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cloning question

Started by wonderings, May 20, 2008, 09:21 hrs

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wonderings

Its been a looong time since I posted as I dont deal with windows computers to regularly. I have a computer running xp pro SP2 at work. I have a better computer at home with xp pro sp2 that I am replacing with an iMac. So I want to bring my windows computer to work and copy the hard drive from the older computer to the new one. The hard drive is getting near the end of its life on the older machine I think so I dont want to just swap the hard drives. Whats the easiest way to clone the old hard drive and put it on my other computer? I am talking OS and all so I have the exact same settings and everything from the old work machine.


Thanks

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Bill

Unless the hardware on the two machines is identical, you may have some difficulty with drivers.  Generally people that use disk imaging software like Acronis, use it to back up the same computer.  You might be better off just copying the data you want to transfer and leave  the O/S alone. 

Bill
Antec 3700 | Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R | Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz | 4 GB (4x1GB) DDR2 PC 5300 Kingston RAM | Antec NeoPower 550W | eVGA GeForce 9500GT 1GB 128 bit PCI Express 2.0 | Intel SSD X25-M 80GB | VelociRaptor 150GB | WD 80GB 7200rpm |Samsung 22x SATA Burner |Windows 7 32-bit

scuzzy

Bill is right. It's easy enough to clone a hard drive, but when the image is placed on a different computer you can expect nothing but problems. Even on the same computer, changing out the motherboard with a different model or brand is enough to force the user to reinstall Windows.

Simply swapping the hard drive would not resolve this problem.

For the cloning to be successful between two computers, they would need to have a nearly identical setup; especially the motherboard. My favorite software for cloning and creating images is Acronis True Image. You'll pay considerably less if you order from NewEgg.
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