copy one hard disk to other harddisk

k i want to ask a question regarding my hard disk and operaton system is it impossible i copy whole hard disk to other hard disk and can use run in computer,i mean i can make one operting system and all software installed in hard disk to other hard disk and can use as same the old hard disk and all softwares and programmes is it possible i can backup a software from pc and can run to other computer or anything that i can copy installed programee in my computer and run into other computer ...(is it can be done...

 

One solution

Hi
I Don't know your skill level ....but if you are capable around Dos commands, there is a simple freeware solution...XXcopy

http://www.xxcopy.com/

from their documentation ....Quote

"Summarizing this, the sequence is as follows:

. connect the new drive as D:
. FDISK (initialize a partition)
. FORMAT D: (init volume for file access)
. XXCOPY C:\ D:\ /CLONE (copy all the files)
. connect the new drive as C:
. FDISK (set active partition)


Endquote ...

It is an easy solution if you have at least an elemnetary knowledge of Dos and Fdisk ....DOes not work with Win2k or XP...also, only works with installation on same computer, not multible computers ...

Cheers
Jake

 

To answer the second question about "copy installed programee in my computer and run into other computer" the answer in generally "no. "

Unless a program installs itself totally into one folder (which is rare), it installs files all over the drive and makes registry entries.

99.9% of the time, you have to use the installation file or CD or floppy (however you got the program in the first place) to install a program.

There are programs out there that have the capability of migrating programs (Clean Sweep is one) but I've yet to have any success with any of them.

 

Miz...

Thanks for catching that ....I've been fielding alot of questions from friends about cloning , with all the cheap hard drives around these days it's a cheap alternative to rebuilding a crashed system...hope he posts back to let us know how he made out....

cheers
Jake

 

If you purchase a new hard drive, it will probably be supplied with software to transfer your entire operating system partition to the new hard drive. This works great for the "same" machine. Generally if you want to put your OS partition on a different machine, the motherboard drivers will be wrong .... however (with 9x only) you may be able to boot into safe mode and install the drivers for the new motherboard ... voila !
For serious image copies Ghost 2000 personal edition runs inside 98se for making image.

Best