Best free drive cloning method.

[elkinm]

My main drive is 80 GB. I got a 120 GB drive and would like to use it as the main but without a full reinstall. So basically I am looking for a program to do a image copy from the 80 to 120 GB and expand the partition to the full 120 GB automatically.

I'm cheep, so I need any freely available software or maybe a Maxtor setup disk or Norton if any of these can do the job.

Also, can someone give me possible problems with doing this. I know that the hardware will change to a different drive which would be detected by windows without problem so I can uninstall the hard drive before the copy so it would be detected at boot. Anything else?

Thanks

 

[Cheetah8799]

You motherboard software cd may contain a copy of Norton Ghost on it. Otherwise you normally have to buy it.

 

[Drakkon]

MAxblast : http://www.maxtor.com/en/support/downloads/maxblast3win.htm

 

[elkinm]

I have Norton ghost with systemworks if it is a good tool to do this. I also know about maxblast. Which one would be the better choice and what are the advantages?

Thanks

 

[Tates]

Ultimate Boot CD

Cool freebie that includes a couple of disk cloners and many other utilities

 

[Caminetto]

Ghost would be your best bet. Handy tutorial:
http://ghost.radified.com/ghost_1.htm
I have done this type of operation several times with an older version of drive image and it works just fine with no uninstallation of anything. Most programs ask if you want to restore using the whole drive.
Might check these out.
Link to a reported good one that is free to try and only $27 to purchase:
http://www.bootitng.com/imagew.html

Free one:
http://www.partition-saving.com/

 

[adlep]

Try here <-- they might have a link to some neato freeware utility which will do the job for you...

 

[adlep]

HD Clone, free edition