Copying an entire hard drive?

[MikeEnIke]

Hey, I was wondering if it was possible to copy an entire drive, with the operating system and programs and everything installed to another hard drive. My parents hard drive is failing so we got a new hard drive and I don't want to back up and re install. There has to be some program that allows for the copying of the entire drive so it will work.

 

[llwyd]

why do you need to copy over the OS? you would be better off formatting the new drive and then hooking it up to the pc and just transfering all the media and data over

 

[PV5150]

There is an old saying "Data you don't want to backup, is data you can afford to lose."

Acronis True Image will do the trick, and once you have the disk up and running it'll do incremental backups for you too. Or do it the way Llwyd suggested

 

[FarFarAway]

Yeah Acronis is one of the best if not the best imo

 

[Ham]

Acronis True Image will do the trick

seconded.

Or thirded, rather.

 

[Raging]

acronis can sucessfully fully backup the os and all the files+settings?

ime looking to reformat but i have too much programs and data...

and ime not sure if this will void the point of a format?

coz the rig is playin up(i think a windows prob)

hope you dont mind me getting some help as well mike

cheers.

 

[MikeEnIke]

why do you need to copy over the OS? you would be better off formatting the new drive and then hooking it up to the pc and just transfering all the media and data over

I need to copy over the OS because I'm not doing this in order to reformat I'm doing it because the old is failing. They have programs that would more or less be a PIA to re install. I don't want just media and data. To everyone else, thanks i'll check it out.

 

[llwyd]

I need to copy over the OS because I'm not doing this in order to reformat I'm doing it because the old is failing. They have programs that would more or less be a PIA to re install. I don't want just media and data. To everyone else, thanks i'll check it out.

you sure the drive itself is failing and its not just windows copping out? it has a habit of doing that lol. Its entirely up to you but a reformat is always good

 

[MikeEnIke]

Lol well it's making funny noises. Instead of sounding like a normal drive it's a sort of rumble like noise or a grinding.

 

[llwyd]

Lol well it's making funny noises. Instead of sounding like a normal drive it's a sort of rumble like noise or a grinding.

oh.........thats not good lol