HDD Cloning utility + need help

**Smartidiot89** · 01-23-2010, 09:42 AM

Hello! I just baught myself a new HDD which I am planing to use, and I would like to know if there is any program where i can simply "copy" my OS, programs, files etc. to the new one?

Today I have a 640GB HDD split into 2 partitions, one of the partitions contains Windows 7, programs, games and a bunch of other stuff used for reviewing purposes and all I want to do is to completely clone this partition and move it to my new 320GB HDD which will be used 100% purely for reviews. I figured simply copying everything to the new drive would mess up the registry so is there a way to simply clone it over to me new drive?

Thanks in advance!

**Circaflex** · 01-23-2010, 10:12 AM

Acronis True Image can do this.

**xytrius** · 01-23-2010, 12:35 PM

Acronis does an excellent job of drive cloning, as does Ghost.

If your new HDD is either a Seagate or Western Digital, these companies have free versions of cloning software on their web site that will allow you to do a clone quickly and easily to your new HDD. The cloning software works only on the respective brands of HDD’s.

However, if you have the time, I would suggest playing with Clonezilla, a free, open source cloning/imaging software: http://clonezilla.org
You need not worry about ever buying cloning/imaging software, and you will have good control over what you are doing once you get the hang of it.

**BeepBeep2** · 01-23-2010, 02:03 PM

Something I found:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/freeghost/

I don't know how good it is but it's based off of PartImage, just like CloneZilla.

**Smartidiot89** · 01-24-2010, 01:29 AM

Wow thanks for all suggestions looks like I have some reading up to do!

Both my current drive and the new are Western Digital so I suppose I could use their software, but I am gonna dig more into these open-sourced solutions...

**Quad-Damage** · 01-25-2010, 11:29 AM

Windows 7 comes with sysprep and Image x it's not that hard to use, I don't know if you want to sysprep tho Image X might be more usefull for you.

**HDCHOPPER** · 01-25-2010, 12:54 PM

Coppy Commander one click coppying and resizeing drive to drive .... been using it for 3 years now and it is the fastest & best to use IMO ,
Yes I have ATI9 and others

**robhalford88** · 01-25-2010, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by xytrius

Acronis does an excellent job of drive cloning, as does Ghost.

If your new HDD is either a Seagate or Western Digital, these companies have free versions of cloning software on their web site that will allow you to do a clone quickly and easily to your new HDD. The cloning software works only on the respective brands of HDD’s.

However, if you have the time, I would suggest playing with Clonezilla, a free, open source cloning/imaging software: http://clonezilla.org
You need not worry about ever buying cloning/imaging software, and you will have good control over what you are doing once you get the hang of it.

Hey man, I read somewhere about people having problems cloning a win 7 OS.
Seems like they cloned their C drive and it wouldn't boot afterwards.
You know anything about that?
I have to clone my C and then sysprep it to change boards very soon, so I need to find out the best way to go.

**rogard** · 01-31-2010, 02:21 PM

G4l can do this

**The_Beast** · 01-31-2010, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by xytrius

Acronis does an excellent job of drive cloning, as does Ghost.

If your new HDD is either a Seagate or Western Digital, these companies have free versions of cloning software on their web site that will allow you to do a clone quickly and easily to your new HDD. The cloning software works only on the respective brands of HDD’s.

However, if you have the time, I would suggest playing with Clonezilla, a free, open source cloning/imaging software: http://clonezilla.org
You need not worry about ever buying cloning/imaging software, and you will have good control over what you are doing once you get the hang of it.

Clonezilla is what I used the clone my old HDD onto a new one. Worked flawlessly and was free, I couldn't ask for more

**Smartidiot89** · 02-02-2010, 11:29 AM

Downloading Clonezilla, wish me luck

**Smartidiot89** · 02-03-2010, 09:59 AM

Cloned it (a Windows 7 64-bit OS partition) and when i tried booting BOOTMGR is missing

Was using Clonezilla by the way, any ideas?

**Particle** · 02-03-2010, 10:02 AM

Clonezilla is certainly capable. I don't recall having any issue cloning boot drives at work with it. When it asks you if you want to clone the boot sector, make sure you tell it YES.

**Smartidiot89** · 02-03-2010, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by Particle

Clonezilla is certainly capable. I don't recall having any issue cloning boot drives at work with it. When it asks you if you want to clone the boot sector, make sure you tell it YES.

I will try again and see if it asks me about th boot sector... Will report back if there was an idiot behind my keyboard during the first attempt

**Smartidiot89** · 02-03-2010, 10:03 PM

Hmm ok I did exactly the same as last time, took a screenshot of the result... What am I supposed to do/what to write in the console?

Sorry for the bad image quality, taken with a SonyEricsson W810i

**YukonTrooper** · 02-03-2010, 11:42 PM

I have a soft spot for Acronis True Image.

**[XC] Oj101** · 02-03-2010, 11:56 PM

HDClone, the free version will work fine

**skycrane** · 02-04-2010, 05:49 AM

the Seagate Disk wizard is a great program. comes free with any seagate or WD HD. ive had it for 2 yrs now and ive never had a problem with it.

**Elloquin** · 02-04-2010, 05:56 AM

The image software included with windows 7 does work well. I usually due to laziness just use Ghost. There are better apps out there but like I said lol I am lazy.

**Alpha&OmegaX** · 02-04-2010, 06:56 AM

I've been using Acronis for about 1 year now and it has served me very well, it's well worth the cost, have used norton ghost but never managed to get the to work for some reason...

**Smartidiot89** · 02-04-2010, 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by Oj101

HDClone, the free version will work fine

Ok using HDClone and made a Partition (200GB) -> Harddrive (320GB) copy.

The copy took about 22 minutes, but I wanted it to autoexpand the partition to the harddrives native size of 320GB and well it has been in process of "AutoExpand - finish resizing" for about 50 minutes now is that normal?

EDIT: autoexpand on it's 100th minute, is it supposed to take this long?

**[XC] Oj101** · 02-05-2010, 12:49 AM

It is normal yes

**Smartidiot89** · 02-05-2010, 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by Oj101

It is normal yes

I let it run last night, then when i was sleeping. Woke up and 14 hours later it was still on the same process so I aborted. Is 14 hours also normal?

Never thought it would be this hard to clone a HDD partition -> HDD

**Smartidiot89** · 02-05-2010, 11:09 AM

Trying Acronis now... But I can't find a Partition -> Harddrive option, where exactly would that be?

I need to clone my 200Gb partition(on a 640GB drive) -> to a 320GB HDD.

**Smartidiot89** · 02-07-2010, 12:58 AM

I've officially given up. Tried about everything in this thread and my best "success" was with Clonezilla cause that actually copied my partition to the drive but BOOTMGR missing... And I let HDClone run for 18 hours without results. So I guess it is time to actually reinstall everything all over again

Thread: HDD Cloning utility + need help

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Rate This Thread

Display

HDD Cloning utility + need help

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions