T23 - cloning existing hard drive to new hard drive

[g8tzl]

The 40GB hard drive on my T23 recently failed big time - whirling clunking noise.

I installed a 5GB HDD as a temporary replacement - I expected to have about 3GB spare but ended up with only 0.5GB although this later increased to 1.5GB - maybe something to do with system restore settings?

Anyway , I now have a replacement 40GB drive BUT I am only on dial up!! So all the XP updates (starting from SP0) and antivirus , spyware , firewall updates etc take forever!!!(at least 2-3 days overnight)

I want to be able to clone the content of my 5GB drive to the new 40GB drive.

I've read about Acronis BUT is anybody aware of any free stuff which will "easily" do the job?

Thanks

[RealBlackStuff]

Here's a free clone utility: http://www.miray.de/download/sat.hdclone.html
If you get a Seagate HD, get the free Seagate Disc Wizard clone-program (which is Acronis TrueImage SE), or for a Maxtor HD get the free MaxBlast here:
http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/

Ask your friends if they have a Micro$haft CD with SP2 (which includes all of SP1) and/or SP3 (does NOT include previous SP's).
You can also order these from M$.

[g8tzl]

Thanks for the link RealBlackStuff.

I had previously downloaded the Seagate stuff BUT did not realize that you needed to use a Seagate HDD - but soon found out when it did not work!! Unfortunately, my replacement HDD is a Toshiba - you would think that Toshiba would have some free stuff for cloning!!

[emeraldgirl08]

I would find someone- a relative or a friend (with hispeed) to download the trial version of Acronis. I'm still pooling some $$$ together to get a replacement hard drive for my T30! From what I've read the Acronis will work.

If you get around to doing the cloning please let us know if you succeeded. I would love to find out what software you used.

Thanks

[g8tzl]

I read some comments that the trial version of Acronis will not let you clone - you get a message saying you need the paid for version - although this might not be the case for the latest version.

HDClone, which is free , looks interesting. The paid for version has more options but the free version appears to be OK for cloning.

[tom lightbody]

g8tzl says:

> the free version [of HDClone] appears to be OK for
> cloning

confirming that. At RBS's suggestion from this thread,
I tried it yesterday to clone a failing 12gb-->32gb on USB
adapter: XP with applications, a linux installation: all came
over fine, working well. The 20gb unallocated space was
spread out using "systemrescue" CD version gparted:
Partition Magic would serve as well.

[g8tzl]

Thanks for the confirmation Tom.

Just so I am clear, once you have cloned from eg. a 5GB to 40GB drive using a USB caddy , you need to then extend the partition of the new drive?? This is not done automatically. If you don't do this, the new 40GB drive will just act like a 5GB drive but with lots of unused space (ie 35GB)??

Assuming the new 40GB drive is in the USB external caddy , I presume once the clone has taken place , you can just insert it into the T30 and XP will boot up as per usual - no more tweaking is required?

Also , if the clone goes wrong , I presume the original 5GB drive is still 100% OK??

Thanks

[emeraldgirl08]

Tom. Thanks for letting us know the HDClone worked! I downloaded the Acronis trial (all 80+ MB; never could have done that on our old dial up!) and have the HDClone. I almost deleted the HDClone zip but am glad I haven't yet!

[tom lightbody]

g8tzl says:

> Just so I am clear, once you have cloned from eg. a 5GB
> to 40GB drive using a USB caddy, you need to then
> extend the partition of the new drive?? This is not
> done automatically. If you don't do this, the new 40GB
> drive will just act like a 5GB drive but with lots of
> unused space (ie 35GB)??

that was my experience. Copious docs are provided,
perhaps the extending can be automated.

> Assuming the new 40GB drive is in the USB external
> caddy, I presume once the clone has taken place, you
> can just insert it into the T30 and XP will boot up as
> per usual--no more tweaking is required?

well, I presume so too: but I was shifting frm
600e-->600x. Linux OS came thru fine--some drivers
needed adjusting--but in its snoopy way XP noticed the
difference, said "3 days to activate." Used the COA
frm x24, no problem.

> Also, if the clone goes wrong, I presume the original
> 5GB drive is still 100% OK??

don't know, my one and only clone (so far) went OK.
Also, I've not tried this on a drive with the hidden
rescue partition.

[RealBlackStuff]

When you clone, you only READ the original hard disk.
After the cloning it is still the same as before, so have no fear.