Cloning, Imaging, Whatevering

  • Thread starter Thread starter JimL
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JimL

I need a new hard drive in my XP Pro SP3 laptop.

Can my present system be "moved" to just any old (functioning) drive
replacement as long as it's as big or bigger or does it need to be a new
drive of the exact same kind?

That is, if I buy an HD of double the capacity and a different CHS
configuration, will something like Ghost have no trouble putting the
existing system on the new drive? (I have a massive external to hold
intermediate/interim "stuff.")
 
It can be cloned/imaged to a size that is the same size or larger.
I have used Acronis True Image for this purpose and it has worked nicely.
If it's a larger drive the "extra" space will just be free unformatted space
that you can format later.
The New Drive would need to be hooked up by means of USB on Laptop for the
Cloning to happen

peter
 
Can you expand on that a little. I've already been given suggestions to put
an image on my external, swap in the new drive, boot with a CD and "copy"
the image from the external onto the new drive.

This guy was talking about using Ghost. Is the different method a
reflection of that? I've been told that since v12 Ghost has been much
easier to use.

I want a bigger drive anyway. My concern was from old war stories about
Windows not being relocatable - at least in some old versions. Something
about hard coding with tricky routines that called upon CHS positions.

Of course with everyone dependent on libraries nowadays there should be
precious little tricky coding. I knew a guy who actually coded in ML - hand
typing machine code instructions into memory positions, then saving it to
media.

Thanks

JimL
 
JimL said:
Can you expand on that a little. I've already been given suggestions to
put an image on my external, swap in the new drive, boot with a CD and
"copy" the image from the external onto the new drive.

This guy was talking about using Ghost. Is the different method a
reflection of that? I've been told that since v12 Ghost has been much
easier to use.

I want a bigger drive anyway. My concern was from old war stories about
Windows not being relocatable - at least in some old versions. Something
about hard coding with tricky routines that called upon CHS positions.

Of course with everyone dependent on libraries nowadays there should be
precious little tricky coding. I knew a guy who actually coded in ML -
hand typing machine code instructions into memory positions, then saving
it to media.

Thanks

JimL
Click to expand...

I've done this many times using Acronis and it always worked like a charm.
You can hook the new drive to your PC via an external USB adapter, or you
can directly connect it to the motherboard via a sata cable (I prefer this
method is faster and you have to open your case anyways).
First thing I do is format and partition the new drive (using a magazine
free version of Eaesus partition manager). I do this first because the risk
of damaging data is lower of course).
Then create an image anywhere you want, for example on the second partition
of the new disc. Because you cannot use the image directly (it's a single
..tib file), you now have to start the "restore partition" module and select
the primary partition of your new drive as destination.
Eventually copy other files and data you want from your old disc. Remove the
old disc, set cables correctly and clos the case. You' re ready.
If you' re still using pata drives, don' t forget to set the jumpers
accordingly (for the new disc, slave while copying, master when the old disc
is removed).
 
kony said:
That is not a problem, windows will work ok providing you
use same bios settings and same interface (it can work with
different settings and interface too much of the time, but
seldom is it a factor with a laptop).

What could instead be a concern is if it is the original
factory config with a hidden restoration partition that you
wish to preserve, it could be set up so it needs that
partition in a certain location which could change with a
larger drive.

However, since you would have a partition imaging software
to do this job, it is arguably not important if you can't
restore from a hidden OEM partition because you can make
your own, more flexible and useful backup of the system with
that partition imaging software and restore it too, making
the OEM feature unnecessary and less desirable in general.
Click to expand...


Thank you very much.
 
Somewhere said:
Can you expand on that a little. I've already been given suggestions
to put an image on my external, swap in the new drive, boot with a CD
and "copy" the image from the external onto the new drive.
Click to expand...

Yes, with laptops that is the best way. Fit the new drive, boot from the
copying software's CD and clone from the USB-connected old drive to the
internally fitted new drive.

Cheers,
 
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