Free OS cloning software?

[thestrangebrew1]

Will be upgrading my laptop that has vista to w8 on a 5200rpm hdd. I plan on then cloning the OS to a new ssd that I'll be installing onto the laptop but I've never done this before. Is it very difficult to do? Any good free cloning software that's easy to use that you guys recommend?

 

[lxskllr]

Use Clonezilla. it comes on the PartedMagic disc, which has a bunch of other useful tools also. If you like it, consider giving the guy a couple dollars. It's a great package, and is worth much more than the crappy phone apps people pay money for.

http://partedmagic.com/doku.php

 

[thestrangebrew1]

Use Clonezilla. it comes on the PartedMagic disc, which has a bunch of other useful tools also. If you like it, consider giving the guy a couple dollars. It's a great package, and is worth much more than the crappy phone apps people pay money for.

http://partedmagic.com/doku.php

Awesome thanks for the link. I'll check it out!

 

[gorobei]

i use macrium reflect, free version is simple enough.

 

[Iron Woode]

most drive manufacturers have utilities on their websites for this purpose and they're free.

 

[gorobei]

most drive manufacturers have utilities on their websites for this purpose and they're free.

some of those versions require their drive to be in the machine to work. if you are replacing a hd with a ssd in a 1 bay laptop/notebook, it may not play well with the lack of the manufacturers drive.

 

[Iron Woode]

of course I assumed the ssd manufacturer would have something on their site for this purpose.

When I went from a seagate to a Western digital I used the WD one to transfer everything over.

 

[Steltek]

some of those versions require their drive to be in the machine to work.

At one time, Seagate Discwizard (which is their version of Acronis TI) had an override function which you could use to get it to work with systems without a Seagate/Maxtor drive. When you got the error message about not having a Seagate drive in your system, you could hold down the ALT key while pressing T and O (for Tech Override) and clicking OK to override the error and make it work.

Don't know if this still works anymore, though, as I haven't tried it in a long time.

 

[thestrangebrew1]

This will be my first time trying mess with anything laptop related. The only thing I've ever messed with so far is the battery lol. I'm hoping I can just choose to clone the OS and not necessarily everything else in my laptop. THe SSD I have is only 60gb, which for me, on the laptop, should be plenty. If anything I'll upgrade that later.

 

[Iron Woode]

This will be my first time trying mess with anything laptop related. The only thing I've ever messed with so far is the battery lol. I'm hoping I can just choose to clone the OS and not necessarily everything else in my laptop. THe SSD I have is only 60gb, which for me, on the laptop, should be plenty. If anything I'll upgrade that later.

I am cloning a laptop right now.

an old Emachines. Had a 120gb and moved it to a 250gb. I used my trusty external case for this via the usb.

seems to be working fine.

 

[thestrangebrew1]

I am cloning a laptop right now.

an old Emachines. Had a 120gb and moved it to a 250gb. I used my trusty external case for this via the usb.

seems to be working fine.

I'll prob order an ext. enclosure. I saw a cheap one on NE for $7.99, I think it was Vantech. It's just 2.5" enclosure so it might fit the bill. I don't normally swap drives.