How can I transfer data on hard drives?

[LongN]

This is probably a noob question but I just wanted to make sure.

My friend has a 200gb IDE HD and I have a 40gb IDE HD. We both have our own OS and data on our hard drives. He is willing to swap HDs with me because he doesn't utilize the 200gb and I desperately need more than 40gb. How can we transfer our Windows and all our data like applications, registry, files to the other hard drive without reinstalling everything again. Is this procedure what Norton Ghost is for?

 

[LongN]

someone has to know

 

[Matthias99]

Yes, you want to use imaging software like Norton Ghost or Acronis TrueImage.

Easiest would be to connect both hard drives to the same system with a third drive installed that has enough space to back up both the others.

And obviously you need to have less than 40GB of data on the 200GB drive.

 

[taltamir]

the problem really, is finding a third drive as an interim backup.

try clonezilla
http://www.clonezilla.org/