copying one hard drive to another

[Rich]

vista is playing up on my laptop so i want to copy everything off the laptop hd to u usb hd lock stock and barrel and then have ago a repairing vista but if it goes t1ts up i have got it all backed up on the usb hd

so is there a program that will copy the operating system plus everything else over to the usb hd

[PaulHooligan]

What about the built in backup restore function in windows?

I always try and use something from http://www.nonags.com/most of it is freeware and nearly all of it is good stuff.
Or
http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm

[Rich]

windows back up and restore stopped working a long time ago this is one of the reasons i want to make a copy of everything on my hd

[Drift]

Not used it but a mate did a while ago.
http://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/26/the-10 ... -programs/

Are you still with virgin media Rich? could be possible to use their online storage to back up to?

[BoxCleva]

Not sure why you want to back up an OS that's clearly fubarred Rich.

Back up all your data, faves , d'loads etc and do a fresh install. I don't care what anyone says there is no substitute for a clean install

[Wilberforce]

Seconded. If that's the factory install of Vista it will be so full of cruft by now that there's no point trying to repair.

Back up all your personal stuff then do a clean install. It's not terribly difficult, just a bit time cOnsuming tweaking things again. Windows Update usually does a bang up job with sorting drivers, then it's just a case of reinstalling a few program's. Means you can lose all the factory installed bloat, too.

[vauxsqueeks]

HI,

For me, I would just copy your user Folder file directory as this will usully hold everything that you have saved to the disk, unless you have saved it anywhere else.. this is fairly easy to setup..

Replicator from KarenWare, whats more its FREE!

http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp

1. install it.
2. Run it.
3. Select "Edit Settings"
4. Select "New Job"
5. Enter "Job Name" < anything you want >
6. Enter <Source Folder>
I think Vista uses "C:\Documents and Settings\<USERNAME>\" format
7. Enter <Destination Folder>
Your USB Stick maybe "E:\" or "E:\Backup" - what ever you want.. if not sure use Browse.
8. Click "Save Job"
9. Click "Close"
10. Click "<job name>"
11. Click Run Now

This may take some time to complete 1st time, after that it will only copy the newer files that are not already backed up..