How to backup a partition from one HDD to a different HDD

[burnselk]

I have a large 500GB HDD which I partitioned into 6 smaller "drives". One of these smaller partitions (C) contains my Windows XP Home Operating System and everything I've loaded this week. This 500GB HDD is having problems and I need to return it to the seller for a replacement this week.

Today I installed a second HDD (200GB) in this same computer so I can move a copy of my "C partition" onto it. Is this possible? If so, how do I do it?

I need to return the problem HDD this week, please help me figure this out (without buying additional software). I have Norton Ghost 10.0 and Acronis True Image (9.0). But I'm thinking (and hoping) MaxBlast will be able to do it easier. I've tried using Ghost and Acronis and find them much too complicated to use.

Can someone help me with this task?

[mjc]

Create a partition of the same size as the current XP partition (500GB drive) on the new (200 GB) and us MaxBlast to clone that partition...both Norton and Acronis should be able to d the same thing, if MaxBlast won't allow you to clone just the partition.

[Paul Komski]

I've tried using Ghost and Acronis and find them much too complicated to use.
The simplest utility to use IMHO if you want an image file is ImageForDOS (http://paulski.com/zpages.php?id=1917). BiNG in maintenance mode (in my sig) is also pretty straightforward and can be used to make an image file of the partition(s) or to do what you seem to want to do in one manoeuvre and just simply copy and paste the partition from one drive to the other.

If you want to use the smaller drive in the interim it may be necessary after cloning/copying to reset that partition as the active partition and to modify its boot.ini file both of which can be done using BiNG. In addition BiNG can be used to resize partitions prior or post copying but backup data beforehand just in case if you decide to do this.

[burnselk]

[QUOTE]Create a partition of the same size as the current XP partition (500GB drive) on the new (200 GB) and us MaxBlast to clone that partition

I'm pretty sure I was able to clone the C drive partition onto the 200GB Maxtor IDE drive. After the cloning was finished, I was forced to shut down the computer (by MaxBlast) and while it was shut down I disconnected the 500GB SATA drive. After I crossed my fingers, I restarted the computer and sure enough, it booted up and Windows even came up.....I cannot believe it. But I'm using the computer right now with only one HDD (the 200GB with the cloned windows).

mjc, I'm not sure I was able to creat a partition of the same size as the current XP partition (I didn't make note of the size before the process). But I do know it worked. I still can't believe it worked. I just hope it works well when I get my replacement 500GB drive installed.

What it did do however, was to make six partitions on the 200GB IDE drive. I don't know why but that's OK. This IDE drive is just only going to be used until I get my 500GB drive replaced. I'll ship that sucker back for a replacement tomorrow.

When I get the replacement 500GB drive back and installed, I'm assuming I do I do the same thing (in reverse) and clone the 200GB drive over to the 500GB drive?

I'm wondering how the cloning process will partition the replacement 500GB drive?

[burnselk]

The simplest utility to use IMHO if you want an image file is ImageForDOS (http://paulski.com/zpages.php?id=1917). BiNG in maintenance mode (in my sig) is also pretty straightforward and can be used to make an image file of the partition(s) or to do what you seem to want to do in one manoeuvre and just simply copy and paste the partition from one drive to the other.


Paul, I'll look into your suggestions and see what they provide. I can always drop back to one of them if MaxBlast doesn't work for me later.

If you want to use the smaller drive in the interim it may be necessary after cloning/copying to reset that partition as the active partition and to modify its boot.ini file both of which can be done using BiNG. In addition BiNG can be used to resize partitions prior or post copying but backup data beforehand just in case if you decide to do this.

Although I don't understand this part, I will learn from it and do some researching. How do I reset (or check) "that" partition as the "active partition" and how do I modify it's boot.ini file? Paul, these are new procedures for me and new actions. Can you clarify all of this since I'm still in the learning phase?

Can it be assumed that things are "set correctly" since my computer seems to be working fine on the lone 200GB drive?

[Paul Komski]

What it did do however, was to make six partitions on the 200GB IDE drive.When a whole drive is "cloned" to another drive that has a different size using utilities like Maxblast then the default (or an option) is to resize all the partitions so that the same geometry (if not the same size as the originals) is maintained. This can only be done if the data on the original doesn't exceed the total space available on the replacement. Hard drive cloning is generally done using the maker's utilities or generic utililties such as Copy/Wipe. Partition cloning is commonly done using imaging and partitioning utilities such as Ghost/Acronis/PartitionMagic/GParted/BootIt-NG or dd from Linux.

