What's the easiest way to perform this disk transfer?

[andrew732]

I have a 500 Gb dual boot Ubuntu/Windows XP drive that boots using Grub. (Ubuntu's partition has 250 Gb and Windows has 250 Gb.) I want to continue using the exact same system but transfer it all to a 1 Tb drive where Ubuntu has 500 Gb, Windows XP has 500 Gb, and the whole thing still boots from Grub just like before.

What's the best free program that will let me accomplish this with the smallest chance of things going wrong? A weird wrinkle is that I only have one SATA connection on my mobo, so either the new or the old drive will have to be attached using my SATA to USB converter. Thanks!

 

[WyomingKnott]

I would start by trying Easeus Disk Copy:
http://www.easeus.com/disk-copy/

Easeus seems to work well. I have made it my standard since retiring Partition Magic 8.0. And so much of their stuff is free!

ps - that's a weird wrinkle, all right. Does it have IDE connectors, or is it a MicroATX, or why does it only have one? Just curious. When copying, I suggest using the NEW drive via USB - otherwise, you boot through USB.

 

[andrew732]

Best answer selected by andrew732.

 

[andrew732]

Easeus looks awesome. I'll give it a try, thanks! It's just a piece of crap Dell mobo with only one sata connection. Frankly I'm surprised this computer still works, but it has sentimental value. It does have a few ide connections, but I assume no new hd will come with ide and even the old hd that's already in the computer only has sata. So if Disk Copy doesn't like usb I guess I will have to get a sata->ide converter or something.

 

[COLGeek]

Clonezilla is also a free tool that can be used to do this and it supports darn near every form of HDD interface imaginable (IDE, SATA, Firewire, USB, etc.).

 

[andrew732]

Actually, this one is incredible:

http://www.software-freeware.net/minitool-partition-wizard-home-edition.html

It seems like it's brand new, but is quite possibly the most powerful, user friendly disk management program I have ever seen. Free too!

 

[WyomingKnott]

Actually, this one is incredible:

http://www.software-freeware.net/minitool-partition-wizard-home-edition.html

It seems like it's brand new, but is quite possibly the most powerful, user friendly disk management program I have ever seen. Free too!

Cool. I'll try it out.