Can I use XP Pro's Backup utility to upgrade to a larger HD?

[Julian Hsiao]

I'm thinking of upgrading my laptop's HD to a larger sized one, but I
don't want to go through the trouble of installing every app (not to
mention every patch) all over again. So I want to know if I can use
XP's Backup utility to make an exact backup of my current drive to
another drive / CD / DVD / network store, install the new HD into my
laptop, reinstall XP on the new drive, and finally use Backup again to
restore my original setup.

I've looked into Drive Image and Norton Ghost, but they don't seem to
support drive cloning if one of the HD is not hooked up via IDE or
SCSI.

Thanks in advance.

Julian Hsiao
evil_live_ten_tod_erosinayn_ta_akodam

 

[Stephen Johnson]

Do you have a cd burner on the laptop? If you do, then you can use ghost to make a image copy onto
cd's. Depending on how much of your drive is used, it will probably use 2 - 7 cd's. If you don't
have a burner, then I don't know another way to copy the drive.

Stephen

 

[Julian Hsiao]

Do you have a cd burner on the laptop? If you do, then you can use ghost
to make a image copy onto cd's. Depending on how much of your drive is
used, it will probably use 2 - 7 cd's. If you don't have a burner, then
I don't know another way to copy the drive.

So you're saying that I can:

1. Image my HD using Ghost (I assume a network share works also)
2. Install the new HD. then install XP + Ghost
3. Restore my original stuff from the image

Julian Hsiao
evil_live_ten_tod_erosinayn_ta_akodam

 

[Brian]

I'm thinking of upgrading my laptop's HD to a larger sized one, but I
don't want to go through the trouble of installing every app (not to
mention every patch) all over again. So I want to know if I can use
XP's Backup utility to make an exact backup of my current drive to
another drive / CD / DVD / network store, install the new HD into my
laptop, reinstall XP on the new drive, and finally use Backup again to
restore my original setup.

I've looked into Drive Image and Norton Ghost, but they don't seem to
support drive cloning if one of the HD is not hooked up via IDE or
SCSI.

My understanding is that Backup can only be used to copy data files.
The only way to copy ALL sectors of the HD - including the boot sector - is
by cloning. You will, therefore, need something like Drive Image or Ghost.
Unfortunately, that is not easy to implement with a laptop, other than by
using a third external hard drive as a temporary storage medium.

Brian

 

[Interspatial]

Have a look att the ASR wizard in MS backup. It seems to me that this will
do what you want as it copies everything that is not specifically excluded.
You'll need a floppy to.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I'm thinking of upgrading my laptop's HD to a larger sized one, but I
don't want to go through the trouble of installing every app (not to
mention every patch) all over again. So I want to know if I can use
XP's Backup utility to make an exact backup of my current drive to
another drive

No, Backup will not do this successfully. You need one of the
partition management/disk imaging programs to 'clone' the disk. What I
use is BootIT NG, from http://www.BootitNG.com ($35 shareware - 30 day
full functional trial)

Download, to its own folder, extract from the zip, run the bootitng to
make a boot floppy.

With the new drive plugged in as slave/secondary, boot the floppy,
Cancel Install, entering maintenance, then click on Partition work.
Highlight your C:,Copy, then on left select the new drive (HD1) and
Paste.

You might then consider a resize up a bit. Or highlight the free space
remaining beyond, click Create choosing Extended partition to use the
rest of the space, then similarly in that to make one or more volumes
in that (to become drives D:, etc)

Now click on 'View MBR' and in it highlight the entry for this new C
partition and click the 'Set Active' Click 'Write Standard MBR' and
Apply. Also make a check that this partition is in the same place in
the table as it was if you do a View MBR on the old one - if not use the
Up or down to correct it.

Close out, swap the disks to make the new one the one that boots, and
reboot into XP.

 

[Stephen Johnson]

You don't have to install XP and ghost on the second drive. Just boot from the first of the cd's you
create and ghost is on that disk automatically. Then you can restore the image to your replacement
hard drive.

Stephen