easiest way to exchange one HDD for another and keep ALL DATA

[homestarmy]

Well I have a 120GB drive with around 100GB on it, and I have a new 160 that I want to put in it's place. How can I effectively copy THE ENTIRE CONTENTS of the first drive to the second, so it can take the first drive's place? With norton ghost, it's going to make a backup file... but it's far too big for a dvd etc, and I can't house the backup file on the second drive AND write it to that drive...

Help!

(probably a dumb question)

 

[enis083]

Assuming this isn't the primary drive, you can unplug one of the optical drives and plug your new drive in and transfer the data. After the data transfer is done, swap the hard drives and plug the optical drive back.

 

[Trashman]

most hard drive manufacturers have software utilities for such a thing.

 

[homestarmy]

The drive that I want to copy would be the primary drive. Otherwise it would be super easy.

 

[homestarmy]

All else fails, I can open my other computer and connect both drives and then copy direct from one to the other... but that would be a pain in the butt to have both of them apart at once.

 

[homestarmy]

Originally posted by: Trashman
most hard drive manufacturers have software utilities for such a thing.

This is a WD drive, I didn't see anything on the CD, but I didn't completely install it since I am not on that system right now...

 

[Trashman]

Data Lifeguard Tools.....info here in just in case.

 

[homestarmy]

I see, so there is a drive to drive copy. I just must not have gotten far enough into the installation to see it. Thanks!