[ScottFL386]

Hello All:

I am looking for someone to help me with a project I want to do...here is my situation...

I have a C: drive with only 12gigs on it and it is almost full. I have a 300gig HD that is partitioned into several smaller drives. I have a 25gig partition on the 300gig that I want to do an EXACT copy of the "C" and place it on the 25gig...

What program can I use to copy EVERYTHING over so I can now use the 25gig drive as my "C" and have more room?

I am looking for a free program if possible....

Thanks:
Scott

[ScottFL386]

I am surprised nobody has replied to this question....is there nothing out there to do what I am trying to do?

[TheOutcaste]

You can create an image of the partition, then restore the image to the larger partition on the other drive.
You'll have to manually set that partition active, and edit the boot.ini file to point to that drive. If it's not the same relative partition number as your original drive, you'll have to edit the partition number as well.
Remember if you are going to remove the original C: drive, the drive numbers may change.
For example, if the original drive is Drive 0 and has only one partition and the 25 GB partition on the other drive (which is drive 1) is partition #3 as seen in Disk Management, you'll have to change the rdisk number from 0 to 1 and the partition number from 1 to 3. Remember that what we call the 1st disk, Windows will see as Disk 0
Before:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute /fastdetect

After:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(3)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute /fastdetect

You can also create a boot.ini file with up to 8 choices, listing different rdisk/partition numbers, so if you change disks you can still find an entry that will work:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\Windows
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\Windows="XP on Disk 1 Partition 1 (Windows)"/noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\Windows="XP on Disk 1 Partition 2 (Windows)"/noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\Windows="XP on Disk 1 Partition 3 (Windows)"/noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(4)\Windows="XP on Disk 1 Partition 4 (Windows)"/noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\Windows="XP on Disk 2 Partition 1 (Windows)"/noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\Windows="XP on Disk 2 Partition 2 (Windows)"/noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(3)\Windows="XP on Disk 2 Partition 3 (Windows)"/noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(4)\Windows="XP on Disk 2 Partition 4 (Windows)"/noexecute=optin /fastdetect

Imaging Software
Wikipedia Comparison Chart
Includes links to both free and commercial versions

These are often mentioned on the forum:
Free:
Macrium Reflect
DriveImage XML
If you have a Seagate HD, you can use this, which is based on Acronis:
Seagate DiscWizard

Commercial:
Acronis True Image
DriveImage XML
Macrium Reflect
Norton Ghost
I use Acronis myself, and they do have a free trial

HTH

Jerry

[TheOutcaste]

Left out one thing, you must set the BIOS to boot from the drive with the 25 GB partition first, rather than the original drive.
If the BIOS won't let you choose a specific drive, you need to either move the larger drive so it is first, or set the partition on the original drive to Not Active, and make sure the 25 GB partition is the first active partition found.

You can't set a partition Not Active in Disk Management, you have to use diskpart from a command prompt, or use a 3rd party partitioning tool.

[ScottFL386]

Ok, I used a new 60gig drive and copied the 12.5gig partition to this new drive. How do I edit the boot.ini file on the DISK 1 drive which I now want to become DISK 0 and the NEW "C" drive...

I want to be able to take out the old C and once the computer starts up it will now see the new drive and the NEW "C"...

Thanks for the help!!

[TheOutcaste]

What imaging software did you use?
Did you image just the partition, or did you clone the drive?

If the 60 GB drive has no other partitions, easiest to clone, not image, the 12.5 GB drive to the 60 GB drive, remove the 12.5 GB and replace it with the 60 GB (i.e., connect the 60 GB as Disk 0), then boot the system, no changes needed.

Once you've confirmed that the new drive boots correctly, you can connect the old drive as Disk 1 (or higher), then delete the partition, create a new one, and use it if desired.

[ScottFL386]

Got it working...thanks much for the help!!!