crazy file transfer!

[smartalic34]

I am upgrading my MBP's hard drive, and need to transfer over game data for the Orange Box onto an eventual new boot camp partition from my current Boot Camp partition. I have an idea of what to do, but if anyone sees a flaw or an easier way, I'd appreciate it. I have:

> macbook pro w/ 80GB hard drive
> 320GB external connected by firewire 400 (formatted HFS+ for time machine and misc. files)
> new 250GB replacement internal drive on the way

I plan on
1) replace old 80GB hard drive with new 250GB drive
2) create boot camp partition on new drive
3) place old 80GB drive in an enclosure
3) boot up in windows and plug in 80GB drive
4) transfer files

I have two main questions:
• do I just drop the drive into the enclosure and it'll work? anything to download or attach?

• will I be able to browse for the files I need now that the old boot camp partition is being accessed on a now-external drive?

 

[tsice19]

Why not just use Super Duper?

 

[BlueRevolution]

• do I just drop the drive into the enclosure and it'll work? anything to download or attach?

So long as the enclosure uses the same internal interface as the drive (SATA) and both are of the same size (2.5"), yes. The internal interface may not be displayed in the drive's specs, so you may need to use Google to figure that out.

I can tell you right now that the Seagate FreeAgent Go drive fits the bill because I've used it for that very purpose. It's rather finicky to get the enclosure open, though. Tons of plastic tabs. Wait, they've updated it since I bought mine. I'm assuming it's still SATA because there's no reason to revert to IDE, but it may be easier/harder to get open.

• will I be able to browse for the files I need now that the old boot camp partition is being accessed on a now-external drive?

Yeah. Boot Camp is like any other partition, and will be accessible. It may also be bootable; I've never tried.

 

[smartalic34]

Why not just use Super Duper?

I'm going to use time machine to restore my mac partition on the new drive... it's the boot camp partition I'm concerned about.

as for the enclosure, I'm getting a very cheap one, as I will only be using it every few months or so (after this initial mumble jumble) as a cloned backup to complement time machine

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018TCB0O

the hard drive I'm getting is:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GV5XFO

thanks for the insights everyone!