Topic: Boot Drive cloning

[boojum]

I have a 250 meg HD that I am replacing with a 500 meg HD.  The 250 has my OS on it.  I want to clone the HD and the OS so that I can boot from the 500 meg drive.  I have the WD Drive Copy software, but that does not do the OS so that I can boot.

Does anyone know how to do this that can also explain it to me??

Thanks.     

[JD]

I just got this software to do the same thing to my PC.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832108346

Haven't done it yet, but from what I gather you plug the new hard drive in as a slave, run the software to copy the drive over, then remove the original drive and replace it with the new one now set as the master.

I'm really hoping it's that simple.

[boojum]

I think it is if you follow the instructions.  NewEgg had some disgruntled users.  Norton Ghost 2000 is $9.99.  ;o)  Old software, but if it works??  I will check it out further.

Cheers

[hzgone]

acronis true image will do exactly what both of you want to do without a question. 

The new seagate drives come with a smaller version that works with their drives but no other drives.  I should say it needs to detect a seagate drive in the system for it to copy from another brand.

[cybergaloot]

We use an older copy of Ghost here at work for that purpose all the time. It works like a champ!

[illconditioned]

Use a Linux boot CD.  I use Trinity Rescue Kit.  Boots on any machine. Recognizes any drives (SATA, ext USB/FW).  Then run the "ntfsclone" command.  Do a search on ntfsclone for syntax.

  Richard

[boojum]

Use a Linux boot CD.  I use Trinity Rescue Kit.  Boots on any machine. Recognizes any drives (SATA, ext USB/FW).  Then run the "ntfsclone" command.  Do a search on ntfsclone for syntax.

  Richard

There are some problems as explained on the pages referenced in a search of "ntfsclone."  Looks like Norton Ghost is the best deal.  For $10 I think it is safest.  I will try it.

Thanks all.

[mattmiller]

If you do this sort of thing often, or if tinkering with hard drives for the purpose of virus/spyware removal is as common for you as it is for me, this is the tool to have (and now with a rebate):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812161002

It includes the TrueImage software (a rebranded version of it) and makes cloning drives a piece of cake, and is a real time saver for hooking up internal hard drives without having to open up your case.

[H₂O]

Ghost to clone the partition

Partition Magic to expand it to 500GB

Or you can download the Microsoft WAIK and use imagex to make a WIM file of your partition - you can then expand the image onto about any harddrive after it's partitioned.

WAIK is a free download
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=94bb6e34-d890-4932-81a5-5b50c657de08&DisplayLang=en

it will run on XP or 2000 as well

FWIW - WAIK also allows you to create a Windows PE boot CD/DVD

[cybergaloot]

Ghost to clone the partition

Partition Magic to expand it to 500GB

We never had to do all that. Make an image with Ghost and then image the new drive. It automagically adjusts to the new drive size. There may be some size limit but we haven't hit it yet. It may have some problems with multiple partitions on a drive though, I don't know for sure. We don't have many machines with multiple partitions. Well, except for what Cornerstone does but that has to be installed AFTER imaging. Not an issue here because a home user won't want Cornerstone. Ghost will also do drive to drive imaging where you don't have to create an image file. We don't use that feature much because we are usually blowing out dozens of machines at a time at work.

[boojum]

I have the $10 version of Ghost in the mail.  I am xferring a 400GB boot drive to a 500GB.  The the 400GB becomes a slave drive to dump data onto.  I am hoping cybergaloot knows as much about software as he does metric wrenches.  ;o)  I'll bet he does.


L8R

[EarlyMorningRain]

many good options have been mentioned, but I'll just say we use Ghost at work and I've been using that for 7+ years with no problems, doing this same exact thing. Started with ghost v6, then 7.5, now ver 11 something. Mind you these are single partition drives, and with nothing newer than WinXP for the OS.

Where are you finding Ghost for $10??



not necessary as ghost does this all in one step (sorry I've never been an advocate for PM)

Ghost to clone the partition

Partition Magic to expand it to 500GB

not necessary as ghost does this all in one step (clone drive > drive), assuming you can have both drives plugged in at the same time.

We never had to do all that. Make an image with Ghost and then image the new drive. It automagically adjusts to the new drive size.

[boojum]

Norton Ghost Personal 2000: everythingoutlet.com

I used google to shop for price

[Chuck]

Another vote for Ghost here. I clone my hard drives every month now. I use Ghost 7.5.