Tom's Hardware > Forum > Windows Vista > Vista General Discussion > install new HD, clone current vista install?

install new HD, clone current vista install?

Forum Windows Vista : Vista General Discussion - install new HD, clone current vista install?

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petebert   11-01-2007 at 02:56:51 AM

getting myself setup on vista, so far its on my HD that I used for XP thats partitioned 20GB/230GB. I really dont want to repartition that drive due to all of my sweet stuff on partition 2. Well 20GB is enough to install vista and get used to it but its free space is getting lower and lower, I'm thinking of buying a 80GB sata drive from newegg ($50ish) and using it for Vista. Figure that 20GB partition would make a nice swap file too. But what I'd really like to do when moving to the new HD and doing the install is to clone my settings, the registry and just everything from C:// so I dont have to resetup and reinstall the programs I've got on there already. Is this possible?

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Grumpy9117   11-01-2007 at 11:45:14 AM
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Unless you current hard drive is on a SATA controller, Windows won't boot from the cloned drive.

Grumpy

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petebert   11-01-2007 at 12:03:07 PM
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ya current is sata and it looks like the smallest sata I could buy is a 80gb. would be really nice to save some time if I could do it that way. For example, installed the sims 2 last night for the family, well 7 expansions and 3 add on packs later and I think it was a good 2 hours. The sims also takes a bit of your c: for each expansion.


Message edited by petebert on 11-01-2007 at 12:04:47 PM
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petebert   11-01-2007 at 09:43:20 PM
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any tips on how this is done? a built in feature on the install disk, a 3rd party program or a simple cut & paste?

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Grumpy9117   11-01-2007 at 10:12:55 PM
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You can use Norton Ghost or Acronis TrueImage.

Grumpy

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SinxarKnights   11-09-2007 at 07:08:26 AM
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I know this is starting to age a bit...

 

I had great success with the Seagate Disk Wizard (free and easy to use). You don't even need a Seagate drive to use it.

 

I cloned my 80GB IDE drive to a new SATA 250GB drive with only one minor issue... I had to reactivate Vista...

 

Just make sure you set the right HDD to boot from and you should be good to go.

 

I liked this program so much I use it to make image backups monthly of all my computers and I have an image of a fresh Vista install with it set the way I like to save me some time down the road.


Message edited by SinxarKnights on 11-09-2007 at 07:12:53 AM
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