Installing larger laptop drive

[Goshute]

Following up from my posts Post 42749 and Post 43278, I have been getting ready to do this upgrade from a 70Gb to a 320Gb drive but have a simple, dumb, question. (Be nice to me, I haven't replaced a primary OS drive since the DOS days. )

I will have a Bart PE Rescue Disk with necessary software, a Documents and Settings backup, and a Macrium Reflect Free image of the old drive on an external drive. After I install the new drive, do I simply format it and then restore the image from the old drive? That simple, or am I missing something? (I know I can get an Apricorn EZ Upgrade Kit, but it doesn't seem that I'll need it.)

[jonwallace]

I think so, but you may have to adjust the partitions on your new drive if the restored image doesn't fill it properly.
I used Gparted for the job

[BobH]

Your new drive might already be formatted. I've bought several new drives that were pre-formatted for the NTSF file system. You might want to check the website for the new HDD.

[Argus]

John,
I agree with jonwallace (as well as the comments in the thread about minimum hardware - the image is very good to have no matter what path you select). With Document and Settings I assume you mean that you have a separate backup copy of the profile with the most important: your data that was on that machine; it is included in the image (if no odd setup), but it's always good with more than one backup. Perhaps should check if possible, and needed, to export some settings for your Office software, if you decide to not install the whole image, only your data on a fresh install.

I haven't done exactly what you are going to do, with Macrium Reflect, moving between different sizes. That shouldn't be problem; according to some info. from the Macrium people.

But I have some questions as well; have you checked that the BartPE CD works i.e. booted it and used the Macrium software (even if not to restore, just run it)? Also, the new drive is it the same interface; i.e. you are not going to use some SCSI etc. that would need other drivers for it to work, other drivers than those used with the present drive?

[Goshute]

With Document and Settings I assume you mean that you have a separate backup copy of the profile with the most important: your data that was on that machine; it is included in the image ... if you decide to not install the whole image, only your data on a fresh install.

Yes, my thinking was that if I had problems I could reinstall Windows and all software from scratch, though that would be immensely tedious.

have you checked that the BartPE CD works i.e. booted it and used the Macrium software

Yes - it's tested, and I have booted from it, and I didn't get it all correct the first time, my second effort added the Macrium program, format.com and some other utils.

the new drive is it the same interface

Yes, its a drop-in EIDE replacement recommended by Dell.

I do not want to partition the drive, though I'd like to restore the two hidden partitions Dell uses for system restore/reinstall.

[tedshemyers]

Here's what I would do. Partition the new drive to 2 partitions. First partition will contain C Drive and all apps (mine is 75 GB and I have 50 GB free with many apps installed including Win 7 Ultimate and MS Office 2010 Pro complete) Second partition contains all data. Many of the data folders on the C Drive can be moved to the D Drive as well.

This way when you need to restore from an Image (you do create Up To Date Images don't you) you can just restore the C Drive without touching any of the data (On the D Drive)

Note: I use Drive and Partition interchangeably here.