Re: Easiest method of moving to a larger disk drive

[Jimmy Snowden <jhsnowden@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

John,

Easiest way I know of is Casper.  They have a new version but I'm still using Version 3.0.01124.  It doesn't cost much but is worth a fortune in time and pain.  I used Ghost.  ONCE.  Never again.  Too complex, too invasive and hard to control.  With Casper you turn everything off then click on Casper to copy Drive 0 to Drive 1.  It looks them up and lets you choose them so you don't make a mistake and copy the new drive to the old one.  Ouch.  I copy mine each weekend on two SATA drives but you can use any kind or mix them.  I have four drives and the C: and main backup are the exact same drives but do not have to be.  The new one needs to be as large or larger on my version. With a new drive you can use Casper to Create Drive.  This formats it and gives it a letter.  Then you choose to copy an entire hard drive or a specific drive.  I do the entire drive as my C: is not partitioned.  If you have XP on a partition you choose a specific drive so it only copies the XP partition.   I turn off my network connection then things like the junk running by the clock.  Virus software, spyware and faxsoftware.  When it is finished your new drive is bootable with all your programs.  I just swap my SATA plugs so the Second drive is C: and the first drive becomes E:.  You can do this in the bios depending on what is easier for you.  For me I choose shut down, open the CPU door swap cables and press reboot.  Done deal.
I see the price has gone up on it to fifty dollars but it is worth it. I've used it for years.  It is so simple you will not believe it.

http://www.fssdev.com/products/casper/

Jimmy
No connection with the company.




Hi,

I am looking to increase the size of one of my disk drives "the C drive" 
with minimum pain of returning data and and software settings.
The current operating system is XP profession Corporate.
Someone suggested Norton Ghost which could return the whole prior drive 
after the new one is initially set up with a new operating system.
However I am concerned about the fact that it is likely to be a 
different make of drive and of course a different size.
I am thinking Windows will have all sorts of settings for the new drive 
and a return of the operating system on mass can only be done with an 
identical drive (size, make, type).
Does anyone have any experience with this and suggestions or am I stuck 
with the standard reformating and reinstalling the software then 
bringing in the data.

Thanks,
John.