What are the risks of transfering/mirroring hard drive data?

Question

All I want to do is upgrade from a 37.2GB hard drive to something bigger. I am useing IDE because the computer is old and I can't find anyone that sells anything but SATA. So if I do find one somewhere out there.. What are the risks of mirroring or transfering the contents of my current HDD? I am already having a problem with streaming videos because my computer crashes everytime it tries to stream youtube or something. And when I talked to an IT guy about it he said mirroring magnifies whatever problems were already on the HDD so I am really not sure what to do. Should I buy a new hard drive and mirror the contents or do some other crazy *** computer upgrade?

Answer 1

I would definitely say you should back up the files and then move them onto a new hard drive. This is a device that allows you to do so:

http://www.topmicrousa.com/bt-300.html



You connect the old hard drive to this device, and then the device to a another computer or laptop via USB. You would then be able to access all the files on it.



Best of luck!

Answer 2

Im baffled from advice from your IT guy ! Assuming its the HD thats causing the crash, mirroring wont in any help. Mirroring simply duplicates all data, so if 1 HD dies, you have a 2nd copy so no data lost. If you mirror to a new HD thats say 500g, it will only be able to use 37.2g, ignoring the other 462gb.



If you plan to upgrade then forget looking for a IDE HD because all new MOBOs are SATA and the trend is not to even supply a single IDE slot. IDE is slower anyway.



Buy a SATA drive and use a dongle like this http://www.usbnow.co.uk/Adapters_&_Connectors-SATA_to_IDE_Adapters/c42_45/p146/SATA_to_IDE_Dongle/product_info.html



You can buy cards for about £30 that will give you 2 or 4 SATA ports.

Or consider a USB external HD ( much slower ), but whatever your long term plans, if it is the HD at fault, copy the data off quick as it will die any second and you lost it all.



Forget this cloning/mirroring nonsense

Answer 3

Just clone the drive, WD has a program called "acronis" its free and it works. another solution would be a adapter to run a SATA on your system: see the link below.



http://www.satacables.com/html/sata_to_ide_adapter.html



Just an example you can find better would be advisable to look around for the best deal - I have computers that are 12+ years old and somewhat new ones why get a new one if the old still works and does what you need? Seems like a waste of money to me [unless its a hobby then its a lot cheaper than other things]..

Answer 4

It ability you stop in spite of you're doing and commence backing up your extreme documents (ignore classes!) to detachable storage -- CDs, DVDs, flash drives, exterior complicated drives, networked pcs -- as right now as available, only in case the priority spreads. (counting on what brought with reference to the damage, it would want to spread.) then you actually see in case you are able to run some diagnostics that could want to mitigate the triumphing damage and/or provide you with extra tips about it. Run it weekly for a lengthy time period. If the damage looks growing to be, commence searching for a clean hardchronic. good success.