Freeware to create image of my HD in multiple CDs????

[Anna]

Hi all,

i am looking for a freeware to create image of HD (including operating
systems, softwares etc)
in multiple CDs. I am looking for buying a new PC but I want to transfer all
my HD contents to new HD which might be bigger in size. Then i need to
format the current HD.

many thanks

 

[MightyKitten]

If you are realy buying everything new, just forget about cloning. All
hardware will (almost) certainly be different. A one to one copy will give
you much more problems deleting and reinstalling drivers then intalling from
scratch will give you. Besides, all little problems you have right now on
your system will also be present in your new system if you clone the system.

If you buy a new system, I recommand to install everything from scratch, and
place your old harddisk (temporarely) as a slave drive in your new system.
If you are not 100% sure about viruses on your old PC, be sure to first
install a virusscanner (for example
http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php) before installing your old
harddrive into your new computer. Be sure to check the jumpers of your
harddisk before installing it (Nothing terrible will go wrong, but booting
will fail, until you got the jumpers sorted out. I don't recommand the
CableSelect mode, some hardware seems to ignore this setting...)
Please check your Harddisk usermanual (or manufaturer website for this)

After you have copied everything from your old harddisk (Don't forget: most
of the times there aare also documents you want outside the "My Documents"
folder, like emails, contacts, images, music, office document, for office:
templates, some program settings maybe a screensaver or two, Fonts!!!!!)
Also be sure to note dialup/internet settings like provider, username, phone
number, password, proxy settings, ect... (If eveytime someone forgets about
this i got a nickle, good old BillyBoy would only be the second welthiest)

Also: If you have registerd (legal) software check if you got the serial
numbers or try to look them up, before you take the harddisk out of your old
computer...

I know, this all seems like a lot of work, and it could be, but if you realy
buy new hardware (other than bigger harddisks, aditional ram or a cd-rom)
you're better of this way.


If you are only planning to buy a bigger harddisk and put it into the old
system, you could take a look at:
http://www.pcinspector.de/clone-maxx/uk/welcome.htm
<Ripped From the site>
PC INSPECTOR™ clone maxx is the new professional hard drive copying program
from CONVAR. Using the new direct DMA support, data can be copied from hard
drives in high speed mode with speeds up to 3.3 GB per minute.
This high speed is achieved by PC INSPECTOR™ clone maxx through intelligent
inspection of the PC motherboard and the hard drive controller. The software
independently determines the fastest data transmission rate and achieves
these exceptional speeds through optimal utilization of the DMA chipset on
the motherboard of your PC.

PC INSPECTOR™ clone maxx can be started directly from a boot diskette. The
copying process is always based on the physical drive and is independent of
the file system (e.g. FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, HPFS, NTFS, Ext2, Reiser, etc.)
or the number of partitions.

The full version of PC INSPECTOR™ clone maxx can be obtained at no cost from
the sponsor "CONVAR – Die Datenretter™"
</Ripped rom the site>

MightyKitten

 

[Lord Whiz]

If you are realy buying everything new, just forget about cloning. All
hardware will (almost) certainly be different. A one to one copy will give
you much more problems deleting and reinstalling drivers then intalling from
scratch will give you. Besides, all little problems you have right now on
your system will also be present in your new system if you clone the system.

If you buy a new system, I recommand to install everything from scratch, and
place your old harddisk (temporarely) as a slave drive in your new system.

[snipped for brevity]
===================

Here is a person who has obviously never performed an image transfer to a
new
computer. On the one hand, (s)he is correct that any new computer might
have
a new kind of graphics card, sound card, modem, etc ... but, not-to-worry,
XP will sort out the differences. At least that is what happened in my
case.
I transferred an IMAGE from a HP-8275 to a newer Gateway 1400. The
only worry I had to keep in mind was to ensure that the GW hard drive was of
adequate size to take on the image. Sure enough, upon booting up the GW,
I watched as the system made changes (and asked for drivers) to the monitor,
the modem, the graphics card. Oddly, the newer SoundBlaster card accepted
the image offerings of a different Creative sound card (although it was
similar).
There was also a host of P-n-P activity while seeking for drivers of various
peripheral USB stuff. After all had settled down, and a second reboot, it
ran
as smooth as it could be.... and the 10 extra Gig on the hard drive was
simply
formatted on out ready for use.

 

[Bob Adkins]

... but, not-to-worry, XP will sort out the differences. At least that is
what happened in my case.

Me too. I have done that many times, and XP did a great job of sorting
things out every time. FWIW, Millennium did a good job of parsing new
hardware too.

Bob

Remove "kins" from address to reply.

 

[MightyKitten]

Here is a person who has obviously never performed an image transfer to a
new
computer. On the one hand, (s)he is correct that any new computer might
have
a new kind of graphics card, sound card, modem, etc ... but, not-to-worry,
XP will sort out the differences. At least that is what happened in my
case.
I transferred an IMAGE from a HP-8275 to a newer Gateway 1400. The
only worry I had to keep in mind was to ensure that the GW hard drive was of
adequate size to take on the image. Sure enough, upon booting up the GW,
I watched as the system made changes (and asked for drivers) to the monitor,
the modem, the graphics card. Oddly, the newer SoundBlaster card accepted
the image offerings of a different Creative sound card (although it was
similar).
There was also a host of P-n-P activity while seeking for drivers of various
peripheral USB stuff. After all had settled down, and a second reboot, it
ran
as smooth as it could be.... and the 10 extra Gig on the hard drive was
simply
formatted on out ready for use.

On the contrary, my good men, I'm doing this for a living.
I've been cloning to other systems, and I also have had success in the way
you tell.
But after a cloning or 200, I calculate the succesrate a bit over 50%. For
me, this is a too low succesrate...

I've seen too much trouble comming out of this: this kind of cloning only
can be done on a reasonable clean systems - whitch speaks for you... - but
most of the time, I get Pentium 166 to Pentium 400 machines. Full of disney
creative CDs stuff, 3 verions of Billyboys messenger, office 95, 200 kazaa
games and a half updated system (If they already running Windows 98). My
story is about the the real world I encounter on a daily base, not the
neatly updated systems you probably have.

Now, if I answer a question in any newsgroup I have to guess the level of
the OP by the stuf he wrote. I might mistakenly guessed the op is/was
someone who is not a very advanced system administrator, or an intermediate
home user. If she isn't my sencere appologies, I guessed wrong. But then she
wil probably ignore my blablabla, and click the links (or just skip my
message all together). If she is at the level I guessed, any thing I wrote
will be true, I'm absolutely sure off.

Since the average livetime of an average computer at home is between 5 and 8
years (here in the Netherlands - we might be a bit behind, I realy hope so)
My educated guess is she will have Windows 95 or 98 installed... And those
realy do give problems on a new system.

Thus, gentle men, this is the reason I wrot this (and the previous stuff).
You might still disagree, and she is free to choose. Time will learn...

MightyKitten