How to migrate XP, Vista, Linux, BSD and Solaris to a bigger hard disk

[asmith]

I am attempting to move a 32-bit Vista partition from a PATA to a SATA partition. Both are formatted to 30gb (the destination partition is a few KB bigger, so it's fine if that space gets lost).

The problem is that I do not have a Linux partition installed, though I do have an XP partition. All three partitions mentioned so far are on different physical drives, each containing other partitions that I don't want to touch.

What tool can I use to make the swap? After a successful migration I would like to format the origional PATA Vista partition (what I'm using right now), so that need not be made to work alongside the eventual SATA Vista Partition.

A seemingly elegant solution would be to do the migration with DD for Windows, disconnect the current PATA Vista partition, boot and let the Vista DVD fix the MBR when it sees nothing but a SATA version of Vista.

Think that will work? From what environment (XP, Vista partition that's being copied, boot to Vista recovery console) will DD for Windows be able to do what it needs to do? Was all this typing in vain seeing as this is a Linux site? ()

DD for windows: http://www.chrysocome.net/dd

If anyone can give me some advice I would be very appreciative. The drive I'm trying to move away from is on its last legs.