Clone a PC?

[Dukey]

Hi i wonder if anyone could point me in the right direction.

 

I currently have a Dell Optiplex GX520 PC and im wanting to 'clone' that and put it on a Dell Latitude D630 laptop so its a like for like. The reason for this is so my laptop can act as a backup if the PC decides to die one day!

 

Is this possible i used cloning software before but that does all the drivers and everything and i think it would clash with the hardware on the laptop and cause it to blue screen

 

The OS is XP Pro

 

Thanks

[pcstru]

One option worth considering is to 'backup' the PC and restore it as a virtual PC on the Latitude (or any other PC for that matter). I did this with an old W2K laptop that I might need something from (but the chances are I won't) - works really well.

[Dukey]

would an NT Backup work? Just thought.....

[edutech4schools]

You could download VMware converter VMware vCenter Converter, Convert Physical Machines to Virtual Machines and keep a virtual copy of the computer. Then when needed install vmware server https://www.vmware.com/tryvmware/?p=server20&lp=1 onto your laptop and point it at the virtual copy you made with converter. You can then run the virtual pc from a window on your pc.

 

Both products are free.

[smithson83]

I have sucessfully "Cloned", so to speak, an old Server to a new one using NTBackup. Make sure you have the same service pack or it wont boot when you restart. These were both intel boards with xeon cpu, but I ran the new server without any problems for years.

[sven]

I often take images using Ghost in BARTPE. I don't think I've had a single "installation" fail when applying an image to a machine it wasn't meant for. Sure the drivers all need installing, but I don't think I've ever had a BSOD. Obviously in any other circumstance that's EXACTLY what I would expect to happen, but this just never seems to fail. Strange.......

 

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

[pcstru]

would an NT Backup work? Just thought.....

 

Possibly, but you may need to run a little hack to deal with possible HAL issues and support on IDE discs (see Here). Going the VMware converter route should cope with all that automatically.

[tumbleweed]

It's a sysinternals tool, seems to work pretty well.

 

you then fire up virtual PC, or similar, on the target machine.

[chrisredfield93]

Here's a question since on topic

 

I noticed a lot of people mentioning Free software from physcial Machine to Virtualisation

 

Is it possible the other way round from virtual to phyiscaly?

 

and any free software for this?

[pcstru]

Here's a question since on topic

 

I noticed a lot of people mentioning Free software from physcial Machine to Virtualisation

 

Is it possible the other way round from virtual to phyiscaly?

 

and any free software for this?

 

Clonezilla - but it might depend on how much access to hardware the 'hypervisor' will give guest VM's. I'd try configuring a physical disc as being part of the guest then booting a Clonezilla ISO and attempting to copy the VM's boot container to the physical HD. Remove teh physical disc to a new PC and attempt to boot.

[synaesthesia]

Slightly different tack, if you do wish to clone from one PC to another, there are a few tools that will do it which negate any driver issues - but these tools are general enterprise level and as a result not cheap unless you already have them to hand! (Symantec BESR and Acronis True Image with Universal Restore)