Cloning/Ghosting XP partition

Caporegime
Joined
8 Mar 2007
Posts
37,146
Location
Surrey
Hi

I currently have a 200GB SATA1 drive that has my XP instal, my Vista install that i can no longer get to, and another partition on it. I want to stick in an 80GB SATA2 I have lying around and split it in 2 for XP and Vista. Im not interested in saving the current Vista partition, is not accessable anyway. the 200GB is currenly split 35 for XP, 35 for Vista, and the rest for data. Can I ghost or clone the XP partition only, and then stick it on the 80GB drive? then wipe clean the 200GB? Will this cause problems with my MBR currently on the 200GB, or copying a partition not a disk? will the MBR get copied too?
Also, whats the best software for this?

Cheers
 
Use Acronis True Image.

It'd do everything you require :)

As for the MBR, the whole point of a clone is that everything is copied exaclty the same, therefore the MBR will be the same on the other drive. This could lead to an issue as it probably be pointing to the wrong drive, so the boot loader will need to be reconfigured, but that's easy in the recovery console.

Burnsy
 
But I cant copy the whole drive, I only want the first partition. If I copy just the partition will it just take the data or bring the mbr too?

As for the write wrong drive. Am I rite in thinking that if i clone to the new drive, then remove the old and leave the new in the same SATA port it wil boot fine? If so, are you able to connect a SATA drive while in windows? i.e. boot from new disk with old disconnected, load windows, then plug in the old one and format?
 
But I cant copy the whole drive, I only want the first partition. If I copy just the partition will it just take the data or bring the mbr too?

It should take everything.

As for the write wrong drive. Am I rite in thinking that if i clone to the new drive, then remove the old and leave the new in the same SATA port it wil boot fine? If so, are you able to connect a SATA drive while in windows? i.e. boot from new disk with old disconnected, load windows, then plug in the old one and format?

Again, it should be fine :)

Burnsy
 
I'm looking at Acronis too, but it's not displaying my boot drive or any of the other drives that are dynamic.. It's Vista x64 I assume it's a no go with this then?
 
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