how to copy the OS when upgrading a laptop hard drive

[DeadPark121]

for this, i'm talking more on a windows side, since the linux OS is fairly easy to get.

atleast for me, when i bought my laptop, i was never given the windows OS disk should i ever need to reinstall it or anything. basically, i just had to hope i didn't screw anything up so bad it would come to that.

well, i like having a big hard drive. and i know externals are so easy to plug in, but what about the internal? i know i'm allowed to change it, and they are getting pretty big now. if i wanted to upgrade the hard drive, is it possible to do it without the windows disk, or would i need to go out and buy the OS.

also, i'm asking this hypothetically. i'm just gonna buy an external. i'm just more curious about IF it's possible, not so much how to do it.

^_^ so save yourself the time, and don't write a whole walk through for me. just simly, is it possible, how hard, a few little details about what i would need to do, you know, basics.

[Sauron]

It's easy, there are a number of commercial applications that can do it for you. Some non-OEM hard drive kits come with the software as part of it.

If you're adventerous you can do it with dd but be real careful you are absolutely certain on if and of should you go that route!

[DCOH]

Western Digitial drive come with software that will copy your old drive, opr you can get DriveCopy which is also suppose to work with Linux.