Question Is it possible to clone a HDD using an External Hard Drive then moving everything to a new HDD with a new motherboard

[BUST_ER]

Kind of a newbie question but I'm wondering if it's possible to transfer everything from a HDD to an external Hard Drive including the OS then move everything from that to a new HDD on a different motherboard?

My motherboard is practically dying so I'm trying to save everything I can.

 

[Barty1884]

You can clone a drive to an external, then clone the external to another drive... yes.

Seems an overly convoluted process though, as if your MB is dying, why not just migrate the drive to a new system/motherboard?
Not a smooth process, as driver conflicts may well prove a nightmare, but they will in the scenario you describe anyway, as you've cloned everything?

 

[BUST_ER]

You can clone a drive to an external, then clone the external to another drive... yes.

Seems an overly convoluted process though, as if your MB is dying, why not just migrate the drive to a new system/motherboard?
Not a smooth process, as driver conflicts may well prove a nightmare, but they will in the scenario you describe anyway, as you've cloned everything?

I'm doing this for the first time so sorry for the confusing perspective, I heard there is a chance things wouldn't work if I'd just use my current HDD on a new mobo like you said, so just moving the HDD to a new mobo will allow me to keep everything including the OS except there may be driver issues?

 

[USAFRet]

Kind of a newbie question but I'm wondering if it's possible to transfer everything from a HDD to an external Hard Drive including the OS then move everything from that to a new HDD on a different motherboard?

My motherboard is practically dying so I'm trying to save everything I can.

A better option is to use an Image, rather than an actual clone.

Macrium Reflect does this easily.
Details, if you want them.

 

[USAFRet]

What is the old and new motherboards?

 

[BUST_ER]

What is the old and new motherboards?

The old one is a GA-78LMT-USB3 (Socket M2)
The new one was going to be a Asus M5A78L-M PLUS/USB3 Micro ATX AM3+

I was thinking of using Drive Copy Paragon to send everything to my external hard drive and use my current seagate barracuda 1tb HDD with the new motherboard, since It's apparently 50/50 if it works or not with it.

 

[USAFRet]

A fresh install, on a new drive, with the new motherboard is strongly recommended.
Then, put the old drive in and copy off what you need.