[NMLUG] Using *nix to mirror NTFS partitions

[mikek at mrcabq.com (Mike Kruchoski)]

Okay, okay, I know I'm a Linux weenie, but I have to ask someone if this is 
possible.

Here's the situation: I have to run Win2K at work.  My old hard drive is a 
mere 8GB, with only 800MB freespace left.  I want to mirror everything to a 
new 120GB drive to avoid having to reinstall & configure Win2K and all my 
apps.  The IT folks gave me Drive Image, which will supposedly do the job 
easily.  Yeah, right!  After an entire afternoon fooling around with the 
Windows-environment solution, I wondered if I can do it in Linux instead, 
since I'm going to partition the new drive for dual-booting anyway.

Being a newbie, I thought I might be able to tar & gzip the old Win2K 
partition (8GB) while in Linux, then reverse the process to transfer it all 
to the already formatted NTFS partition on my new 120GB drive.

So, is it feasible?  stupid?  plagued by some unforeseen "gotcha's" 
(possibly related to NTFS permissions, etc.)?  Has anyone done this 
(successfully) before?

Thanks.  (No laughing, please....)

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   Mike Kruchoski
   Mission Research Corporation
   Albuquerque, NM

   505-768-7630 (phone)
   505-768-7601 (fax)
   505-480-5000 (cell)
   505-853-6525 (ABL SPO)
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