Technically the replacement is not a literal clone but it will contain the same files and the same MBR such that booting to the replacement should be OK as long as the first boot is done in the complete absence of the original - as described.

What usually happens after the first reboot is that Windows may decide there is "new hardware" and ask for a reboot. The original drive letters may or may not then be identical to the original but can mostly be restituted if that is problematic in any way by the paths of shortcuts etc no longer being correct.

PS
If it has worked as described there is little to add for now unless you want any exact descriptions. It is generally even more straightforward to "clone" a smaller to a larger drive but that bridge can be crossed when reached.

if MaxBlast won't allow you to clone just the partition.Maxblast obviously didn't clone just the XP partition but made smaller copies of all the partitions onto the new HDD. Because it would also have regenerated an equivalent MBR then it would have also marked the same partition as active that corresponed to the original because this information is stored on the MBR - the first sector on a HDD.

[burnselk]

When a whole drive is "cloned" to another drive that has a different size using utilities like Maxblast then the default (or an option) is to resize all the partitions so that the same geometry (if not the same size as the originals) is maintained. This can only be done if the data on the original doesn't exceed the total space available on the replacement. Hard drive cloning is generally done using the maker's utilities or generic utililties such as Copy/Wipe. Partition cloning is commonly done using imaging and partitioning utilities such as Ghost/Acronis/PartitionMagic/GParted and dd from Linux.

Technically the replacement is not a literal clone but it will contain the same files and the same MBR such that booting to the replacement should be OK as long as the first boot is done in the complete absence of the original - as described.

What usually happens after the first reboot is that Windows may decide there is "new hardware" and ask for a reboot. The original drive letters may or may not then be identical to the original but can mostly be restituted if that is problematic in any way by the paths of shortcuts etc no longer being correct.

PS
If it has worked as described there is little to add for now unless you want any exact descriptions. It is generally even more straightforward to "clone" a smaller to a larger drive but that bridge can be crossed when reached.

[QUOTE]Maxblast obviously didn't clone just the XP partition but made smaller copies of all the partitions onto the new HDD.

I totally agree.....but is this not cloning? If not, what is true cloning?

Because it would also have regenerated an equivalent MBR then it would have also marked the same partition as active that corresponed to the original because this information is stored on the MBR - the first sector on a HDD.

Paul, you put your response in such a way that even I could seem to understand (at least I did follow what you said). Thank you for that.

Is there something I can check to make sure everything is right with this clone/partition/copy?

[burnselk]

Would my computer boot and load Windows if I disconnected the 200GB IDE hard drive and reconnected the 500GB SATA hard drive?

I'd like to hear the difference in the noises. This 200GB Maxtor makes noise very similar to the 500GB WD.....but not as loud.

[Paul Komski]

I totally agree.....but is this not cloning? If not, what is true cloning?I am being a bit pedantic maybe but a literal clone is one where every sector of the disk surface is identical or can be recreated.

When a partition is resized downwards or when the file system is accessed (rather than the underlying raw data) and files copied from one location to another then various regions of "block data" (the disk's sectors) are lost or modified.

In general this is not important to the average user but if deleted files need to be recovered or if the original needs to undergo forensic analysis then both such aspects are compromised when only the files that were still "in use" are what are contained in the resultant "copy".


Would my computer boot and load Windows if I disconnected the 200GB IDE hard drive and reconnected the 500GB SATA hard drive? As long as the drive is still fully functional and the cloning by maxblast didn't hide any partitions then it should boot straight up. If it doesnt boot then its possible that partitions might need to be unhidden and the relevant partition marked as active. Trial and error would soon give you the answer.

Is there something I can check to make sure everything is right with this clone/partition/copy?At this stage the "proof of the pudding is in the eating" comes to mind. There are ways of comparing files, data sectors and every byte on two "clones" but this needs to be done at the time of creation or if no modification has taken place in the interim. ImageForDOS and BiNG both allow such verification when the original clone is made via an image file.

[burnselk]

Thanks Paul, I can assure you I will be researching BiNG and ImageForDos and hopefully learning how to use them in the very near future. Thanks again for going into such great detail about this topic. I look forward to giving both tools a try. You have motivated me to move into that direction. Wish me luck for I'm afraid I will need it.

