# Clone Software for Hard Drive **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 10, 2007, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clone-software-for-hard-drive/429549 "2007-12-10T22:48:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2007, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clone-software-for-hard-drive/429549/1 "2007-12-10T22:48:24Z")
I know we’ve been through this before and I’ve done a search and didn’t come up with much. (Symantec’s _Ghost_, 70 bucks, and I won’t deal with them anymore anyway. I’m installing a used hard drive, WDC 800JB 80 gig, similar to the one I have now for my primary drive. I want to install it as a slave drive, copy all the info from the master drive to it, and then flip some DIP’s to make it my primary drive. I need some freeware that will do this. Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2007, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clone-software-for-hard-drive/429549/2 "2007-12-10T23:57:34Z")
Well, it isn’t free, but when I was looking for a utility to find the license keys for a Windows 2003 server I came across [this](http://www.spotmau.com/products/package/cd_key.htm?gclid=CIfCvKTXnpACFQ2aOAodWi4N7A) . Myself, I use [Acronis](http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/) software for bare metal re-installs, but that might be a bit out of your price range (I usually use it for server backup and re-installs). Sorry, I’m not big on the freeware software myself…consider this a bump. -XT ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2007, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clone-software-for-hard-drive/429549/3 "2007-12-11T08:43:36Z")
[Drive Cloning and imaging software](http://www.thefreecountry.com/utilities/backupandimage.shtml) Plenty of choice here. I’ve used SelfImage successfully, and the Ultimate Boot Image CD. Si ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2007, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clone-software-for-hard-drive/429549/4 "2007-12-11T10:21:02Z")
If you’re comfortable with command lines, there’s always [dd](http://www.rajeevnet.com/hacks_hints/os_clone/os_cloning.html). ---
**Author:** ![essell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@essell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/essell)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2007, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clone-software-for-hard-drive/429549/5 "2007-12-11T10:49:46Z")
I asked this question here a while back and was pointed toward [xxclone](http://www.xxclone.com/). I used it and it worked great. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2007, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clone-software-for-hard-drive/429549/6 "2007-12-11T14:30:52Z")
Satisfied Retrospect customer here. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clone-software-for-hard-drive/429549/7 "2007-12-11T18:09:38Z")
When I upgraded my hard disk recently I used Paragon Drive Backup > **[Paragon Drive Backup - Download](https://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Back-Up-and-Recovery/Paragon-Drive-Backup.shtml)** > > Download Paragon Drive Backup 9.0 Build 7267 - A piece of software designed to help you easily transfer all of your data (OSes, apps, files) from an old hard disk to a new one Fully functional, free for 30 days, which should be enough for you. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2007, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clone-software-for-hard-drive/429549/8 "2007-12-11T22:16:11Z")
Western Digital (mfgr of that drive) has their Data Lifeguard tools. They can be used (DOS Version) to do exactly what you are talking about it. [http://support.wdc.com/download/?cxml=n&pid=999&swid=1](http://support.wdc.com/download/?cxml=n&pid=999&swid=1) You want Data Lifeguard Tools 11.2 for Windows