Basic help needed to replace C:drive

I have been making TI images (full disk images)to a USB2 HD for some time and have never had to restore an image. I have gone to the point of booting off the TI recovery CD and can "see" the USB drive with the image. I would like to be prepared for the inevitable day when my 4 year old computer has a major drive failure. Is the process as simple as the following?
1. Replace C drive with new drive (same type) with same jumper settings.
2. Boot off recovery CD
3. Restore complete disk image from USB drive to newly installed C:drive
4. Power cycle computer and voila! everything back to normal
Would ppreciate feedback on the above!
Thanks for help to an obvious novice at restoring to a new drive.

Larry

 

Yes it's that simple. Also you don't have to restore to the same make of drive and the new drive can be larger capacity than the original.

 

Ok, another scenario:

Let's say I that for whatever reason, I cannot make a "full disk image" of my C: drive (one and only drive in a system). I do have a TI image of what I consider important partitions (system partition with OS, program partition, data partition, etc.), but do not have a "full disk image". And from what I've read on the forum, I will then NOT have a backup of the MBR. Note that all my partitions are NTFS format, if that makes any difference?

If my HD goes south and I have to replace it, how would I go about recovering using my TI image of my important partitions? Perhaps as follows?

1. Install new drive
2. Partition more or less as the old system drive was partitioned for those "important" partitions.
3. Will I need to install basic OS to the new drive, as I do not have a "full disk backup"?
4. Now that I have a basic OS installed, I can restore my "important" partitions (system partition with OS, program partition, data partition, etc.)

What do you think?

 

I have a related question. For sake of clarity, let's assume that Larry currently has a 40GB C-drive and that when the time comes for him to replace that drive, he gets a 160GB drive. What becomes of the additional storage space on the new drive when Larry restores his old image

Sam

 

1. Install new drive.
2. Install your OS. This will create the basic MBR structures and data.
3. Delete the partition where you just installed the OS.
4. Restore your partitions. Keep the same basic layout (sequence) as with your old disk, but feel free to shrink or stretch partitions.
5. Reboot and buy me a beer.

 

See item 4 above. Shrink, stretch or keep it the same size as the original. Anything not used is, well, unused, free, available...

 

Thanks for all of your help, You have made me feel very comfortable!
Larry

 

Thanks MiniMax! I thought it might be something like that, but would hate to "guess" on a recovery strategy until the fateful moment (if that ever happens).

Have one on me!