[Waynos_Face]

Hi all

Anyone got a quick idiots guide on how to backup a HDD onto an external one??

Me dad has brought a few bits for a new build and i need to completely backup his old HDD onto an external one, then put his new hard drive in and put his aved files back on.

Is there any way that if he has excel documents saved that after i reinstall Office on his new hard drive i can transfer those saved documents and have them work???

XP Home 2002 will be reinstalled.

Any help appreciated.

[Madxgraphics]

Select the files you want, then cut and paste them to your Ext HDD, or right click > send to (Ext Hard Drive)

[floppybootstomp]

This is a little confusing as you say 'Completely backup the hard drive' then say there will be a fresh install of Win XP.

To completely backup the hard drive including the operating system you will need a software program such as Acronis True Image. To save files, pictures, music etc, it is, as Max said, just a case of cut/copy and paste.

Don't forget to save your favourites folder from your browser.

[Waynos_Face]

Okay cheers guys, i didn't think it was as easy as cut and paste or copying but looks like it is.

yeah sorry if i was confusing.

He has an 80GB IDe HDD

Can i copy the everything using acronis onto an external HDD

Then putin the new 320GB SATA

and copy it back over from external to new HDD, or do i need to reinstall xp and then just copy certain files???

[floppybootstomp]

You can do either.

You can use Acronis free for 30 days

I think there is actually free software that can do the same thing but not sure.

The only other software I know of that backs up complete hard disks is Nortons Ghost which, unlike it's AV cousin, is actually quite good.

[Waynos_Face]

Okay thanks alot Flopps, have been reading up on Acronis and looks like my best option.