View Full Version : Mirroring a hard drive?
How can I create a bootable exact copy of my hard drive?
I have a 5400 rpm and want to step up to a 7200rmp momentous XT but I want everything exactly as is and it would take forever to copy exactly what I have in the way it all works together.
Mark Grant
10-07-2011, 08:15
Acronis does that, the free trial did used to allow that as a trial although not sure if it still does without paying.
http://www.acronis.co.uk/homecomputing/products/trueimage/#overview
There will be many other programs to do the same, sure someone will be along with recommendations shortly.:)
DanJennings
10-07-2011, 08:34
PureSync (it's free)
http://www.jumpingbytes.com/en/puresync.html
Mark Grant
10-07-2011, 08:49
That looks good although it does not mention it copies the exact hard drive , bootable partitions etc ?
I think Geoff is looking for a complete copy that will boot rather than synching folders or files.
Another one is Easaus todo backup,
http://www.todo-backup.com/products/home/free-backup-software.htm
the disk clone tool looks good:
http://www.todo-backup.com/products/features/disk-clone-guide.htm
( never used that one myself yet)
A hardware version would be this from Lindy:
http://www.lindy.co.uk/usb-2-esata-docking-cloning-station-for-25-35-sata-hard-drives/42797.html
As far as I'm aware PureSync is just synchronization software and won't clone or image a hard drive Colin? I may have to get me a copy though, so thanks ;)
As Mark says Jeff, Acronis is one of the best, if not 'the' best imaging and backup software. I bought a copy many years ago and have been updating it every two years. It's the single best bit of software I have ever bought, bar none! Used by many of the hard drive companies now as their standard disk tool, I cannot recommend it enough. Norton Ghost will do the same, but not as easily IMO and I wouldn't recommend that. I have to do lots of testing and tinkering with computers, so have a system that has evolved over the years. When I get a new PC, before even switching it on for the first time I image the hard drive, that's my 'bare' image. I then create a Windows activated and configured 'baseline' image. Finally I install all my regular programs, Windows updates and tweaks and that's my 'working' image. If anything ever goes wrong it's takes me minutes to lay an image back on. I also reinstall the images regularly and would never let a Windows Operating System remain on a computer for more than a year, without a fresh image install. Doing a complete Windows O/S and program install can take all day, Acronis does it in minutes :)
http://www.acronis.com for the US site. I cannot access it to check about the free trial (keeps directing me to the UK site), but what you are looking for is Acronis True Image Home - you can certainly download a free trial in the UK.
Top tip though Jeff, get yourself Acronis it's the best.
Mark Grant
10-07-2011, 11:38
If the new drive is Seagate then they have diskwizard for free to make this easy :)
http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/
Western digital use a cut down version of Acronis.
http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp?swid=119&wdc_lang=en
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I think this might be the ticket.
http://www.frys.com/product/6397231?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG
I think this might be the ticket.
http://www.frys.com/product/6397231?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG
Blimey, that's a good price Jeff :)
There are problems with transferring a true copy of your drive from one machine to another. I agree with Tim, Acronis true image is one of best image apps out there but unfortunately it copies all those horrid little glitches and bugs your computer picks up over time.
I’m not talking virus’s or even the odd Trojan or root kit here; I’m talking about broken dll’s and invalid reg entries, etc, that even the good cleaners don’t seem to remove.
Drive imaging can be a useful back up tool but if installing a new drive, or doing as Tim suggest an annual, or bi-annual strip out on a drive to be re-used, I personally prefer a proper wipe and install from scratch with the original OS disc.
Drive imaging can be a useful back up tool but if installing a new drive, or doing as Tim suggest an annual, or bi-annual strip out on a drive to be re-used, I personally prefer a proper wipe and install from scratch with the original OS disc.
That's the best option right there Jeff, especially if your O/S has been installed on your current machine for a long time. No matter how careful you are, no amount of housekeeping will keep Windows working optimally for an extended period of time. If it were me, I would buy the new drive and get Acronis too. Do a fresh install, get it sweet and running how you like it, then image it. It will take time, but you will get the best performance out of your system with a fresh install on your new faster HDD :)
If you have an external hard disk, just use Windows 7's own image backup. You don't need anything else!
1. Perform a full all-volume backup to the external hard disk
2. Swap hard disks
3. Boot your Windows 7 DVD, select to restore from backup
4. Restore the image from the external drive to your new hard disk
Et voila, you will have a bootable system on your new drive which is an exact copy. I have done it many times and it works well.
Nice one Martin, never tried that..... you know I'm going to have to now :lol:
Already done,I used Seagate/Acronis free software and it works smooth.
Total start time from pressing the power button to operation 44 sec.
Total shut down 13 sec.
It worked on a WD drive too.
The win 7 score did not change from 5.9 with the 5400 SeaGate or 7200 WD.
But boot times got faster by 3 to 4 seconds. Over all not much difference but I wanted a second hard drive in case of failure.
