Drive Copy

I

idyllhands

New Member
Anyone know of a good FREE software prog to copy one HD to another? Like Drive Copy, I want it to "clone" the drive onto another one to save my dying HD onto another. I want OS copied and everything.
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!!
Thanks in advance :)
 
For simply backing up a drive and later seeing a fresh copy of Windows go on the one drive utility in mind that can copy partitions from one drove to another is GParted live for cd. That is a free Linux drive tool there. With Vista if the version you would definitely have to reinstall Windows while you might? see XP run. Same make, type, and size drive would be the thing to remember about cloned drives.
 
So there's no way to just copy a drive if the HDD are different sizes?
I just don't want to have to reinstall all the updates and settings and everything.
 
If all you want are your settings then I would copy the local settings and program files over, if the current HD is dying then most likely you have corrupt files, so you would probably have the same issue if you cloned the drive to a new one.
 
The idea of copying a partition or using a retail program like Acronis or Norton Ghost is to create disk images in order to preserve files and data you have on the current drive. But since even a drive change is a major hardware change you will want a clean install of Windows.

Just like you want a reliable drive being new you also want a reliable copy of Windows seeing a fresh detection of the new drive to insure the best results. If you plan to custom build systems get used to installing and reinstalling OSs for sure. You'll see it enough times.
 
[-0MEGA-];814845 said:
If all you want are your settings then I would copy the local settings and program files over, if the current HD is dying then most likely you have corrupt files, so you would probably have the same issue if you cloned the drive to a new one.
Click to expand...
By this do you mean just copy the Program Files folder over? Wouldn't that leave the registry files out?
I can do a fresh install, I was just seeing how much of it I need to do.
Thanks for the responses PC Eye and Omega.
 
Most softwares and games automatically create new values in the system registry when they are installed. You can try copying each program's folder in order to see if the current settings and game saves, etc. are recognised when installing the program over again. Other small utilities you may have downloaded are simply executables where the installer created a desktop shortcut only.

Those can easily be moved around where you right click to choose the create desktop shortcut option or drag the exe file onto the desktop. From there you can right click on the new short cut to rename it to program instead of shortcut to program's name.
 
One important question: do you know how to import all Firefox settings? or do i need to go through and reset all the settings and all of the add-ons?
 
idyllhands said:
One important question: do you know how to import all Firefox settings? or do i need to go through and reset all the settings and all of the add-ons?
Click to expand...
The Firefox files are located here: C:\Documents and Settings\<ACCOUNT>\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles

You just need to copy the files in the profile, then copy them into the new profile when you install Firefox again.
 
I don't have an Application Data directory...possibly because I'm using Win XP 64 bit??
At any rate, I booted up off my old drive, and exported my bookmarks, then just installed all my add-ons fresh.
While installing, I found this add-on which will back up all your Firefox themes, add-ons, etc.

Might be useful for next time. Here's a link if anyone else is interested:
FEBE - Firefox Environment Backup Extension

And another add-on which will make your backup into a single file:
CLEO - Compact Library Extension Organizer
 
Are you trying to copy windows as well?
I tried this and just got screwed.
You need to reinstall is my understanding if thats your plan...
 
Wnen going to set up FF 2.0 here I simply imported all IE setting automatically. With TBird all of the OE settings came in the same way. The IE favorites nad links became boomakrs in FF. But that was on the existing Windows installation there.
 
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