Hi Russel, =20 I know you said you do not want to change operating systems but anyway it = is worth it even if you just use XP for the mere fact that you can preserve= all you configurations and have multiple test machines using virtual machi= nes.=20 =20 I have been using macbooks for over five years and using XP under Parallel= s. It is amazing how well it works !! All the USB devices work just fine, o= scilloscopes, logic analysers and just about everything else ! =20 Being a virtual machine makes life much easier as the whole XP machine is = just ONE single file under Mac OS. You can do the same with Windows 8 or Li= nux using VmWare. You can copy it and save it whenever you fell like it and= save your current machine at it's current state !! No more reinstallations= , just bring back the machine you want, it is a single file.... =20 You should, at least, give it a try. When I bought my first macbook pro I = did it to run windows only and just because of the hardware but ended up gi= ving up windows for most of the things except compilers, IDE's and that kin= d of things... It took me much less than a week to get used to the new envi= ronment and I always have XP available.=20 Best Regards, Alexandre Guimaraes =20 On 14/06/2014, at 05:05, RussellMc wrote: > Pre-amble: > I know Google knows. Far too many answers probably and merit of each > subject to research. > And I'm sure this has been raised here N times. > Asking seems sure (and easier for me - ssssh) and in these death-of-XP da= ys > there may be new better brighter answers. So - >=20 > Question: >=20 > I have an XP PC with a failing hard drive. The PC is doing well as is and= I > don't want to change to WIN7 et al, Linux no matter how spiffing or > open-XP-whatever-it-is. (Not yet anyway). >=20 > I just want it to continue as before - and so does my wife as it's what s= he > uses at home and is happy with. >=20 > What are the suggested options for preferably free, preferably easy cloni= ng > of a whole XP drive to a newer larger one that does not fall over > occasionally with minimal disruption to life? >=20 >=20 > Russell > --=20 > http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist --=20 http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .