>>> m32 wrote:
>>>> Hello,
>>>> I need to replace an ageing 180 gig (boot) drive, and I found a great
>>>> deal on a 160 gig drive. If I only using 100 gigs of the 180, can I
>>>> just transfer the what's on 180 to the 160 without any problems? I'm
>>>> assuming that I will use whatever software comes with the drive to do
>>>> the transfer. Thanks!
>>
>> I bought a new 500 gig Seagate SATA drive to replace my aging 200 gig
>> drive. I used the DiscWizard to clone the drive (I thought). The
>> original drive had two partitions, one containing the HP recovery
>> stuff. I unplugged the old drive after the process, and the computer
>> would not boot. I plugged it back in to attempt a repair of some kind,
>> and it booted fine. In disk Management, it shows G: (the new drive) as
>> healthy system, and the C: drive (the old one) as pagefile. I decided
>> to just try the whole operation over again, and the Discwizard won't
>> let me reclone to the new drive, the option is greyed out. The
>> original plan was to replace the old drive and use it as storage.
>> Where did I go wrong? How can I fix this? Thanks ahead of time.
>

"Big_Al" <BigAl@md.com> wrote in message
news:%23EOCRCT4IHA.2332@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> When you finished the clone, you then switched drives right? Changing
> master/slave jumpers and cables and all? The 500Gig (even though it
> might have been G: or something in your XP system) it should be put into
> the PC as if it were C:. When you boot the clone operation should finish
> & rename it to C: on the way up and it should work.
>
> If you just removed the old 200gig and did nothing then no wonder.


"Big Al":
Note the OP indicates his new 500 GB HDD is a SATA HDD. Presumably he's
connected that disk to an appropriate SATA connector on his motherboard.
He's indicated he disconnected (I assume that's what he means by
"unplugged") the old 180 GB HDD following the disk-cloning operation. So if
the disk-cloning operation was successful (obviously it wasn't), the system
should boot to the new SATA HDD. It would be wise, of course, to check the
BIOS to ensure the boot priority order does indicate a first boot to the new
500 GB HDD following a disk-cloning operation. In most instances that will
automatically occur as long as no other HDD is connected, but sometimes it's
necessary for a user to manually change the appropriate setting because the
system will balk upon bootup.

Michael:
It would seem something went awry during the Seagate DiscWizard disk-cloning
operation since you can't boot directly to your 500 GB SATA HDD with the old
180 GB HDD. That's right, isn't it?

So can we assume that if at this point you connect your old 180 GB HDD, with
the 500 GB HDD disconnected, the system will properly boot & function. (And
you've ensured the BIOS boot priority order indicates a first boot to that
180 GB HDD, right?) And that 180 GB HDD will have a drive assignment letter
of C:. That's right, isn't it?

If all the above are correct assumptions why don't you take "Big Al's"
previous advice and download/install a trial version of the Acronis True
Image program (http://www.acronis.com) to perform the disk cloning
operation? And do remember, as you previously did, that following the
disk-cloning operation you disconnect the old HDD *before* booting to the
new HDD. And that the boot priority order indicates a first boot to the 500
GB HDD.

Who knows? You might even want to purchase a copy of the Acronis program and
use it as a comprehensive backup program now that you have two hard drives.
We prefer the Casper disk-cloning program (http://www.fssdev.com) but the
Acronis program should suit you admirably.
Anna