Imaging a HDD... help.

[ganzonomy]

Ok, so after the upgrade of my mom's m5030 from 3GB to 8GB, she apparently is now VERY happy (because there's enough ram that the paging file isn't needed as much and things don't slow down)... but the HDD in there right now (320GB 5400rpm) HDD is a bit slow. She has a SATA 3.0Gb/s port and I was thinking to put in a 7200rpm for a boost in speed, either

Seagate XT 500GB Hybrid Drive

or

Seagate 750GB 7200rpm Drive.

I want to do this while not disturbing the info on the computer (since my little sisters use the computer), so I also need some sort of imaging software that can copy everything (OS and all) to the new drive. I'd go with an SSD, but those cost more than the whole computer for something comparable in size (300GB Intel 320 would work). What would be needed to do what I want to do with this computer insofar as migrating everything over without compromising the integrity of the OS and the files on it?

Thanks

Jason

[DR650SE]

If your willing to spend money, I have found that Acronis True Image is my go to software. I purchased it a while back (2 years) and use it quite frequently to create/restore image backups. It will also clone HDDs. I know there are some free software programs out there. Hopefully somone will chime in with some good ones. I never looked into it because I knew I'd do it a lot and wanted something good, so I invested in Acronis and never looked back.

[ganzonomy]

If your willing to spend money, I have found that Acronis True Image is my go to software. I purchased it a while back (2 years) and use it quite frequently to create/restore image backups. It will also clone HDDs. I know there are some free software programs out there. Hopefully somone will chime in with some good ones. I never looked into it because I knew I'd do it a lot and wanted something good, so I invested in Acronis and never looked back.

I was thinking Acronis, but I also want to know, after i clone everything, how do I tell windows it now has a much bigger (and faster) drive? I am also *VAGUELY* considering the 750GB XT as well, even though it's SATA 3, but wouldn't all that cloning wreck the SSD cache?

Jason

[dkerr24]

I used EASEUS partition tool (free) to clone the factory hard drive in my Alienware m11x r3 to a Seagate Hybrid drive. I had a spare 2.5" USB drive enclosure to use temporarily while I cloned the drive. You can pickup a drive enclosure for less than $20 online.

After cloning the drive, I removed the factory hard drive and replaced it with the hybrid drive and booted it up.

You can set the size of partitions in the new drive when your first start the cloning process.

Worked perfectly.

Darin

[olyteddy]

If you get a Seagate, use the Seagate cloning tool. It is Acronis.

[ganzonomy]

If you get a Seagate, use the Seagate cloning tool. It is Acronis.

I'm thinking the 500 XT, the 750 7200rpm, or outside possibility the 750 XT. (Not the Bare drive, but the retail box.) I'm gonna need a SATA to USB connector and a day or so to do it.

Jason

[DR650SE]

At least your not having to write a guide on the process

[deeastman]

I was thinking Acronis, but I also want to know, after i clone everything, how do I tell windows it now has a much bigger (and faster) drive?

Using Acronis (+1) or whatever, you don't have to clone the HD, you can also just save an image of your current HD to an external USB drive (good practice anyway).

When you restore the image to your new HD the size difference will be accounted for automatically (actually the image just takes what ever space it needs and leaves the extra in tact for you to use) unlike cloning where you will have to use the disk management tools to resize your partitions, etc.

The drive being faster is of no consequence.