[Winterchase]

My PC is running Vista and I need to clone the hard drive so I'll have an exacty copy to....

Anyway, I'm being told that it's virtually impossible to clone a hard drive with Vista and expect it to work, when needed.

A program called "Copy Commando 9" seems simple enough for me to run, but will it actually do what it claims? Is there a better, slimper (operative word) one you guys recommend? I'm more than willing to buy a new hard drive, internal or external.

Thanks in advance for your help and advice.

Bill

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No version of Windows will allow you clone the drive from within Windows. Vista is no different.
Commando isn't the only program that will do this, there are others such as Norton Ghost, Acronis TrueImage and others. A list is here:
http://en.wikipedia....loning_software

[Neil Jones]

No version of Windows will allow you clone the drive from within Windows. Vista is no different.
Commando isn't the only program that will do this, there are others such as Norton Ghost, Acronis TrueImage and others. A list is here:
http://en.wikipedia....loning_software

[Winterchase]

No version of Windows will allow you clone the drive from within Windows. Vista is no different.
Commando isn't the only program that will do this, there are others such as Norton Ghost, Acronis TrueImage and others. A list is here:
http://en.wikipedia....loning_software

Thanks but I don't understand "...No version of Windows will allow you clone the drive from within Windows...." That won't matter (I probably wouldn't understand it anyway) IF Copy Commando 9 or the others you mentioned will copy the drive, including the programs, settings, etc., in addition to files and folders so that when, not if, the C drive fails, I can simply exchange the failed HD with the cloned HD and keep on cookin'.

All of my files and folders, and especially scripts and some 3,000 photographs, are backed up on CDs, two external HDs plus "hidden," with permission, on client's computers.

So, I guess the question now is, to be perfectly clear: if I use the right cloning program, will I be "safe" in the event of a total HD failure?

[Neil Jones]

If the drive fails and you haven't cloned it, then no cloning program will help you.
To get the most out of Norton Ghost or whichever cloning program you choose, you must do it on a regular on-going basis, otherwise it's as good as not doing it at all.

[SpywareDr]

So, I guess the question now is, to be perfectly clear: if I use the right cloning program, will I be "safe" in the event of a total HD failure?

If your 'clone', and the original computer are both good, then yes. (Swap out the failed HD with your clone and then boot'er up).

[Winterchase]

So, I guess the question now is, to be perfectly clear: if I use the right cloning program, will I be "safe" in the event of a total HD failure?

If your 'clone', and the original computer are both good, then yes. (Swap out the failed HD with your clone and then boot'er up).

Thank you. BTW, I live WAY out in the mountain boonies, half way between East Jesus and Infinity, where "local advice" ain't exactly trustworthy, so I really appreciate you guys letting me lean on you for help.

[Winterchase]

If I may push my luck and welcome: one computer, the PC I want to clone the HD, is a Compaq (Vista - SATA) and my intended back-up is an E-Machine (Vista - SATA) which is still in the box. If I were to take the cloned HD from the Compaq and install it in the E-Machine (after taking out the HD it came with), will something really bad happen?

BTW, I've ordered Copy Commander 9 and a 1TB external HD.

[SpywareDr]

When Windows is being installed, it builds a HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) according to the hardware it sees in the current computer. If you then pull that hard drive and attempt to use it in another computer, more than likely the HAL will be entirely wrong, (because the hardware is different).

[Winterchase]

When Windows is being installed, it builds a HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) according to the hardware it sees in the current computer. If you then pull that hard drive and attempt to use it in another computer, more than likely the HAL will be entirely wrong, (because the hardware is different).

Makes sense. Question: would not the same thing happen if a mother board is replaced?

[SpywareDr]

Yep, it sure can.