OS hardrive running out of space need to clone

I have an older and thus smaller OS drive and I am running out of space. I would like to clone this drive to a new larger one so that I can just shutdown my machine pull out the older small drive and then swap in the new larger OS cloned drive and start up with the same machine. What is the best software to accomplish this? I really want to be able to pull the old out and put in the new and maintain all of the files and programs as is.

Thanks

 

Others may have different advice but the new HD should come with software to do this. You would add the new HD and set jumpers as slave. Then run the software to copy your current OS partition to the new drive. When complete you remove the old HD and set jumpers on the new HD to master. Instructions should come with the drive.

As you are asking for the best way to do it, I'm also interested if there is a particular recommended software.

 

I use XXClone for this and to backup my main computer. Works great, and it is free... Just download and read the instructions.

http://majorgeeks.com/XXCLONE_d5534.html

Not compatable with vista, works great with XP.:cool

E

 

i bought a western digtial 80gb hard drive a new one and it came with a program that would take all that was on the old drive and transfer to the new one. the old one was a40 gb . ileft the old drive in for a back up.it did operation system and all files acomplete clone of old drive.then changed it to boot from 80 gb drive. worked great.