Best way to clone a HDD?

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feo

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I currently have 2 HDDs (both SATA), a 160GB and 500GB Seagate.

The 160GB HDD (the C:/ drive) has my OS (Windows XP SP3), programs and basically everything else except my videos. All the videos are on the 500GB HDD.

Now, the 160GB HDD is on it's way to hard drive heaven so what I want to do is make and EXACT image of it and put that image onto another 500GB HDD which I'm still going to purchase.

So basically I want to go from my 160/500GB setup to a 500/500GB setup.

My questions:

(1) Which software is best to do HDD cloning?

(2) When I clone the C:/ drive, is the OS included in the image or does it just clone the CONTENTS of the drive? (I hope this Q makes sense)
 
A proper cloning program will make an exact copy of each bit on the hard drive, so the OS will definitely come too.

Wait for beanie to post, there's a good program that he generally recommends, but I can't remember the name...
 
Norton Ghost is awesome for cloning windows partitions. Unfortunately it only works on Windows :(
<linux fanboi>

It makes an exact clone of the hdd, so if you stick the clone into your pc it will work as if it was the original thing.
 
norton ghost. After the cloning you have to put the new drive as master as the "old" 160 was.

-cloning is preformed in dos, get Hiren boot disc
 
+1 for Ghost. I used it several times without a problem. For safety, when you cloning, disconnect you current 500gb drive (video drive).

If you looking for a Free Program try DriveImage XML

DriveImage XML is a free, stand alone application for making a complete backup image of any logical drive or partition, allowing you to backup/restore an entire operating system.

The application also includes an image explorer allowing you to view the files inside the backup file created and extract individual files (Im sure plenty of us have left a file behind at some point).

A really neat feature about this backup imaging tool is that it can use volume locking or shadow locking to create backups from within Windows, without the need to reboot. DriveImage XML also stores your data in .dat files using the XML format which allows you to use them in 3rd part applications. Works on Windows XP, 2003 and Vista.
Click to expand...

Download Here - 1.7mb
 
Your using Seagate Drives - their DiscWizard program is Free and a cutdown version of Acronis True Image
I'm not sure if that will do the OS side of things as your looking to do or not but worth looking into.
Sure someone here will know.
http://seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?l...toid=d9fd4a3cdde5c010VgnVCM100000dd04090aRCRD

Edit - sounds like it will- PDF here-
DiscWizard also lets you transfer your data to your new Seagate disc drive in minutes. The
software migrates everything – your operating systems, applications, documents and
personal setting – to your new disc drives just as you had them. After you migrate, you can
keep using your PC just like before. You can then keep your old drive as a backup or use
DiscWizard to store your image backups

http://www.seagate.com/support/discwizard/dw_ug.en.pdf

Only one of the drives has to be a Seagate or Maxtor
 
Last edited:
you can also try gparted, its a small bootable linux disk that has some very good partition management tools. it can also do ntfs, i resized and copied vista partitions with no problem
 
froot said:
Norton Ghost is awesome for cloning windows partitions. Unfortunately it only works on Windows :(
<linux fanboi>

It makes an exact clone of the hdd, so if you stick the clone into your pc it will work as if it was the original thing.
Click to expand...

use norton with alot caution

i figured out the hardway that norton did not work my mobo and sata drive
 
OK guys, thanks for all the input.

Seeing as all my HDDs are Seagates, I think I'll try the DiscWizard software like Tun@ recommended, 2nd choice sounds like Acronis True Image, I've heard very good things about Acronis.

I'm weary of going near Symantec products so I'm not sure how good Ghost is but I'm sure either DiscWizard or Acronis will do a good job.

I'll report back once the whole thing is done.
 
yup

what i like about it as well is you can slipsteam drivers into it

i had a client who i ghosted a laptop and ghosted it onto a new laptop with a sata drive but it would not load because the old OS never had sata drivers for it
 
feo said:
Well Seagate DiscWizard is based on Acronis technology so it's basically the best of both worlds, made for Seagates but it has Acronis at it's core.
Click to expand...

There's nothing wrong with your choice, what I meant was don't use Ghost if you can use True Image ;)
 
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