Gaming Recommended HDD cloning program?

[Harsky]

I'm getting that feeling that my HDD is about to die on me. Luckily all the bulk of the stuff is saved but I don't want to go through the format, install and install drivers process again which is why I was wondering what is the recommended program for cloning a HDD? Unfortunately my PC seems to only have room to fit ONE HDD at a time but will putting the spare empty HDD I have into a USB enclosure also work?

 

[Dack]

I'd get hold of a copy of hirens boot cd and use either acronis or the ever popular Norton Ghost. Ghost will allow you to backup hard drive to multiple DVD's if need be.

You then use the software to restore the entire image to another drive, repartitioning if need be.

 

[Splych]

I use Acronis (lulz not really. Dad does) and hasn't failed him once...

 

[GH0ST]

Check DriveImage and burn a bootable cd
Or download UBCD WIN.

DriveImage XML is an easy to use and reliable program for imaging and backing up partitions and logical drives.

The program allows you to:

* Backup logical drives and partitions to image files
* Browse these images, view and extract files
* Restore these images to the same or a different drive
* Copy directly from drive to drive

Image creation uses Microsoft's Volume Shadow Services (VSS), allowing you to create safe "hot images" even from drives currently in use.

Images are stored in XML files, allowing you to process them with 3rd party tools. Never again be stuck with a useless backup!...

You can check for valuable Linux Live CDs like SystemRescue or even Ubuntu Ultimate Edition ... in dual boot

 

[BiscuitBee]

Clonezilla: http://www.clonezilla.org/

I've used this program countless times. I also use it at work for cloning.

Download the LiveCD version and boot from that CD. (or you could get the USB version, which is just as fine also). It SHOULD work with your USB HDD enclosure. I've used it mainly to drop an image of the drive on a Seagate FreeAgent external drive. Then, later on, clone that image onto another harddrive. I am fairly certain that Clonezilla has a disk-to-disk option, also.

And if the HDD different sizes, Clonezilla can, optionally, resize the image to EXPAND to the entire drive.

i.e. 15 GB image -> 240 GB HDD resulting in 225 GB of free space.

If it doesn't do it, you'll end up with 225 GB of 'unknown' space, which you'll have to format to use OR use Gparted (http://gparted.sourceforge.net/) to resize the image after it's been cloned. Gparted will leave your data when resizing so you don't have to worry about it getting deleted.

Both of these products are completely free!