copying an OS drive?

[nikko]

I just did a reformat of Windows XP a couple of weeks ago on a brand new drive. Then I realized I needed more space so I just jumped on the CompUSA 250 GB $99 deal. I'd really rather not have to reinstall everything though, as I just got my old drive the way I want it. Is there a way to make a copy of my older drive on the new drive and just use that one as my operating system? I've heard of people ghosting their drives but I don't know if that's the same thing. What programs would you recommend I use to do this? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[JustAnAverageGuy]

Most hard drives will come with software that will let you do this.

However, the program people are talking about is Norton Ghost or something similar

 

[Bozo Galora]

Acronis Drive Image

 

[WW2Planes1]

Why not just keep using the current drive as the OS drive and use the new drive as a data drive?
2 benefits to that: 1) you don't have to reformat now, 2) you can put all the data on the 250 and just reformat your system drive without having to worry about backing up all of your data.

 

[Auric]

If you had Ghost or such you would use that, otherwise the freebee Maxtor MaxBlast.

 

[symbol]

Originally posted by: Bozo Galora
Acronis Drive Image

:thumbsup:

I switched to acronis after PowerQuest/Norton's drive image software started acting up.

 

[Baked]

Don't know about SATA, but I've been using Ghost for IDE HD to HD clone for the better part of this century and some of last. Real easy to do.

 

[Auric]

Ghost does the SATA dance too. I have been using it for all of this millennium and some of the last.

I have also been using PQ's schtuff for a long time. But I checked out Acronis and their MigrateEasy seems ideal for subject, though overly expensive compared to any full imaging/cloning proggy however those may require allocating additional space with 'nutha step.

Does TrueImage include a floppy-sized DOS proggy? I know its main feature is backing up from within Windows, which would be particularly handy with a hot swappable SATA drive, but it is hard to beat the simplicity and reliability of Ghost and PartitionMagic on floppies.