Ghost / Imaging

[WhiteD3]

Hiya,

I've ordered a new 500GB HDD to replace my aging 40GB but I'd like to avoid a new install if possible. Nor do I want to blow $100 on Norton's Ghost for a one off use.

I did a search through ZDnet and found plenty of trial/freeware versions of programs that (they say) will image the old drive onto the new.

Would anyone be able to recommend such a program?

Cheers.

[abaddonxi]

The great thing about having two drives is that you can try it out without sacrificing anything. Get one that runs from dos rather than from windows.

Cheers
Simon

[Blknight.aus]

put the drive in and get it started as a slave drive, partition and format it as a bootable drive then reboot the computer to dos mode on the original hard drive

do the Xcopy thing for one drive to the other

turn off the pc, put the new drive in the master boot position and boot it up..

Thats how Ive done it in the past, not sure how its going to work with vista but it works up to XP.

[WhiteD3]

put the drive in and get it started as a slave drive, partition and format it as a bootable drive then reboot the computer to dos mode on the original hard drive

do the Xcopy thing for one drive to the other

turn off the pc, put the new drive in the master boot position and boot it up..

Thats how Ive done it in the past, not sure how its going to work with vista but it works up to XP.

Looks like Xcopy is dead in Vista, replaced with Robocopy. I'll do some research but with a quick look it seems to be the way to go.

Thanks.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

doing another as we speak NM,,,

happy to do this one though:D


have lost 70 gb somewhere:mad:

[WhiteD3]

Don't be such a woose :D (RON...how do you spell woose?)
Do a full reinstall
Any bugs previously in place will be gone...a nice clean slate...things will work nicely...all the files will play together happily ( hopefully) :D:D

The only thing I hate about doing full reinstalls is the time it takes. But you do it bit by bit as you need the stuff.

Yep, I'm a woose! The time:(, the settings to remember:confused::confused:, all the upgrades to reinstall:(:(:(, the pressure from SWMBO:bat::bat:, finding all the missing files (her's) that were not put where they were supposed to have been:o:o:o

[Blknight.aus]

copys still there and I think its got the same switching as copy had in 6.22 so you can do copy *.* /s and get all the files and subdirectories. (unless microsoft considered that a practical idea and scrapped it, dont be surprised) Im pretty sure it wont copy the attributes of the files or the system files (thems the hidden ones that should be installed when you format a drive as a bootable system disk (format x: /sys(tem))).

[abaddonxi]

A ghost image gives you a restore/backup of your entire system that can get you up and running in about ten minutes.

Backup is a very good idea.

System back up in under an hour compared to six plus hours minimum to clean install, find all the drivers, reinstall all the software...

And you can test it to make sure you did it right.

And, if you're worried about ghosting disk B to disk A, rather than the other way round, you have your DVD/CDs.

I like to have the disk with my data on it sitting in my hand not connected to anything when I'm transferring that much stuff, just to be sure.:D

Cheers
Simon

[djhampson]

DriveImageXML would be my pick. Its free and can do a drive to drive copy quite easily. Its also useful for backing up entire drives to XML files.

The trick with it is to use BartPE which is Windows XP on a CD to run DriveImageXML - see this page for details. (http://www.runtime.org/peb.htm)

Copying the files only from one hard drive to another won't work as you will not copy the BootLoader which is critical to starting the OS.

[HangOver]

would like to add I use ghost almost daily at work it's an excellent program, fast and reliable.

there are other free alternatives available.

best bet though if you had the computer for a while is fresh install.

Then create a ghost image for next time

[p38arover]

Don't be such a woose :D (RON...how do you spell woose?).

Wuss!

When I added a second drive to my XP system, I couldn't get it to recognise the second drive. I ended up losing everything on teh first drive.

Unlike earlier versions of Windows, XP doesn't automatically recognise additional drives. Google "xp doesn't recognise second drive"

[WhiteD3]

No No...you won't loose any files. Install the new drive (take the old one out first) and just put the operating system on it them install the old one as a slave...go in and delete the operating system that was on the old one to give you a bit more space...all the other files are there just as they were....just under a different drive name.

If I can do it...anyone can :D:D

NM, yep, makes sense. I do have one niggling bug with this PC in that Movie maker locks up when ever I plug my DV camera in. So I'll do what you suggest above and just try and be patient!

Thanks.

[Bushie]

The other thing a fresh install does is eliminate all the crap that tends to build up over time that you don't really need, bits of old installs that have been removed etc.

I'm contemplating doing it at the moment, got a small niggling refusal to shut down problem after a failed install for a slide scanner.

Once you've got everything right download tweakui for XP and redirect all your 'My documents' folders off C drive.


Martyn

[loanrangie]

Most of the hdd suppliers have an install program such as seagate seatools, this will allow you to install the new drive and will give you the option of copying the complete old drives contents.

[WhiteD3]

Most of the hdd suppliers have an install program such as seagate seatools, this will allow you to install the new drive and will give you the option of copying the complete old drives contents.

Didn't know that! I'll give it a go. Thanks.

[p38arover]

The other thing a fresh install does is eliminate all the crap that tends to build up over time that you don't really need, bits of old installs that have been removed etc.

I'm contemplating doing it at the moment, got a small niggling refusal to shut down problem after a failed install for a slide scanner.

Once you've got everything right download tweakui for XP and redirect all your 'My documents' folders off C drive.


Martyn


Before you do that, slipstream a new install disc with all the updates on it. See Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows: Slipstreaming Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) (http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sp2_slipstream.asp)

[Bushie]

Most of the hdd suppliers have an install program such as seagate seatools, this will allow you to install the new drive and will give you the option of copying the complete old drives contents.

Together with any problems it may have.

Martyn

[WhiteD3]

New drive in and formatting right now....so that's my weekend planned out!

[fraser130]

I use Acronis Trueimage,
You can even take a back-up while you are still using windows!
Not as fast as Ghost, but works a treat.