# Best software to copy complete contents of a hard drive to another computer? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 17, 2012, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-software-to-copy-complete-contents-of-a-hard-drive-to-another-computer/625398 "2012-06-17T04:16:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2012, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-software-to-copy-complete-contents-of-a-hard-drive-to-another-computer/625398/1 "2012-06-17T04:16:06Z")
I don’t need answers fast because I only ordered the computer today (thanks for your help [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=654415)) and it’ll be a couple of weeks before it arrives. But I do want to be able to have what I need on hand when it gets here… What I’d like to do is to copy my current computer’s hard drive, which is 320GB, onto the smaller, secondary drive in the new computer (which will be 500GB). I’d like for it to copy the OS, Vista, and all, ftr. When I’ve googled this people seem to get hung up on the likelyhood that you’ll have files you don’t need and will have to delete, rather than how nice it would be not to reinstall dozens of programs…uh, the new computer will acknowledge the copied programs, right? So, what software is the best for doing this? Norton’s Ghost? PC Mover? Something else entirely? And do you have any recommendations for the data transfer cable too, assuming your pick doesn’t come with one? Some do. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2012, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-software-to-copy-complete-contents-of-a-hard-drive-to-another-computer/625398/2 "2012-06-17T04:21:24Z")
[Here is an article I found while searching.](http://www.ehow.com/how_7232280_migrate-xp-larger-hard-disk.html) The subject is of great interest to me, because I’m looking at doing exactly the same thing. So…let us know how it works for you, please! ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2012, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-software-to-copy-complete-contents-of-a-hard-drive-to-another-computer/625398/3 "2012-06-17T05:04:45Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > uh, the new computer will acknowledge the copied programs, right? Unlikely. You’ll most likely have to reinstall everything. And there’s no point in copying the OS. The software you need comes with Windows. It’s called [Windows Easy Transfer](http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows7/products/features/windows-easy-transfer). Link both PCs together either with USB or network cable and let her rip. There’s absolutely no point transferring the OS, and very little point transferring installed applications. You want to transfer your settings (your windows profile) and your application data. If you want a backup, take the HDD out of the old PC, put it in an antistatic bag and put it in a safe place. ---
**Author:** ![Donnerwetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2012, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-software-to-copy-complete-contents-of-a-hard-drive-to-another-computer/625398/4 "2012-06-17T08:13:38Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > I don’t need answers fast because I only ordered the computer today (thanks for your help [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=654415)) and it’ll be a couple of weeks before it arrives. But I do want to be able to have what I need on hand when it gets here… > > What I’d like to do is to copy my current computer’s hard drive, which is 320GB, onto the smaller, secondary drive in the new computer (which will be 500GB). I’d like for it to copy the OS, Vista, and all, ftr. When I’ve googled this people seem to get hung up on the likelyhood that you’ll have files you don’t need and will have to delete, rather than how nice it would be not to reinstall dozens of programs…uh, the new computer will acknowledge the copied programs, right? > > So, what software is the best for doing this? Norton’s Ghost? PC Mover? Something else entirely? And do you have any recommendations for the data transfer cable too, assuming your pick doesn’t come with one? Some do. > > Thanks! If you’re somewhat technically inclined, you might try Clonezilla which is free and open source: > **[Clonezilla](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clonezilla)** > > Clonezilla is an open-source suite of disk cloning, disk imaging and system deployment utilities. Clonezilla Server Edition uses multicast technologies to deploy a single image file to a group of computers on a local area network. Clonezilla was designed by Steven Shiau and developed by the NCHC Free Software Labs in Taiwan. > Clonezilla is used to deploy operating systems to computers by imaging a single computer and then deploying that image to one or more systems. It integrates several other op... ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2012, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-software-to-copy-complete-contents-of-a-hard-drive-to-another-computer/625398/5 "2012-06-17T08:22:36Z")
> [@Donnerwetter](#): > > If you’re somewhat technically inclined, you might try Clonezilla which is free and open source: > > [Clonezilla - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clonezilla) You don’t even need to be that technically inclined, anything simple like cloning a drive onto a bigger disk pretty much requires nothing more complex than “install hard drive drivers, print out tutorial, press buttons and watch it go.” ETA: Though I guess you have to not be scared of terribad BIOS-looking interfaces.