How Do You Transfer All Files, Including Registry Files, From One Hard Drive To Another?
Right, I have bought a new 750GB hard drive, to replace an old 80GB one (LOL) now, I need to transfer absolutely everything, including registry files, onto the new one. They are both internal and have SATA connections.
Cheers in advance.
Killian.
It’s really daft to move 80Gb onto 750 (sorry, but it’s a step-change that makes little sense because you probably need to think about partition sizes). Since you have left your upgrade for so long, you would benefit most from doing a windows install, not a clone – since cloning will just bring all the junk too.1
1. Run all windows updates , then run the files and settings transfer wizard and back up settings
2. install windows on new disk, run all updates
3. run the settings transfer wizard and restore to your new “bigger” drive.
4. Spend about 1 week finding all the original install CD-roms and installing all applications again.
It’s painful, but upgrading disk-space without doing a clean windows install means you miss the chance to get rid of 3 years worth of junk registry entries. Alternately use Acronis or Ghost, and run a registry cleaner.
Adding to what others have already said… Yes, go for Acronis True Image. BRILLIANT package.
Personally, I’d format the 750Gb hard drive into two partitions one for OS and the other for Data (Say 100Gb / 650Gb split).
Clone your 80Gb Hard drive over to the OS partition, and create a backup of it on the Data partition, so If you install anything that screws the system up, get a virus etc. you can restore the systems partition from this backup and you’re off and running again with the minimum of fuss.
You would need to purchase software that can clone a drive.
Its easier to install your os on the 750gb then copy files and installers from the 80gb.
You can’t copy installed programs themselves but you can copy installer packages and then run them from the new drive.http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/libra…
Your best bet is to get a cloning program. I recently used Acronis True Image and worked perfectly. There is also Ghost and a number of others, but you want to find something that states that it does drive imaging or cloning.
You can always use files and settings transfer wizard in your system tools for most basic stuff but for like your boot.ini files and stuff like that the easiest way is a cloner.