Upgrading Primary HDD [bootable] in desktop -- Which disk-cloning application to use?

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Upgrader3

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Jun 29, 2012
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I have an older desktop system (circa 2007; Intel mobo D915GUX), which has seen light-to-medium-duty use, and presented little or no problems over the years. However, the primary HDD, a Seagate ST3100011A 100Gb PATA 3.5" (which has always performed well), is now at about 75% capacity and it's time to think about a higher-capacity replacement.

I am planning to replace the 100Gb drive with at least a 320Gb (or maybe a 500 or 750) PATA 3.5".

I would like to use a disk-cloning application to clone the entire contents of the 100Gb HDD [including Windows XP Home Edition with SP3 on the "C:" partition, and a relatively small "System Restore" folder on the "D:" partition] onto the new, larger HDD.

At the end of the cloning procedure, I would like to end up with a fully-bootable clone-HDD that can simply replace the original 100gb drive, capable of functioning just like the original primary HDD in every way, once it is installed as the replacement for the 100gb drive inside the tower.

Will any of the following applications work equally well for my purposes, or would you recommend certain applications over others? . . . And can you recommend the best link(s) to guide me through the cloning process, for your recommended application(s)?

Acronis Drive Image
Acronis True Image
AOMEI Backupper
CloneZilla
DriveImage XML
EaseUS Disk Copy
EaseUS Todo Backup Home
Macrium Reflect
Macrium Reflect Free Version
Norton Ghost [is version 14 or 15 sufficient?]
Paragon Drive Backing Express
XXClone

Others not named here?

Thanks for your suggestions, feedback, recommendations.


 
G

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Acronis True Image. Make an image of your old drive and copy it on to the new one. Everything copies. Settings, product keys, passwords, everything.
 

Upgrader3

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1) I have discovered that there are many versions of Acronis True Image [with prices ranging from a couple dollars to $40 or more]:

Acronix True Image 10 Home
Acronis True Image Home 2011
Acronis True Image Home 2012
Acronis True Image Lite 2013
Acronis True Image Home 2013
Acronis True Image 2013
Acronis True Image 2014
Acronis True Image 2014 Premium

Will any of these versions be sufficient for the task that I outlined in my original post? . . . If not which versions will be sufficient?

2) In view of the cost factor, I would like to rephrase my original question as follows . . .

- Considering price, of all of the software choices available [e.g., see list in original post], which is the best application for my task?

- Irrespective of price, of all of the software choices available, which is the best application for my task?
 
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