BleepingComputer.com: Clone HDD help

Hello.

I'm looking to clone my current HDD to a newer one since a HDD crash left me with a small, old, outdated HDD. Anyway, I'd much rather clone it drive to drive instead of installing everything from scratch.

I currently have an old 80gb that I would like to clone onto a 320gb HDD.

I tried a program called "DriveImage XML" and it worked great. Except it made my new drive the same size as my old one. It was suppose to be 298gb (formatted) and it turned out to be 68.9gb. What happened to all that space? Anyone experienced with this program? Is there a way to clone the old HDD to the new one without it making it the same size?

Any other free cloning programs that would do what I seek? If you need more details or if it is confusing let me know. Any info would be great. Thanks in advance.

You could try this?

Use your Windows Disk to remove the Partition now on your 320G HDD and set up an 80G Partition as C: Drive, then set up one or more Partitions on the Rest of the HDD, eg, D: Drive with 120G and E: Drive with the rest, approx 100G. Format each Drive to NTFS.

Then run the program called "DriveImage XML" and select C: Drive as it's Target.

It will do the same, but only to the 80G you have allocated to C: Drive leaving the rest intact. Transfer all unneeded Files to either D: or E: Drives to give you usable Space on C: Drive.

Another way is a bit more Complex, but you don't lose Space. Try what I suggested above and Post back?

Okay! Thanks a bunch for the advice. I'll give it a go. One quick question. Which should I choose... Primary or Extended partition for the C: drive?
Also, it won't let me assign it as C: drive. Can I assign it F: now and then change it to C: later? I'm just so used to working on a C: drive.

This post has been edited by She Haunts Me: 17 April 2009 - 05:17 AM

Hang on?

What System are you using? You sound like you are using DOS fdsk?

Important to know, that is different

Under fdsk you will need to remove every thing to start again.

Maybe the program called "DriveImage XML" is Dos Based and you could be using it on Windows XP or Vista? I need to know what Window's System you have.

This post has been edited by Abacus 7: 17 April 2009 - 05:36 AM

Fdsk is covered here.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/255867

Windows XP is covered here,

http://lifehacker.com/software/windows/gee...atch-157578.php

As can be seen, they are totally different, Mate.

Just take care in what you do?

I am using XP. I partitioned the new 320gb into 3 partitions (F:, G:, H:). I have cloned my current drive (C:) onto the F: partition of the new drive. It is 80gb. I still have to test and see if it will boot from the new drive. I hope so.

I was just wondering if I could change my new drives lettering to C, D, E but it won't let me because I'm currently using the C: drive. Confused? lol. Guess I'll just have to get used to having the F: drive as my primary maybe?

The easiest way I've found to do that is with XXClone.

Download it here,

http://www.xxclone.com/xxclone.zip

The online manual here,

http://www.xxclone.com/ixcman00.htm

The only 2 things I've found that doesn't clone well are AVG anti-virus & AOL.
If you have either I suggest uninstalling them/it before you clone the drive.

She Haunts Me, on Apr 17 2009, 09:40 PM, said:

OK,

What has happened is quite simple. You still have C: Drive, D: Drive and E: Drive in your Machine?

Remove your Normal HDD and put the New one in and let it Boot, it will Find F: as C: Drive then and rename it, Mate, then allocate Drive Letters to the rest.

Happy Computing and don't forget to set the 320G as Primary Drive?

This post has been edited by Abacus 7: 17 April 2009 - 10:30 AM