Replacing secondary HDD

[PP Mguire]

As I said before, it's an additional step to make sure any potential problems don't happen. It also doesn't take 2x the time to make an image. It's just smart to create an image in case something happens during the procedure, because anything can happen.

Any IT person worth their salt knows this is essential, and when telling people on the internet to do things you want the most amount of precaution for the end users success.

 

[carnageX]

As I said, making an image first will certainly work, it just adds an additional step and requires 2X the time.

There is no reason to move the drive to another system when cloning since any cloning software worth it's salt reboots to a DOS like environment in order to do the cloning in order to ensure that there are no open files.

You don't understand what I mean.

When I did it, I booted to CloneZilla - a Linux-based LiveCD for cloning. During the direct disk-to-disk clone, something went wrong and it aborted. When I tried to boot to the original drive to make sure everything was OK, the Windows bootloader was borked, and since it was a Dell-based OEM system, getting it back up and working took about 6 hours at least.

If I would have done a Disk -> Image -> Disk instead of Disk -> Disk, it would have SAVED me time because instead of just taking twice as long, it took about 4x as long because of the mistake that happened.

Like PP and I have been saying, this extra step is just a data protection measure make sure nothing is lost. Because if something like what happens to me happens to somebody else... they're ****ed and will have to spend even longer recovering their files, reinstalling Windows + programs, restoring data, etc.

So why not just take that extra step that you literally have to do nothing? It's just a matter of adding more waiting time - so just start it, pop in a movie and wait for it to complete . Then start the image restore to the new drive, and watch another movie.

 

[iCobble]

Hey guys, thanks for all your input.
Ideally I would like to use the system image method, but my problem is that the drive I'm replacing is around 450gb full (out of 465gb), and my other HDD only has 80gb free, so I don't think that I'll have enough space to do so.
I've just had a thought, I know I've got an old HDD somewhere. I'll try and find that and see if it still works.
Unfortunately I don't have another computer to use.

Edit: Old HDD doesn't work, back to the storage issue. Looks like I might have to clone it without image backup (unless it's still possible somehow).

 

[Yevrag35]

When I did it, I booted to CloneZilla - a Linux-based LiveCD for cloning. During the direct disk-to-disk clone, something went wrong and it aborted. When I tried to boot to the original drive to make sure everything was OK, the Windows bootloader was borked, and since it was a Dell-based OEM system, getting it back up and working took about 6 hours at least.

I can attest that what he's saying is truth.

 

[Joe C]

A much simple way, just pop the new drive in your pc, format it (disconnect any other drives first to avoid accidental formats) and then copy/paste your data from one drive to the other. When your done, remove the old drive from the pc.
Of course you won't be able to move any hidden files in use by windows (like the clone method would) but you probably don't need to copy anything like that anyway

 

[PP Mguire]

Hey guys, thanks for all your input.
Ideally I would like to use the system image method, but my problem is that the drive I'm replacing is around 450gb full (out of 465gb), and my other HDD only has 80gb free, so I don't think that I'll have enough space to do so.
I've just had a thought, I know I've got an old HDD somewhere. I'll try and find that and see if it still works.
Unfortunately I don't have another computer to use.

Edit: Old HDD doesn't work, back to the storage issue. Looks like I might have to clone it without image backup (unless it's still possible somehow).

Use new HDD? I'm assuming it's bigger like a 1TB.

 

[iCobble]

Use new HDD? I'm assuming it's bigger like a 1TB.

Don't know why I didn't think of that. Yes it's a 2 TB drive so I'll do that. Drive has just arrived so I'll hopefully be back later with good news
Thanks to everyone who's helped so far

 

[PP Mguire]

Now in this case, what Strollin was saying is absolutely true. If you write the image to the 2TB, then clone from the 2TB to the 2TB it will be 2x or more slower in the process. Now what you CAN do is make an image to the 2TB, format the older drive, copy over the image to the older drive, and do the cloning process that way. All a lot of extra steps.

Or you can do like Joe said. Make said image to the 2TB, and copy and paste all the contents from the old drive to the new drive like you would any normal files. Then rename the new drive and see if it all works out. That way there, you have less steps, and a backup image just in case with the original drive intact.

 

[iCobble]

Now in this case, what Strollin was saying is absolutely true. If you write the image to the 2TB, then clone from the 2TB to the 2TB it will be 2x or more slower in the process. Now what you CAN do is make an image to the 2TB, format the older drive, copy over the image to the older drive, and do the cloning process that way. All a lot of extra steps.

Or you can do like Joe said. Make said image to the 2TB, and copy and paste all the contents from the old drive to the new drive like you would any normal files. Then rename the new drive and see if it all works out. That way there, you have less steps, and a backup image just in case with the original drive intact.

Currently making an image backup to the new 2TB drive. Will take about 40 minutes.
Would it not make more sense just to restore the image on the new 2TB drive instead of copying and pasting?

 

[PP Mguire]

Yes, but you have to take into consideration it might try and format your drive before applying the image. That's why I put multiple options knowing more about the current situation. If it doesn't do that, then yea you can apply the image off that drive.