Cloning windows/program files and registry

geeza · 15 Jan 2008 at 14:14

Hi,

Is there a program that I can use to clone my windows directory, program files and registry to my other hard drive? I know my windows Dir is about 5gb and program files is around 25gb. I just want to be able to boot off my other drive if there is a problem to repair the master.

I dont want an exact clone of my primary otherwise it would be 200gb or something including all games and media (which are already backed up)

(I tried copying windows folder to my D: but it couldnt be copied because files are obviously in use)

thanks

BigBoy · 15 Jan 2008 at 17:02

will not work as the drive information and pointers to files will be wrong.

geeza · 15 Jan 2008 at 17:20

BigBoy said:
will not work as the drive information and pointers to files will be wrong.

I can be done. When i was on placement a couple of years ago im sure there was a program that did it

forgot what its called

BigBoy · 15 Jan 2008 at 17:28

Let me re phrase what i said It can be done but it more than likely will chuck up multiple errors when done. i know of several pieces of software (from sysinternals that nolonger exist) that will do what you want but as i said they can cause lots of trouble. bould be easer and cleaner to re install windows to one drive/partition and have all the other data (games and stuff) on another partition/drive.

geeza · 15 Jan 2008 at 17:38

BigBoy said:
Let me re phrase what i said It can be done but it more than likely will chuck up multiple errors when done. i know of several pieces of software (from sysinternals that nolonger exist) that will do what you want but as i said they can cause lots of trouble. bould be easer and cleaner to re install windows to one drive/partition and have all the other data (games and stuff) on another partition/drive.

Are right I see, thanks.

What would be the best way to save things like drivers and settings, as i no longer have any of the cds

I do have a 120gb drive that is free, that could hopefully be used some way to backup drivers (im talking motherboard including network etc. (Sound and graphics are easy to get hold of)

ns400r · 15 Jan 2008 at 19:13

Why not just install a copy of Windows on the second drive.

geeza · 16 Jan 2008 at 09:29

ns400r said:
Why not just install a copy of Windows on the second drive.

I dont have any cds as i send them all home. This would mean i cant install drivers for motherboard etc.

Also id have to re-install around 30 programs

ns400r · 16 Jan 2008 at 16:58

Make a Ghost image of your drive onto the 120GB drive using max compression. Then, for example, use Ghost explorer to remove all the junk you don't want but leaving the core files intact. Copy the smaller edited image to the bigger drive ( if it will fit) and then use the imaging software to write the image to the 120GB drive. Messy but might work.

bledd · 16 Jan 2008 at 18:15

use acronis true image 11, you can set it to ignore files/folders in that