HDD Swap - Partitions??

If I clone my 160GB HDD to a Seagate 500GB HDD and use DiscWizard (from Seagate, see below link):

http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?l ... 04090aRCRD

I have an option of cloning automatically, which then just enlarges the partitions on the new HDD "automatically" (proportional to the current HDD).

However, the manual mode would allow me to define the partition sizes

Does anyone have any experience here or advice?

Thanks

 

Use the manual mode to keep your recovery partition the same size, and then just resize your other partitions as you see fit.

Just a warning, I used Disc Wizard to clone my drive, and my Mom's, and had to run the recovery console from a Windows XP disc both times to fix them to a bootable state. Something about Windows not liking to be cloned...when it clones, I think it either doesn't copy the MBR properly, or it labels the partition incorrectly. Gives a BSOD every time. I think if you took out the old drive and cloned it without it being booted might work, but honestly, it is no big deal to run the repair console, so I just went with it.

 

Shawn,

Thank you very much for your response and heads up, I appreciate it. I saw in an earlier post by you how to install the recovery console (thx again!), so I have already done that just in case of any problems.

So now when I boot my Acer, the 1st screen that pops up is a request if I want to boot into Windows or into the Recovery Console. I am assuming the following (would appreciate your comments):

1) I will clone the drive and install into the Acer
2) I will boot up the Acer and my 1st choice would be to boot into Win XP
3a) If the machine boots up with the new HDD, allis fine and I can stop here
3b) If the machine gives me an error
4) Reboot the machine
5) Choose the Recovery Console option
6) What would Ido next?

Thanks again

 

Assuming that it gives the option, you would choose your Windows install. Should be C:. Then you would just hit enter when prompted for Admin password. That should give you a command prompt. Then type "fixboot", and let it run. Answer yes when it asks if you're sure. Then type "fixmbr" and let it run. Answer yes to that, too.

That has fixed me up both times.

 

Thanks! I'll test it out ahead of time.

 

Always a great plan, planning ahead! Wish I would have thought of that...

 

UPDATE:

I've received the new Seagate 500GB 7200RPM drive (great deal from CompUSA).

I mounted it in a 2.5" enclosure and connected it thru my USB to the Acer One

I ran DiscWizard (available from Seagate) and then cloned my 160GB Acer HDD to the 500GB Seagate drive.

My next BIG step will be to remove the 160GB, replace it with the 500GB and keep my fingers crossed (I also will replace the 512 RAM with a Crucial 1GB DDR2 at the same time while I have it pulled apart).

I have already installed the Windows Recovery Console, in case he Acer does not boot with the new drive inserted.

However, it all has to wait one week, as I am now leaving on a business trip .....................

Thanks forall the help Shawn!!!!!!!!!!!!!