Replacing Hard Drive

[Cubsfan]

Felt more like a software question than a Hardware question.

Anyway, I've currently got a 160GB Hard drive with my Windows install. I just ordered a new 250GB hard drive which I would like to have as my primary hard drive (much faster).

What I'd really like to have is maybe 2 partitions, 160GB + 90GB on the new hard drive. But I'd really like to be able to just replicate my current HD into the 160GB partition so I don't have to reinstall everything. What software is best for this? Ghost?

(i.e. the new hard drive is this: http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=101220-12 So it doesn't come with any software)

[zero2dash]

Yeah...I'd say Ghost would be the easiest way...use it to clone the drive I believe. ?

MechMike's mentioned freebie DriveImage XML (http://forums.gotapex.com/showpost.php?p=997353&postcount=1) should also work if you don't already have Ghost.

[DarkFury]

Yup.. Ghost would do it. I've done it before like that in my system.

BTW... if you partition the new drive, why give so much space to the O/S? Are you loading alot of programs? Personally, I usually keep my system partition to around 40 GBs when I split a drive like that (however now that I have a 74GB Raptor, I just use it as a "system disk" with no partitioning.)

By making your O/S partition smaller, you can do faster defrags and other system maintenance and have more leftover room for the storage of data away from your O/S files (which could become corrupted ... and in that case your data would be protected if you had to overwrite the O/S drive with a new reformat in the future.)

[ArkiStan]

Like DF said,
I don't install too many crazy apps and I don't play too many games, so I keep my OS drive at 25 gigs (on my 74 gig Raptor). That keeps it small, fast and simple. I can use the remaining 45+ gigs as a fast scratch disk for my graphics apps.