Already done,I used Seagate/Acronis free software and it works smooth.
:lol: that's what I like, a man who doesn't hang about.
If the new drive is Seagate then they have diskwizard for free to make this easy :)
http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/
Western digital use a cut down version of Acronis.
http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp?swid=119&wdc_lang=en
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THANKS MARK! BTW the Seagate software is Acronis and it did work with my WD scorpio Black.
Perfect boot able copy (HASSLE FREE)
Mark Grant
10-07-2011, 18:32
Pleased it worked :)
Now you have a spare old drive it might be interesting to put the old drive back in, format and reinstall windows on the old drive.
As John mentioned, a fresh windows install on the old drive will probably be much more ' snappy' than the old install copied to a new faster drive.
If you get windows working OK on the old drive you could then mirror that fresh install to the new fast drive when you are happy with it :)
Pleased it worked :)
Now you have a spare old drive it might be interesting to put the old drive back in, format and reinstall windows on the old drive.
As John mentioned, a fresh windows install on the old drive will probably be much more ' snappy' than the old install copied to a new faster drive.
If you get windows working OK on the old drive you could then mirror that fresh install to the new fast drive when you are happy with it :)
No way it is running fast now,unless I can some how reload my OPS leaving all my files intact like upgrading from Win 7 premium to 7pro?
If you have an external hard disk, just use Windows 7's own image backup. You don't need anything else!
1. Perform a full all-volume backup to the external hard disk
2. Swap hard disks
3. Boot your Windows 7 CD, select to restore from backup
4. Restore the image from the external drive to your new hard disk
Et voila, you will have a bootable system on your new drive which is an exact copy. I have done it many times and it works well.
Next time I'll try this..
spendorman
11-07-2011, 00:31
Seagate Diskwizard /Maxblast will work if there is one Seagate/ Maxtor HD somewhere in the system.
I have wanted to image from a non Seagate/ Maxtor HD to another. I just connected a USB Seagate HD and that allowed me to do the copy.
Diskwizard/ Maxblast is fast (later versions anyway). I copy about 160 GB in about 25 min. It's not a very fast machine either.
This may be of interest:
http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/showthread.php?t=101123
I have Acronis and Diskwizard/ Maxblast, prefer Diskwizard/ Maxblast, seem to be a few useful features that I can't find in Acronis.
For what it's worth, if backups are part of your daily routine, and you may update your machine one day, OS X is amazing for backups.
You can clone your hardrive, an exact mirror (which I do nightly with smart/incremental), and boot off it (even if plugged into FireWire, eSata, SATA or USB), by choosing it at boot time. Fantastic!
I very much disliked using Windows, as backups are far more complicated/bloated :¬)
I very much disliked using Windows, as backups are far more complicated/bloated :¬)
Not really, Windows 7 image backup is excellent, as described above. You can even set it up to minimise space by only keeping the latest image plus changed blocks. I don't see it as complicated any more and it's far more reliable than the old (spit) ntbackup.
Not really, Windows 7 image backup is excellent, as described above. You can even set it up to minimise space by only keeping the latest image plus changed blocks. I don't see it as complicated any more and it's far more reliable than the old (spit) ntbackup.
Martin, have you used OS X in a business/backup environment?
Nope. I wouldn't use Macs in a business environment, we only support students using them.
Nope. I wouldn't use Macs in a business environment, we only support students using them.
I've used both; backups on OSX are much, much easier. Not only to backup, but to restore from (it's not even restoring, as the mirrored drive is a 1:1 clone you can boot from, even if connected via USB).
Each to their own, of course :¬)
Nope. I wouldn't use Macs in a business environment, we only support students using them.
+1, the field I work in is pretty much all PC's - the only MAC's that get used have Windows installed on them or can dual boot ;) I need to reconfigure hardware, swap parts and test things - you can't do that on a MAC.
WOW!!
There is a substantial difference between the 5400 rpm Seagate momentous and the WD 7200 rpm hard drives when it comes to heat.
The faster hard drive gets Hellishly Hot.
A cooling pad just became essential.
I'm not so sure this is the way to go.
The fan in my laptop seems to speed up the hotter it gets,at this point it sounds like a B29 leaving the runway!
Can it cause enough heat to burn up my old ass Toshiba?
Unfortunately, heat output is one consequence of a faster drive. For instance, the WD Velociraptor I used to use in my desktop PC is a 2.5" drive but you would never put it in a laptop as it would cook the insides.
Have you considered an SSD if you want speed but not huge capacity? The Kingston V100+ in my Lenovo Edge 11 runs cool. I also run a Samsung 470 SSD in my desktop PC at work and that runs cool too.
StanleyB
12-07-2011, 08:07
I have been using the standard 5400RPM harddisk, but managed to increase access times by using Windows Readyboost and running Windows 7 in X64 mode. I have quite a few design packages that are supposed to be run on a desktop PC loaded with fancy processor speeds and memory levels. But using the combination that I have I can run those packages with no speed or refresh rate problems.
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