Migrate to SMALLER Hard Drive

I am currently using a Seagate 250GB hard drive as my system drive. Is it possible to use ATI to migrate to a WD Raptor 74GB hard drive? I am only using 20GB on my system drive, but I'm not sure the best way / product to use. Any suggestions?

Also, I am currently running a RAID 1 but would likely disable that before cloning and I'm not planning on using RAID 1 in the future - just a daily backup / image, probably. Any thoughts on that, too?

Thanks.

 

If you use imaging rather than cloning such downsizing is automatic if the target drive is smaller. The only constraint is that it has to be big enough to take the uncompressed image,which in your case would not be a problem. You will have to work out the most convenient place to store the image of your system drive. Then install the Raptor drive and restore your system drive to it.

Xpilot.

 

Thanks - that sounds like a good idea. I've got plenty of drives, so that shouldn't be a problem.

For workflow, does this make sense:

1) image from seagate drive to a new drive
2) restore from new drive to the raptor
3) shut down and disconnect seagate
4) set raptor as boot drive in bios if necessary
5) start system

Is there anything else I need to do so that Windows XP doesn't fry itself? System prep tool, pixie dust, etc?

Thanks.

 

At step 1 when the Seagate has been imaged you can remove it and put it safely to one side.
Step 2 would be to fit the Raptor and boot from the rescue CD to restore the system image from the other drive as source to the Raptor as destination.
Step 3 take out the CD and restart.

No Pixie dust or snake oil required)

Xpilot.

 

Thanks for the reply. That sounds pretty easy and much simpler than the cloning instructions I've seen.