DRIVE BACKUPS

Hi guys!    Does anyone know how to backup your drive to 'another' drive?  (image I mean)

I recently took an image of my C: drive and ended up having to replace it physically with another hard drive.  When I tried to reinstall the image of the old drive to the new one, it wouldn't work!

I had to start all over again.

Is it possible to transfer images to other drives does anyone know, or are we stuck with having to use the same dive?    This is OK until the  drive needs replacing!      

This has been hashed over and over many times. If you are using an integrated package solution from Western Digital or Se agate, there should be no problem. The issues arise when different users try different software and hardware without fully understanding what is going on.

Some backup solutions can backup most of your stuff, but not restore the system when it no longer works. To resolve that issue, one has to prepare a backup plan that includes total failure of the OS. That requires a special CD that can boot up the PC and restore from a backup device that has a true image of the system.

The link below is for one of the oldest superior products.
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/

Hi!! I don't what to jump in to a topic that has been solved. Geek_9pm is right. If you replace a drive and have a image on a external drive, you should have a new drive at least as large as the drive you are replacing. W7 will warn you to make a recovery CD that you can boot to, should you ever have a hard drive failure; which happened to me. I know that Macrium Reflect and Paragon will help you make this CD also. I suppose acronis does the same thing. I'm a big fan of making a back up image of your OS, but have failed to warn people to also have a way to boot when you have a total failure and your HD just dies. I have so many recovery boot disks, I don't know which one to try first I have  Windows, Bart, Macrium Reflect, Paragon. My only trouble would be which one to try first I guess if a guy was really smart , he would restore a image on a secondary HD. put it in a drawer until he needed it. I think I have all the bases covered , but who really knows. Computers are enough to cause a person to drink.
PS I have restored a image to a cold HD with Macrium Reflect and it worked perfectly. Here's a little trick I learned to get around a recovery CD. Use you rescue CD to put Windows back to out of the box; then use your back up image to restore the back up image you made before your HD died. That worked for me. I replaced my HD; went back to out of the box and then used a back up image I created on a external drive to put me back to the day I created that image.
What do you think Geek_9pm?? Will that work??

That worked for me. I replaced my HD; went back to out of the box and then used a back up image I created on a external drive to put me back to the day I created that image.
What do you think Geek_9pm?? Will that work??

Yeah, I have don that. But I would not recommend it.

Yeah, I have don that. But I would not recommend it.

I agree that that best way is a W PE or Bart PE or a CD from the back up program. Maybe I misunderstood the OP.   

Is it possible to transfer images to other drives does anyone know, or are we stuck with having to use the same dive?    This is OK until the  drive needs replacing!      

Hmmmm, Thanx here guys for this feed back.   Just found out that I will be needing a new C: very shortly so I will be following what you say here.  You are right about the drinking... gona start (lol)

[Moderator]

Here's something I put together a while back. See if anything here is helpful:

Disk Imaging software takes a "snapshot" of your drive as it exists at the time you create the image. You can then restore the entire image or any file(s) or folder(s) you choose. It is a virtually foolproof way of backing up your system and providing a safe haven in the event of a catastrophe that requires you to blow away your system partition and restore it to a previous state. It also allows you to "test" various software and be confident that you have a the ability to return to the prior state any time you choose.

 
I use Acronis True Image. It is the best of breed, but it isn't free. The best free alternative is Macrium Reflect.


1) I create an image of my system partition once a week to a second hard drive and keep the 2 or 3 most recent images. I also image my other partitions about once a month. I always enable "verify image" in the options. It takes a little longer, but insures a valid image.

2) I also create an image before performing any drive level function (ie, changing the size of a partition) or making any significant change to the OS (installing a service pack, upgrading IE, etc). Also sometimes before installing new software.

3) Images may be created on any medium (cd, dvd, external drive, etc). For obvious reasons they should not be stored on the same drive you are imaging. The best option is a second internal hd if you have one.

4) Images may be created "in the background" within the OS. If you need to restore the system partition, that will need to be done before the OS loads. You can start the process within the application in the OS and it will then tell you it needs to reboot to finish the process. Alternatively, you can boot to a "recovery disk" which you can create when you first install the software (or to the application disk itself if you have one). Other partitions can be restored without a reboot.

