Replacing old hard drive, need way to copy Windows installation across

dhdude · Mar 1, 2011, 09:49 AM

Hey Guys,
What would be the best way of copying/imaging the entire contents of an old system drive over to a replacement hard disk for the same machine? I need to copy the Windows installations and all other data to the new drive, and then format the old drive to use as a backup.

Any suggestions?

qubit · Mar 1, 2011, 09:56 AM

Hard Disc Manager from Paragon is an awesome & reliable utility for doing everything you need with hard discs, including imaging. This is the one I use.

www.paragon-software.com

stock · Mar 1, 2011, 10:04 AM

Another one here

http://www.easeus.com/disk-copy/

assaulter_99 · Mar 1, 2011, 10:04 AM

Or you could use Acronis True Image.

dhdude · Mar 1, 2011, 11:40 AM

Thanks for the speedy replies guys

All of those pieces of software look good, I'll probably use Acronis, as I've used their software before, and the reviews seem good. Thanks for your help guys!

PS I think Ill give all 3 a go and on a test machine and see which I prefer!

qubit · Mar 1, 2011, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhdude

PS I think Ill give all 3 a go and on a test machine and see which I prefer!

I think Paragon's gonna win.

stock · Mar 1, 2011, 10:40 PM

Unfortunately you think wrong

Keep ya chin up

qubit · Mar 1, 2011, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stock

Unfortunately you think wrong

Keep ya chin up

With an avatar like that, it won't be just my chin!

This one, in case it changes:

TheMailMan78 · Mar 2, 2011, 12:15 AM

Why not do a clean install?

dhdude · Mar 3, 2011, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMailMan78

Why not do a clean install?

Would normally, but this is a business machine with some VERY expensive legacy accounting software on XP, which is single activation, but I recently partitioned and put 7 on it but XP needs to be kept too. So imaging the drive is the only option unfortunately

TheMailMan78 · Mar 3, 2011, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhdude

Would normally, but this is a business machine with some VERY expensive legacy accounting software on XP, which is single activation, but I recently partitioned and put 7 on it but XP needs to be kept too. So imaging the drive is the only option unfortunately

Ah ok. I hate that shit. One small mess up and you have an epic fail on your hands. I would PM cadaveca. Hes good with the imaging stuff IF hes willing to help. Hes kinda like the troll that lives under a bridge. He will want you to say his name backward and such.

CBRworm · Mar 6, 2011, 06:46 PM

I have had good luck with Acronis and R-Drive Image.

dhdude · Apr 6, 2011, 11:31 PM

Just a quick update guys, Acronis worked out best for me in the end

However, playing around with it on my home machine, I noticed it wont image my RAID array (in Sys Specs - ICH10R RAID). It wont even recognise that theres data on it; it just wont let me set it as a Source Disk (unselectable), and when set as a Destination Disk it won't see the partitions.

Any suggestions for software that might allow me to image my RAID array to my backup disk of same capacity?

qubit · Apr 6, 2011, 11:56 PM

Paragon will work just fine with raid, my friend.

I've not needed this feature so far personally, but look at the product specs and you'll see that it's built from the ground up to support it. And anyway, taken with all the other features, it makes this a winner.

Hey, post 3333! FTW

happita · Apr 6, 2011, 11:58 PM

Just a question, don't mean to jack his thread, although the op basically had his question answered....
Isn't Acronis True Image a Western Digital only HDD disk imager? Or is it some other one?

dhdude · Apr 6, 2011, 11:58 PM

Sweet thanks Qubit, will definitely give it another look

dhdude · Apr 6, 2011, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happita

Just a question, don't mean to jack his thread, although the op basically had his question answered....
Isn't Acronis True Image a Western Digital only HDD disk imager? Or is it some other one?

Nope, works on all disks, product designed for most hard drives out there, anyone care to back me up?

qubit · Apr 7, 2011, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happita

Just a question, don't mean to jack his thread, although the op basically had his question answered....
Isn't Acronis True Image a Western Digital only HDD disk imager? Or is it some other one?

Acronis is a general HD manager application which works on all drives. Perhaps you mean is there a cut down version that works on WD drives only? If so, I believe there is. Check out the WD website, it might be a free download.

EDIT: www.wdc.com

overclocking101 · Apr 7, 2011, 12:38 AM

ACRONIS TRUE IMAGE FTW! or nortan ghost from HBCD but ATI works much better

Brandenburg · Apr 7, 2011, 01:07 AM

i have used acronis and paragon...i like paragon the best i think

qubit · Apr 7, 2011, 01:18 AM

Wow! Just look at the primitive mechanism for moving the heads - it's really similar to that of a floppy drive and might use dead reckoning.

Quote:

The 5.25-inch disk has four platters, eight read and write heads, spins at 3,600rpm, weighs 2.1kg (4.1lbs) and holds just 10MB of data. Seagate says it would have cost £263 back in 1983.

A desktop PC today could use a 3TB Barracuda disk: five platters with 10 read/write heads, spinning at 7,200rpm, and costing £190. In £/GB terms the ST-412 costs £26,300/GB while the Barracuda costs £0.06/GB.

The Register

Eric_On_Web · Apr 7, 2011, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qubit

http://img.techpowerup.org/110406/seagate_st_412.jpg

Wow! Just look at the primitive mechanism for moving the heads - it's really similar to that of a floppy drive and might use dead reckoning.

