thnk you. now i have installed win xp on my new hd and all the rest and i copied the boinc data file directory (e:\documents and settings\all users\application data\boinc) (e: is my old ide hd that still works) to the new hd (c:\documents and settings\all users\application data) (c: is the new sata hd) and THEN i ran the installation program for boinc with advanced option (actually you dont need the advanced option if you copy the data directory from old hd to the default directory location on the new hd) and just clicked next next... and it was all there.

merry christmas to all.

G:Thomas