General information
Sooner or later, most computer users find that their hard disk is too small. If you just don’t have space for more data, you can add another disk just for data storage as described in the following chapter.
However, you might find that your hard disk does not have enough space for the operating system and installed applications, preventing you from updating your software or installing new applications. In this case, you have to transfer the system to a higher-capacity hard disk.
To transfer the system, you must first install the disk in the computer. If your computer doesn’t have a bay for another hard disk, you can temporarily install it in place of your CD drive or use a USB 2.0 connection to the external target disk. If that is not possible, you can clone a hard disk by creating a disk image and recovering it to a new hard disk with larger partitions.
On program screens, damaged partitions are marked with a red circle and a white cross inside in the upper left corner. Before you start cloning, you should check such disks for errors and correct the errors using the appropriate operating system tools.
For best results, install the target (new) drive where you plan to use it and the source drive in another location, e.g. in an external USB enclosure. This recommendation is especially important for laptops.
Acronis True Image Home 2011 makes the data transfer procedure from one disk to another (disk cloning) quite easy and clear.
To clone a disk:
- Click Tools & Utilities in the main menu and then click Clone disk on the Tools & Utilities screen.
- Follow the Disk Clone Wizard steps.