Replacement hard drive: how can I copy files from a failing drive to its replacement?

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Maxtor drives can use a utility called "MaxBlaster" (available FREE from Maxtor's website). This utility will copy a drives contents from one drive to another COMPLETELY - Including the operating system. No further installation or re-installation of software is necessary.

While I agree that the Maxtor utility might be of some use, I have often found that doing a complete rebuild is the best option (and I think Leo would agree). If you have to go through all this trouble to begin with, why not start out with a clean and uncluttered machine. One can only "wash" Windows so many times before a reinstall is needed anyway. The day to day activity just clutters it up too much.

There have been some recent articles regarding hardware that is thrown away or recycled. Whether you're planning to throw away or give away your old hard drive, just make sure all data from it is erased or encrypted. There is a way that people are able to access the old data so just for future reference, don't just toss the thing once you're done copying the files from it....

Second">Second">http://www.darkreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=101264">Second Hand Drives yeild First Class Data

keith almond is right maxblast does do drive to drive transfers works like a charm i use it all the time ive transfered my operating systems +music and movies once or twice a year to larger hard drives from a forty gig to 300 gig and so on........

In response to Mark's point: Since the hard drive is failing anyway, the only fail-safe way to destroy the data on a hard drive is heat, and lots of it. Your oven might go hot enough, but if you're really paranoid, find a blacksmith.
I've heard microwaving does a good job too.

When it comes to getting the data off, there's a program called ddrescue available on Linux, that is supposed to read as much data as possible from a failing drive while minimising wear on the drive (ie so it doesn't fail completely halfway through the copy).

TW: No - Don't microwave it if you like your microwave...

But the data recovery places charge a pretty penny for what they do. If all you want to do is discourage prying eyes, a .22 long rifle (err... in the drive, not the prying eyes) will probably do it.

But neither a .22 nor a campfire seems to clean a drive beyond OnTracks recovery... for that, it appears you need special equipment like a cross-country UPS truck with no padding in the packaging. [Page 2: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1911132,00.asp ]

A blacksmith'd probably do... probably just a little "quality time" with a sledgehammer will work just as well.

Me, I just put it in the trashcan with the garbage and cat litter (used). If the want my secrets that badly...

I use a drill press and drill a few holes through the device, making sure to hit the platters. Voids the warrantee though :-).

The last time I replaced a hard drive with a new one I had a problem with windows and some other programs in the process. WD has a program that said it would transfer everything from one hard drive to another and it did, but windows and some other programs still needed to be re-installed. Don't want to go through this hassle again. Is there a way to just copy and use the new hard drive?

Alan, if your hard drive is failing then it might not be a good idea to ghost it, but ther is an option if you dont want to install any programs over again. Symantec Ghost is a good example of a program that creates a image of your hard drive. It can then be completely restored on a new hard drive or even on a whole new computer. Im too lazy to give u a manual, but google it and ull get alot of hits :)

Will backing up also back up the programs or just files? I have several old programs that I no longer have the install disc. I would like to copy my old drive to a new drive ...OS, programs, files. Is it possible?

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