Need to replace failing hard drive

  • Thread starter Thread starter JohnV
  • Start date Start date
J

JohnV

Hello,

I have a 40GB drive currently running in a PC. It has
started to make "noises" that are not a good sign. I
have since bought an 80GB drive to replace it. I am
looking for a way to duplicate the 40GB drive onto the
80GB and replace the 40GB with the 80GB. This way I
won't loose all the programs, saved games, and
configuration already done.

I have looked into trying a full backup across a network
and then doing a restore to the new drive, but there are
a couple of articles in the knowledge base that imply
that may not work. I have also tried a disk copy program
from the hard drive manufacuture (Western Digital) and
that has failed (boot freezes (also interestingly my
other PC cannot get mail (password verification failure)
only while the PC is in that state)).

Any help on how to save everything and get a working new
drive? (I am not interested in spending $40 for a one
time use program either).

Thank you,
JohnV
p.s. I do have the original XP Pro CD that came with the
computer still and it is a "generic" OEM I think.
 
symantec ghost works well. it can be bought separately or as part of the
whole system works for ~60$ US.
 
John, I would recommend trying the $35 shareware program called BootIt
NG, available at
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/bootitng.html

There's a 30-day free trial, but it does so much more than a drive copy,
I'm sure you'll wind up buying it.

Basically, pop your new drive into the computer either as a slave or, if
you have a free IDE connector, as Master on that one. Then you'll be
able to do a complete disk copy and not have to worry about a 'repair'
with the XP install CD or a 'restore' (which will probably fail)... it
will be a perfect clone. You can then, if you wish, leave the old drive
where it is until it fails and just 'swap' to the new drive when you
want, or just get rid of the old one and select the new drive to boot.

Further, if you wish, the program will allow you to re-size the new
partition to encompass the larger new drive, or create new partitons in
the unallocated space left over from the 40 to the 80gb.

Just a suggestion ... as I said, it's free for 30 days.
 
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