Then replace old drive with new, restore image from the cd/dvd and away you go.
Bonus is it will save hours in reinstalling all the software.

 

[Watchmaker]

Many thanks for the advice Barsteward. However, I did install the old hard disc into a USB connected housing but, could not boot up from it. In the BIOS, a USB bootable facility is shown, as the second available "bootable" device. By connecting my old drive, through a USB port, is that the same as your suggestion, ie, creating an image of my old drive ? If not, ( and your suggestion sounds ideal) in capturing an "image" of my old disc, do I just drag the C drive icon, with all it's contents, into my CD writing program or, is it more complicated that that ? Any advice again much appreciated.

 

[Barsteward]

You need software to create the image.
Some use Ghost, personally i much prefer Acronis. It can do images and back ups. Good bit of software and well worth the money.

 

[Watchmaker]

Many thanks for the good advice and, also, for taking the trouble over my request. Much appreciated