[Windows] Copy your hard drive (aka migrate your data) to another computer or hard drive with Paragon Disk Copy
January 10, 2013 15
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Are you thinking about purchasing a new computer, but you don’t want to change operating systems? Maybe you just want to make sure that you can copy over your entire hard drive to your new computer? If so, then you may want to look into Paragon Drive Copy. This is a great program for Windows that allows you the ability to copy your entire hard drive!
WHAT IS IT AND WHAT DOES IT DO
Main Functionality
Paragon Drive Copy allows for the complete migration of your computer’s hard drive to another hard drive or another computer, no matter the source and no matter the target. It offers a full range of copying operations, and it is all laid out in a very easy-to-understand format. It also offers data backup features.
There are two versions of Paragon Drive Copy, Compact and Professional. This review was specifically written for Professional but we will explain the differences between the two to help you make a better informed decision.
Pros
- Allows you to migrate the operating system and data (files, documents, programs, etc.) of your current system over to a different computer or hard drive (aka make an existing Windows installation bootable on a different computer or hard drive). Yes, this means you can take your data and Windows installation and move it to a computer that has different hardware.
- Can choose to copy a full hard disk or just a portion of it
- Allows you to copy from a regular hard disk to a SSD (Solid State Drive)
- Can make a virtual copy of your operating system/data, aka virtualize your system
- Offers the ability to create complete system backups (sector-level “image” backups), not just saving on-disk information but also the system service structures
- Comes with a restore wizard that allows you to restore all types of backups created with this program, and even allows you to selectively restore files
- Able to fix most system boot problems that are a result of human error or a boot virus
- Comes with basic partition management features
- Can create WinPE or Linux-based bootable media (CD/DVD/USB drive) so that you can run Paragon Drive Copy from outside Windows
Cons
- Only allows you to move Windows XP and above (sorry all of you who are still holding onto Windows 95)
- Backup feature does full sector-level backups but not sector-level differential backups or any file-level backups
- Compact version is missing two key features — the ability to migrate data to a computer with different hardware and the ability to virtualize OS
Discussion
Paragon Drive Copy is one of those programs that has so much to offer you simply cannot cover it all in one review. However, we will at least try to hit on some of the major features that Drive Copy offers. Before we get into it, please note that there are two versions of this program. There is Drive Copy Compact and Drive Copy Professional.
The difference between the two versions is the fact that Drive Copy Compact has fewer features than the Professional version, but it costs less. Some of the features you will miss out on when you choose Drive Copy Compact over the Professional include: the ability to migrate OS to dissimilar hardware (aka the ability to migrate data to a computer with different hardware), P2V Copy (aka create a virtual copy of your system), the ability to resume operations on virtual volumes, and support for major virtual machines. The following chart explicitly lists out the differences between the two versions:
Take note Compact version cannot migrate data to a computer with different hardware while Professional can. This means you cannot copy your hard drive (operating system + data) and restore it on a different computer if you have Compact version. With Compact — and Professional — you can, however, backup data using the backup feature and restore that data to a different computer or hardware. The difference is with the backup/restore feature, you can only backing up/restoring data — not Windows. With migrate/copy hard drive, you can copy Windows plus your data. So, essentially, with Compact you can move data between computers or drives but with Professional you can move Windows and data between computers or drives. Compact can also copy Windows plus your data but the target computer (the computer you are copying to) must have the same hardware as the source computer (the computer you are copying from); Professional can copy Windows plus your data to any computer — the hardware do not need to be the same.
Now that we covered that, let’s talk a bit about the features you get with Drive Copy. To me, the coolest feature is the ability to move your current operating system over to a new computer (with your Windows installation and data intact). So, let’s say that you purchased a new computer that has Windows 8 on it, but you don’t want that. You can continue using your current OS by simply using this program to copy your current Windows over to the new computer. Not only that, but it will copy over all of your documents and data as well. It will lilterally be like you moved everything from your current computer over to your new one. Just keep in mind, that it only allows this back to Windows XP. So don’t think you can pull Windows 95 off your old desktop and use it on a brand new laptop.
Besides that, it offers a huge range of other copying operations. For example, you can choose to just copy data stored on your hard drive and not the whole Windows OS. You can also just choose a section of your hard drive to copy as opposed to it all.
This program can also be used as a backup and restore program. So even if you are not thinking about switching computers any time soon, you can still use this program to back up your computer, and restore it whenever you need to. You make “image” backups with this program, meaning you backup whole drives/partitions not individual files. The restore feature, however, allows you to “selective” restores meaning you can restore individual files from backups if you want — you don’t have to restore the whole darn backup.
CONCLUSION AND DOWNLOAD LINK
Paragon Drive Copy has a lot of great features. The ability to copy your existing OS over to a new computer is worth the price tag alone. (Note: You need the Professional version if you want to migrate to a new computer — Compact won’t do that for you, unless the new computer has the exact same hardware as the old computer.) I highly recommend this program to anyone that wants or needs it.