[burnselk]

In case anyone wondered, below is the message I received after the MaxBlast "clone" of my noisy 500GB SATA HDD over to my 200GB IDE HDD.

After I hit a key, the computer shut down completely. I then disconnected the "noisy" 500GB SATA HDD (both power and data cable) and turned the computer back on. I did not go into the BIOS to change any settings nor did I make any physical changes to the drives. I had already set the 2000GB IDE drive to Master and the DVD-RW to Slave when I installed the new 200 GB IDE drive.

Windows came up and I was back in business. The new 200GB IDE HDD seems to be doing fine.

Question: Since I used MaxBlast to "clone/copy" the contents of the 500GB drive over to the 200GB drive, does that mean I must use MaxBlast to move the data back over to my replacement 500GB HDD when I install it?

[###################################] 100%
Congratulations! Thank you for using Maxtor MaxBlast. You have successfully completed the hard disc cloning procedure.

Please Read:
If you have used the automatic mode or manually configured the new hard disk as the bootable drive, be sure to change the hardware or setup by moving the destination drive into the boot position. Some systems need the drives or cables to be moved physically while others can be redefined logically in the system BIOS. Please review your computer’s documentation and the installation guide for your new hard disc for specific details.

Each serial ATA (sata) has a separate cable/connection. These connections are usually numbered beginning with drive O and help determine which device is the boot media.The system BIOS may have an option to change the boot order if needed. ATA (IDE) drives usually have a master and a slave setting (set via jumpers or cable position). In most cases the boot drive should be set as the master drive.

Press any key to shut down you computer.

[Paul Komski]

Question: Since I used MaxBlast to "clone/copy" the contents of the 500GB drive over to the 200GB drive, does that mean I must use MaxBlast to move the data back over to my replacement 500GB HDD when I install it?As long as one of the drives is a Seagate or Maxtor drive then there should be no problems. If you don't have one acceptable make of drive then you can either purchase a retail version or use the free generic CopyWipe (http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/copywipe.php)utility which will effectively do just the same thing as long as you use its copy and not its wipe compartment. It is straightforward to use.

The usual gotcha to be avoided is to reboot normally with both drives still attached immediately after cloning.

Only have just have the resultant clone in situ the first time you try to access it and load the OS following cloning. Reboot to fix the new hardware settings in the registry and after that you can use one or the other or both drives attached simultaneoulsly.

[Sylvander]

If you have a Seagate/Maxtor HDD fitted [maybe even if you don't]...
You can download a FREE copy of the Seagate Disk Wizard (http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?locale=en-US&name=DiscWizard&vgnextoid=d9fd4a3cdde5c010VgnVCM100000dd04090aRCRD ), which is a rebranded [version 10 I think] copy of Acronis True Image (www.acronis.com).
This program that can be used within Windows, also can be used to make a fully functional Recovery CD that can make and restore image backups of partitions/drives [to/from an external USB connected HDD or whatever], and make true clones, and all from outside of the Windows environment [Windows not loaded].

[burnselk]

Since I'm running Windows XP Home, I understand I may not be able to use this series of WMP. If not, why did series 9 WMP load when I loaded Windows XP Home? Or is my problem something else?

Should I uninstall WMP series 9 and install WMP series 10 or 11? If so, how do I go about uninstalling WMP series 9, there is no option that I can find to uninstall it.

If you received the dialog below on your screen when you tried to play a DVD in WMP what would you do?

[mjc]

WMP 9 does not have an included DVD decoder...yes, it will play DVDs when it detects the suitable decoder (codec), but it doesn't install one, by default.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/plugins.aspx

Of course, most of those decoders also come 'bundled' with retail DVD burners...the stand alone installers are 'pay for' items.

[burnselk]

Are you saying I have to pay for the codec to get it to play DVD's?

[Fruss Tray Ted]

Just use VLC (http://www.videolan.org/) mediaplayer and be done with WMP!

[burnselk]

Thanks Fruss, I believe I'll just that.

[mjc]

If you want to use WMP 9 and don't have another source for the DVD decoder...yes.

As FTT pointed out...VLC and Media Player Classic (http://sourceforge.net/projects/guliverkli/) include full DVD support.