Hi! Very nice reply Allan. Well explained. I have been using Macrium Relect for a long time. It has never let me down. I would just like to add that Macrium has a feature that allows you to mount your image. If will assign a drive letter to the image and allow you to copy and paste from it. It is a read only, so you can't change any thing, but great for grabbing a file ect, then copy and paste it back on your C drive. It is free, but the pro version has more bells and whistles. Also would like to add. Make a recovery CD right away and make sure you can boot with it. I really like the back up feature in W7. I use both. I also use Paragon. W7 back up and Paragon don't require you to use a recovery disk unless you can't boot your PC (Example your hard drive dies) I don't like starting over from out of the box. I fresh install can be good some times , but it's a lot of work.
Thanks!! 

Find links here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_backup_software

Wow! Now that's quite a list!! No reason not to find one and use it regularly

Guys I am knocked out by your responce here, but I still have the problem of having to get a new HD.   How can I safely get the system image of my knackerd drive on to the new one?   

[Moderator]

Create a boot or recovery disc with whatever imaging software you are using, boot to it, and restore the image

Hi fellas, Listen, I have Acronis and Macrium gizmos, but they are both from computer mags.   Acronis says that it is not compatable with my Win 7, so it looks like an XP job.  Macrium gives me two choices of format LINUX and PE?   If I choose the PE it dosn't work.    This leaves me with a Paragon gizmo, again from a mag, but it appears to work.  I have just made a bootable CD from it.

How does PARAGON rate with you guys?   

[Moderator]

The recent versions of Acronis True Image are most certainly compatible with W7

How does PARAGON rate with you guys?

Paragon is great. I have a friend that is a PC clean freak. He restores his PC once a week with Paragon. He says he likes a fresh PC.
That's just a little over board for me. I have restored my OS with the recovery disk and without the disk. If your going to replace your HD, you will need the recovery disk. The only way I know that you don't need the disk is to restore back to factory and then down load Paragon and restore your image. The recovery disk is the best way to go.
I don't know if this will work. I'm going to try to attach a Zip file.

Hi!! Looks like it worked. It will be a little different with the recovery CD, but not that much. If you would like to exchange email addresses, send me a PM. I also have Skype. My goal in life is to pass on the little bit of knowledge that I have learned. Good luck. You can do it. Once you have restored your OS, it will be a cup of tea next time.

Looks like I left out the last step. Click apply to complete the restore or cancel to stop restore. I hope this helps!

Hello !! You might also want to consider this !!
http://www.pagestart.com/win7bckuprstrnhd072610.html

Personally this is the way I would replace a hard drive. It seems easier than the other methods??
I have not replaced a HD in my new Toshiba, but if I ever do, this is the way I'll try first!
PS I'm not trying to hog this topic. Backing up and restoring OS is a big deal for me. There are a lot of programs and ways to do that.
I guess it boils down to the users choice.

[Moderator]

PLEASE STOP

Create a boot or recovery disc with whatever imaging software you are using, boot to it, and restore the image

Allan, will the new disk have to be the same size as the old one though?   

Hello !! You might also want to consider this !!
http://www.pagestart.com/win7bckuprstrnhd072610.html

Personally this is the way I would replace a hard drive. It seems easier than the other methods??
I have not replaced a HD in my new Toshiba, but if I ever do, this is the way I'll try first!
PS I'm not trying to hog this topic. Backing up and restoring OS is a big deal for me. There are a lot of programs and ways to do that.
I guess it boils down to the users choice.

Can I get a printable version of this article garybear please? 

[Moderator]

Allan, will the new disk have to be the same size as the old one though?   

No
Please read the documentation for whatever imaging software you use. It will explain everything you need to know.

Hello friend! I have been asked to stop posting on your topic. I will obey that request. I love this forum and don't want to cause any problems. I hope you understand!

[Moderator]

You were asked to stop posting one post after another without any questions or responses in between. You were (are) monopolizing the thread.

You were asked to stop posting one post after another without any questions or responses in between. You were (are) monopolizing the thread.