If you are thinking about buying this program, now is the time to do so. At the time of this writing, Drive Copy Professional is on sale for only $24.95. After the sale is over, the price goes back up to $39.95.
Price: Drive Copy Professional $39.95, Drive Copy Compact $29.95
Version reviewed: 12
Supported OS: Windows XP / Vista / 7/ 8
Download size: 59MB
VirusTotal malware scan results: File too large to scan
Is it portable? No
Paragon Drive Copy Professional homepage | Paragon Drive Copy Compact homepage
About the author: dotTech Staff View all posts by dotTech Staff
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i have used paragron migrate OS to SSD 2.0 SE with great results (basically, drive copy). one big con about all paragon software is that the installed file is too big always (to download).
Hi,
You mentioned it will copy OS, and data…
Does this mean you can copy the OS and all settings AND all installed programs and all of their settings? In others words CLONE the present HD…
Thanks
Am I understanding this correctly that using the professional version I can copy everything from my present system onto a new hard drive and place that new hard drive into a totally new updated hardware environment? I must be missing something…that sounds too good to be true.
@mukhi: I agree, Paragon soft are usually very big. Thx for feedback!
@Sherwood Tucker: Yep.
@sgrams: I’m not exactly sure how you would handle the swap of HDD from one computer to another (my guess is you would have to run the bootable media to fix the OS once HDD is placed in other computer). i think a better way would be to backup the drive, transfer the backup to the drive of the other computer (i.e. no physical drive movement), then restore using Drive Copy’s bootable media. But, yes, that is exactly what this program does.
Thanks…
Are you familiar with Macrium Reflect? How they compare?
@Sherwood Tucker: I am. In fact, it was my favorite free system level/image backup tool when I wrote an article on image backup tools a few years ago. However, I havent looked at it in years.
Taking a quick peek now, it looks like the ability to restore to dissimilar hardware was added in Macrium Reflect but is not available in the free version.
I purchased it awhile back and it supposedly will do this…
Support is via the forum… and the replies by both company people and users was quick and helpful.
In my experience, the interface is/was a bit confusing due to not being exactly clear on the terms IE “clone”, “image”, “ISO” etc and what exactly was the difference and which could be used for what exactly…
It does make a WIN PE disk and/or Linux rescue disc(s)…
I have never had the “opportunity” to use it to restore as yet. I purchased it AFTER having a virus/worm/trojan wipe me out twice in spite of having anti this and anti that LOL
I was told tat if this happened again, all I had to do was run the program and restore the backup (stored on an external drive) and all would be as it was…
I was also told all I had to do was run the rescue disk and then do the restore…
Of course never having had to do this, it leaves one with a feeling of does this really work/am I safe LOLOL
Currently is free for today only at http://www.giveawayoftheday.com
Thanks for this review, especially mentioning the differences between versions.
I still have two machines with W98(SP3 – fast,USB capable) on them, though I don’t use them much. I am wondering about why W98 can not be moved with this. Is there someone reading this who knows? My suspicion is that there is some section of W98 that gets placed at a specific location of the Hard Drive which is specified and maybe even modified by the W98 installation program.
No real huhu to me… I have install disks for W95, W98, W2K and they don’t take long to use. Hmmmm…. just realized that I probably ought to make a new copy of those CDs…
Still, I would like to know why this program can’t be used to migrate a W98 system.
>@Ashraf: Well with the special price right now I think I will give it a try. I already use Casper for backing up but I don’t believe its backup can be placed into a new hardware configuration. Thank You for the reply.
What is meant by Data? I know where all the data from Office Programs are located but not all the data from Outlook or FlashPaste or RoboForm and others. Does the Compact version find all the data associated with all programs and move them to the new computer?
What is its value if it just moves Office Data?
I have a notebook with a hard drive.
I want to replace the hard drive with an SSD.
So:
1) Install this Paragon program on the current hard drive.
2) Copy to an external hard disk.
3) Replace hard drive with an SSD.
BUT… How do I get the info from the external hard disk onto the SSD?
@Check:
After you install your imaging program, use it to create a bootable CD.
Then never use the installed program again (except to browse the contents of images, if the program can do that).
Use the bootable CD for all your image creating, and restoring, (That is ROB’s LAW, which some people break.)
Restoring means using your bootable CD to restore an image into a new drive.
I generally never do a clone these days. I just restore an image instead.
Mind you I am too poor to have tried a SSD, so I am not sure if one can do an image restore, instead of a direct clone.
You should purchase an external dock ($25) into which you should shove a 3.5 inch Seagate drive. You store your images into that dock, and you do restores from that dock.
@Rob (Down Under)
Makes sense, thanks!
The sale price as of Feb. 4, 2013 is gone. But also is gone the Compact version. I could not find it on their website despite there being a web page for the compact version & with it being FREE, no longer $24.95. BUT, I could not find where to download the supposedly now free Compact version. Vaporware! It seems that there is now a “Home” version but it is not free. The Paragon site does not give me confidence.