The Register

That's the kind of useless stuff you keep image in your head all life long and bring it back on the table at chit chat computers party :P

Mar 1, 2011, 09:49 AM	#1
dhdude Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Canterbury, Kent, UK Posts: 151 (0.12/day) Thanks: 135 Thanked 40 Times in 37 Posts System Specs	Replacing old hard drive, need way to copy Windows installation across Hey Guys, What would be the best way of copying/imaging the entire contents of an old system drive over to a replacement hard disk for the same machine? I need to copy the Windows installations and all other data to the new drive, and then format the old drive to use as a backup. Any suggestions?

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Mar 1, 2011, 09:56 AM	#2
qubit Overclocked quantum bit Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Quantumville UK Posts: 8,724 (4.31/day) Thanks: 4,216 Thanked 3,336 Times in 1,972 Posts System Specs	Hard Disc Manager from Paragon is an awesome & reliable utility for doing everything you need with hard discs, including imaging. This is the one I use. www.paragon-software.com __________________ Siggie in the post.

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Mar 1, 2011, 10:04 AM	#3
stock Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: UK Posts: 319 (0.20/day) Thanks: 97 Thanked 37 Times in 36 Posts System Specs	Another one here http://www.easeus.com/disk-copy/ __________________ My Heat : My "For Sale" : My "WTB" The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth. “This anti-climax reminded me of the time when my girlfriend said she needed her ring widening and we walked straight past superdrug to H.M.Samuel” Looking for a Corsair 800D to trade with my TJ07

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Mar 1, 2011, 10:04 AM	#4
assaulter_99 Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 1,634 (1.27/day) Thanks: 53 Thanked 284 Times in 266 Posts System Specs	Or you could use Acronis True Image. __________________ "I assault bases, not women!" : @ssaulter_99

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Mar 1, 2011, 11:40 AM	#5
dhdude Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Canterbury, Kent, UK Posts: 151 (0.12/day) Thanks: 135 Thanked 40 Times in 37 Posts System Specs	Thanks for the speedy replies guys All of those pieces of software look good, I'll probably use Acronis, as I've used their software before, and the reviews seem good. Thanks for your help guys! PS I think Ill give all 3 a go and on a test machine and see which I prefer!

Mar 1, 2011, 10:40 PM	#7
stock Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: UK Posts: 319 (0.20/day) Thanks: 97 Thanked 37 Times in 36 Posts System Specs	Unfortunately you think wrong Keep ya chin up __________________ My Heat : My "For Sale" : My "WTB" The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth. “This anti-climax reminded me of the time when my girlfriend said she needed her ring widening and we walked straight past superdrug to H.M.Samuel” Looking for a Corsair 800D to trade with my TJ07

Mar 2, 2011, 12:15 AM	#9
TheMailMan78 Banstick Dummy Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Crystal River, FL Posts: 15,142 (6.85/day) Thanks: 1,337 Thanked 6,861 Times in 3,752 Posts System Specs	Why not do a clean install?

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Mar 6, 2011, 06:46 PM	#12
CBRworm Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 50 (0.02/day) Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	I have had good luck with Acronis and R-Drive Image.

Apr 6, 2011, 11:31 PM	#13
dhdude Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Canterbury, Kent, UK Posts: 151 (0.12/day) Thanks: 135 Thanked 40 Times in 37 Posts System Specs	Just a quick update guys, Acronis worked out best for me in the end However, playing around with it on my home machine, I noticed it wont image my RAID array (in Sys Specs - ICH10R RAID). It wont even recognise that theres data on it; it just wont let me set it as a Source Disk (unselectable), and when set as a Destination Disk it won't see the partitions. Any suggestions for software that might allow me to image my RAID array to my backup disk of same capacity?

Apr 6, 2011, 11:56 PM	#14
qubit Overclocked quantum bit Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Quantumville UK Posts: 8,724 (4.31/day) Thanks: 4,216 Thanked 3,336 Times in 1,972 Posts System Specs	Paragon will work just fine with raid, my friend. I've not needed this feature so far personally, but look at the product specs and you'll see that it's built from the ground up to support it. And anyway, taken with all the other features, it makes this a winner. Hey, post 3333! FTW __________________ Siggie in the post.

Apr 6, 2011, 11:58 PM	#15
happita Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: East Coast, USA Posts: 2,053 (0.96/day) Thanks: 210 Thanked 306 Times in 248 Posts System Specs	Just a question, don't mean to jack his thread, although the op basically had his question answered.... Isn't Acronis True Image a Western Digital only HDD disk imager? Or is it some other one? __________________ co5 is cal i htpc: work in progress.. HeatWare - http://www.heatware.com/eval.php?id=71725

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Apr 7, 2011, 12:38 AM	#19
overclocking101 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: vermont Posts: 2,636 (1.72/day) Thanks: 196 Thanked 405 Times in 363 Posts System Specs	ACRONIS TRUE IMAGE FTW! or nortan ghost from HBCD but ATI works much better __________________ hmmmm cant have cpu-z or hwbot anymore me is sad

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Apr 7, 2011, 01:07 AM	#20
Brandenburg Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Waco,Texas Posts: 162 (0.19/day) Thanks: 100 Thanked 31 Times in 26 Posts System Specs	i have used acronis and paragon...i like paragon the best i think __________________ Real Pimpin going on My ethics arnt for sale but they can be rented from time to time. LOL Guitar Rig: '89 Randall RG 100 ES w/Peavey 412 ms Stereo cabinet '01 MII Jackson Dinky DK-2

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