duplicating exact info to another HD?

currently, i have a 160GB HD and 40GB of it has been used. is there any way to duplicate EVERYTHING on it to another 80gig HD that just been formatted? for example, can i burn an image of the 160GB HD onto dvds and load it onto the 80GB HD? this way, EVERYTHING will be exact same except i have less space on the HD



i know how to back up and transfer files but i don't know how to transfer OS and applications/programs

For data the task can be done in several ways like using GParted live for cd to copy the entire partition from one drive to another. Other programs besides the free Linux tool are retail like the Acronis True Image 11 software seen at http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing...cts/trueimage/ or another like Norton Ghost.

For the operating system as well as softwares that requires fresh installation of each to see the best actual working results. Linux on the other hand allows for cloning partitions while Windows creates a hardware profile of the drive as well as the total amount of current hardwares including the board. The need for fresh boot information and Windows product activation also comes in there as well.

i would recommend norton ghost.

i use it to partially reformat without having to set up my internet and themes and stuff every time.

so in order for a complete duplicate of the HD, i would need to install the OS and programs again? darn that was what i was really trying to avoid because i can't find some of my old software cds anymore. drivers i can just download from the the manufacturer's website, but i'd have to search for them :[

When replacing builds and drives here I run right into losing a few downloaded programs if not backed up on removable media or a drive set aside strictly for storage and backup. I've seen where data disks on some occasions like data dvds and cd-rs lost file intregrity and lost files in the process of copying them onto a new drive or simply between folders on rare occasions.

When using any disk imaging software for backing up a drive always verify the integrity of things following the creation of any images to avoid loss there. Software disks on the other should always be stored in a safe place to prevent damage or misplacing them like you probably saw there.

I still have a load of floppies with WIN 95 files hanging around here all these years! Don't feel bad I have to replace an old 5gb drive with an 80gb model on an old Dell system that saw 98! Try that without anything and not knowing if driver updates for 98 and that old of a system will be available.

The aunt that gave that to a nephew thinks that the original disks will work on a brand new laptop seeing XP by request or Vista. That included the cd for the board drivers as well. ddaaaaa.....

lol wow u still keep that ancient stuff around? actually i think i have my windows 95 comp around here somewhere too...

anyways, so to minimize the lost of integrity or write/transfer errors, should i burn onto dvds or cds at lower speeds?

The one method for seeing a partition actually duplicated from one drive to another like that seen with the platform independent verions of the Linux drive tool GParted live for cd would save time on burning data disks and manually seeing all that information manualy copied to the new drive.

Creating disk images would be much faster as well with a program like one of those mentioned before for seeing everything unpack itself onto the new drive. Data disks however are something to consider when performing more frequent backups in case a drive fails or becomes infected with a virus seeing everything lost!

For good burns to removable media like cd-rs and dvd-rs or dvd+rs the quality of the brand of blank media as well as the drive(s) used and burning program will have the direct impact on how good the results are. If you are unsure of what program to use a freeware called Deep Burner and the free version of BurnOn are two to look over for thiis.