I will stop posting on this thread as you requested. I had to answer the OP
 He made a request and it would have been very rude not to answer his reply.
I was trying to think of the best and simplest way to help him
Some times this old mind works a little slow and after I made a post, I thought of more ways that might help.
I'm out of here!

Can I get a printable version of this article garybear please? 

No, but you can print the web page containing the article. 

If I were replacing an existing, non-defective, hard drive with a new larger one, I would probably use the software tool provided by the drive manufacturer for this procedure.  Of course, the old drive must be still working to use this method.  If I recall correctly, Western Digital's software utility for this allows the user to specify the partition size(s) on the new hard drive.  So, you can configure the new hard drive with larger partitions during the drive cloning procedure.

No, but you can print the web page containing the article. 

If I were replacing an existing, non-defective, hard drive with a new larger one, I would probably use the software tool provided by the drive manufacturer for this procedure.  Of course, the old drive must be still working to use this method.  If I recall correctly, Western Digital's software utility for this allows the user to specify the partition size(s) on the new hard drive.  So, you can configure the new hard drive with larger partitions during the drive cloning procedure.

My C: Drive is begining to show signes of wearing out, according to the drive testing gizmos that I use to monitor my drives.

I started off with 3 HD's but have recently lost one and had to revert to two.    I had done a Paragon AND Windows image of this HD and I tried to re-install this to the new drive, without any success!   My older drive was larger than the two drives I had left however.

Here I am again with one of the last two I have showing signes of going under....talk about taking to drink!  (lol) 

HDD suitable for backup  costs less that  two bottles of good Kentucky whiskey. One one bottle of good Scotch land. 

HDD suitable for backup  costs less that  two bottles of good Kentucky whiskey. One one bottle of good Scotch land. 

Depends what counts as "good" Scotch. My bottle of The Famous Grouse cost me 16.99 UK pounds in Sainsbury's. OK it's blended, and I might spend 28.99 in Tesco to get the (very good) Laphroaig 10 year old Islay single malt or 34.99 in ASDA to get Glenfiddich 18 year old single malt or about 12 pounds for a supermarket own brand. One UK pound = $1.57 today.

Depends what counts as "good" Scotch. .... 10 year old Islay single malt or 34.99 in ASDA ...One UK pound = $1.57 today.

Yes, you have a good point. I can not tolerate 'good' Scotch.  It just h.as to be 'very good' Scotch.
For about $50 you an pick up a 500 GB HDD made by Seagate .Everybody wants the TB and beyond, so the under TB drives are now a fair investment for the short term.

Salmon Trout, With all your brilliant mind, what ever led yo to diking just 'good' Scotch?

Salmon Trout, With all your brilliant mind, what ever led yo to diking just 'good' Scotch?

I haven't got a "brilliant mind", although it is very kind of you to say so, unless you are being ironic... since I am not a rich man, I am prepared to tolerate blended whisky for everyday drinking (I like a glass of something before I go to bed at night) but I can tell the difference between tolerable and decent whiskies. I am prepared to stray outside Scotland though. I once read that "It can be confidently stated, as long as no Scotsman is listening, that [French] cognac is the king of spirits". I quite like Courvoisier VSOP but my favourite is a Spanish brandy from Jerez, Pedro Domecq Carlos III Gran Reserva, aged in sherry barrels.

When it comes to batch files, you are brilliant. 

Now that I am back in the USA for the past few years, I no longer drink Scotch.The USA has high taxes on booze. Now I am back to drinking GIN. And somebody just stole my half bottle.

Today I am doing backup all day long. Just coffee.I just now made a skeleton install of XP on this laptop. Used Macrium Reflect to make an image onto a DVD. Restored the image to another partition and got it to boot. Had to modify Boot.ini to get it to work right. Of course.

BTW, if anybody  wants to try Macrium Reflect FREE Edition -
Click Here

[Moderator]

All Congacs are Brandy...not all Brandy's are Cognac's...

If you happen to have any i'll have a snifter of King Louis 14...

Hi guys!

Whilst we are talking about hard drives,  they don't last as long these days so can anyone point me in the direction of a GOOD and reliable make please?   

[Moderator]

They last as long as they ever did - even longer these days. Just pick a name you know (Seagate, WD, etc)

You can mark this one as solved now guys.   I'm doing regular backups now.