Easiest method of cloning Windows 7 OS Install to a larger HDD?

[antispam246]

I want to move my windows 7 install currently on an 80GB HDD to a larger 1TB HDD. I've researched around alot and though the easiest method was to use windows 7 built in backup and restore. Unfortunately I cannot get it to choose where to install the windows 7 image to, doesn't give me an option.

So, now I'm looking for alternative methods or a full solution as to how to use win 7 backup and restore and be able to choose where I want to clone the system image to exactly.
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[chunkymonster]

Check out Macrium Reflect. They offer a free edition which can be used to clone your XP image to the 1TB drive, and it will actually be bootable; meaning that after you clone the image to the 1TB drive, you can swap out the 80GB for the 1TB drive as the OS boot drive.

Good luck!

 

[antispam246]

XP Image? It's win 7, will it still work on win 7 OS? (64bit)

 

[MRFS]

Buy GHOST: it's a great package (formerly Drive Image from PowerQuest):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832108456&Tpk=N82E16832108456

Write a drive image of C: to a USB thumb drive.

Replace your 80GB HDD with your new 1TB HDD.

-or-

If you don't have a thumb drive, use PartitionWizard
http://www.partitionwizard.com/
to shrink your C: partition to something manageable
like 30GB; then, format the remainder ~50GB as a data partition.

Then write your drive image of C: to that data partition.

When that's done, install your new 1TB.


Boot from the restore CD that comes with GHOST
and follow the directions.


MRFS

 

[antispam246]

Thanks peeps. Ended up using Acronis True Image 2010. Ran into one issue when attempting to clone but a quick google resolved it. Basically after I chose the source HDD to clone it kept saying "Processing, please wait", it never stopped. Fix was to go into services and disable "Distributed Link Tracking Client". Anyway the process completed successfully and I was able to boot from my new HDD.