Q about Cloning C: to larger HDD:

[Gurd99]

If I was to clone my C: (320GB) onto a 500GB would that extra space be available to use in windows for general storage as you normally would use & see it? So right now my C: says only 20GB free, but I get the feeling the extra space would be a separate partition or something?

If anyone who has done this can say, thanks.

[Skiller]

The extra space would not be available automatically on C. You are cloning C, so at first it will be identical to the old C.
After cloning to the new HDD you may create a new partition to use the extra space or enlarge C using something like Easeus Partition Master (freeware).

[Nelson37]

If your cloning software does not allow you to clone the drive while making a larger partition, get different software or examine more closely the parameters of what you have. Most have had this capability for decades.

Multiple un-necessary partitions or modifying an existing partition structure are procedures you should make strenuous efforts to avoid. IMO, these are absolutely unacceptable and something I never, ever, do.

The most fundamental structure of your drive's data layout should be as simple and as small as possible, and should not ever, under any circumstances outside of emergency repair, be modified.

That is not a guess, it is a professional opinion. You are free to follow whatever dumbass procedure you wish.

[jagabo]

Yes, most disk cloning software will allow you to resize on the fly. You can download cloning software that does this from the drive manufacturers for free.

[DB83]

I always thought that Windows burped when you clone the drive that the OS is on ie will not boot or behave properly.

Obviously wrong

[netmask56]

I've cloned my C drive when it appeared to be failing, SMARTS gave me a warning - I cloned from a 250GB to a 1TB Hitachi with no problems. In my case I used a hardware device http://www.lindy.com.au/usb-3-0-cloning-adapter with the original disc on one side and the new one on the other. Was reasonably quick.

[davexnet]

I have a CD with Acronis True Image 11 rescue/utility disk. I boot it up and it does backup/recovery a few utilities etc,etc.

A few times I've backed up a partition to another drive then restored it either to the original drive or another.
One things it asks you is if you want to resize the new partition. As others have mentioned, I have never had a problem,
either shrinking or enlarging.

The current Bitdefender rescue CD, Linux based, has Gparted on it, but not sure if it can be used to copy partitions.

[redwudz]

I cloned my older 320GB laptop hard drive to a new 750GB HDD. I used a freeware/trial version of Easeus.
On reboot W7 claimed I had a non-genuine copy of Windows. But one more reboot and all was good.

I set the boot partition on the new drive at 150GB during the clone, then after a reboot, I created two more 250GB partitions using MS Computer Management.
It all works very well.

[joeandmarg0]

Give these two tools a try,Macrium Reflect Free edition and Minitool Partition Wizard..They both have excellent user manuals which must be read first,otherwise "goodbye data".

[Cornucopia]

I cloned my older 320GB laptop hard drive to a new 750GB HDD. I used a freeware/trial version of Easeus.
On reboot W7 claimed I had a non-genuine copy of Windows. But one more reboot and all was good.

I set the boot partition on the new drive at 150GB during the clone, then after a reboot, I created two more 250GB partitions using MS Computer Management.
It all works very well.

150 + 250 + 250 = 650. What happened to the other 100GB?

Scott

[fritzi93]

I've cloned the OS drive to a larger partition a number of times. Afterwards, you can go to Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Disk Management and right-click the drive. Then expand the partition into the unallocated space.

[redwudz]

150 + 250 + 250 = 650. What happened to the other 100GB? Scott

MS addition?

Actually, 142+259+290=691GB. I rounded off a bit too much. Then 100MB for MS stuff and the rest, probably 1024MB vs 1000MB=GB error.