daveiosys wrote:

> I split my primary C: drive into 2 partitions.
> How can I copy my partition with my XP Pro on it to a external USB hard drive?

Do you want to just copy it, or do you want to be able to boot it there ?

> Is special software needed?

Depends on what you call special. Any imager can do the first. Nothing can do the second.

daveiosys wrote:
> I split my primary C: drive into 2 partitions.
> How can I copy my partition with my XP Pro on it to a external USB hard
> drive?
> Is special software needed?

You could use Linux LiveCD to boot up the PC
and use the command "dd" to copy a partition
to a file. Just don't mix up the input (if)
and output (of).

--
@~@ Might, Courage, Vision, SINCERITY.
/ v \ Simplicity is Beauty! May the Force and Farce be with you!
/( _ )\ (Xubuntu 7.10) Linux 2.6.25.2
^ ^ 17:51:01 up 15 min 1 user load average: 1.06 1.18 0.95
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Man-wai Chang ToDie (33.6k);809279 Wrote:
> daveiosys wrote:-
> I split my primary C: drive into 2 partitions.
> How can I copy my partition with my XP Pro on it to a external USB
> hard
> drive?
> Is special software needed?-
>
> You could use Linux LiveCD to boot up the PC
> and use the command "dd" to copy a partition
> to a file. Just don't mix up the input (if)
> and output (of).
>
> --
> @~@ Might, Courage, Vision, SINCERITY.
> / v \ Simplicity is Beauty! May the Force and Farce be with you!
> /( _ )\ (Xubuntu 7.10) Linux 2.6.25.2
> ^ ^ 17:51:01 up 15 min 1 user load average: 1.06 1.18 0.95
> ºî ´© (CSSA):
> http://tinyurl.com/4gqaxg

My intent is only to copy my XP partition so that when I install Vista
on other partition on same drive if something goes wrong with Vista
install I will not end up losing everything and that I can copy it then
from USB hard drive back to original XP partition.




--
daveiosys

> daveiosys wrote:-
> I split my primary C: drive into 2 partitions.
> How can I copy my partition with my XP Pro on it to a external USB
> hard drive?
> Is special software needed?-
>
> My intent is only to copy my XP partition so that when I install Vista
> on other partition on same drive if something goes wrong with Vista
> install I will not end up losing everything and that I can copy it then
> from USB hard drive back to original XP partition.
> --
> daveiosys


daveiosys...
Why not consider a disk-imaging or disk-cloning program such as Acronis True
Image or (our favorite) Casper 4 (there are others)? Your objective is
easily accomplished with those types of programs and they can be used in the
future for routine comprehensive backups of your system.
Anna

daveiosys wrote:
> Man-wai Chang ToDie (33.6k);809279 Wrote:
>> daveiosys wrote:-
>> I split my primary C: drive into 2 partitions.
>> How can I copy my partition with my XP Pro on it to a external USB
>> hard
>> drive?
>> Is special software needed?-
>>
>> You could use Linux LiveCD to boot up the PC
>> and use the command "dd" to copy a partition
>> to a file. Just don't mix up the input (if)
>> and output (of).

> My intent is only to copy my XP partition so that when I install Vista
> on other partition on same drive if something goes wrong with Vista
> install I will not end up losing everything and that I can copy it
> then from USB hard drive back to original XP partition.

Any decent imager can do that, or you can use a linux live CD as he suggested. The
second one is more risky tho, doing it backwards to what you intend and losing the lot.