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Backup help.

K

Koko56

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
1,342
Hi, I want ot backup my current W7 install from a 60GB hard drive onto a 750GB hard drive and boot from that backup, move the whole OS onto the 750GB to use it there - so that I only have the 750GB HD in the computer.

The question is - I don't know how or if it's even possible to do that? If it is, then can you tell me of ways?


I've cvonsidered using |windows backup, but I'm not sure that would d owhat I'm after.

Thanks for any suggestions.
 
Each hard drive manufacturer offers a cloning tool for exactly this purpose.
You can also use Acronis True Image Home, or Clonezilla.
 
MrF said:
Each hard drive manufacturer offers a cloning tool for exactly this purpose.
You can also use Acronis True Image Home, or Clonezilla.
Click to expand...

Oh, though I know there are some programs offered by HD manufacturers, they have not crossed my mind for a while, nevermind for what I'm after... oh well.

Thanks for the reply - will try some out it and report back.

Thanks again!

EDIT: I've looked at Seagate, Samsung and WD but did not see any software that would mention backing HHDs up. Installed Seagate FreeAgent, but since it's for external HDDS... did not work.

So, link pls? :p
 
Last edited:
You can use the Seagate tool if at least one of the hard drives in the machine is Seagate.
The tool is DiscWizard.

What you want is not backup. It is called drive cloning.
If you want to back it up for later so that you can restore it if needed (you do not want this according to your description) is called drive imaging.
 
http://partedmagic.com/

Use Parted Magic. Format your 750 GB, copy and paste your 60 GB partition over, and resize it to fill it out. Or just make a 2nd partition for your data. Either way is fine.
 
What zaxour is suggesting is actually a better solution as it works with whatever brand of hard drive you have.
After you are done pasting, make sure it is a boot partition by managing the flags. Then, you will be able to boot to it.
 
MrF said:
You can use the Seagate tool if at least one of the hard drives in the machine is Seagate.
The tool is DiscWizard.

What you want is not backup. It is called drive cloning.
If you want to back it up for later so that you can restore it if needed (you do not want this according to your description) is called drive imaging.
Click to expand...
So now i know a name for it. :p
zaxour said:
http://partedmagic.com/

Use Parted Magic. Format your 750 GB, copy and paste your 60 GB partition over, and resize it to fill it out. Or just make a 2nd partition for your data. Either way is fine.
Click to expand...

"Resize it to fill out" - resize the 60GB partition to fill out on the 750GB HD? :confused:

I see what you could do with the partitions, the things is the 750GB HD has data on it - backups from several OS installs +pics/vide etc. 373GB is free though.


So I could create a partition on the 750GB HD - say a 100GB, image the 60GB HD to the 100GB partition, but then would it be possible to merge the partitions back together and still use the imaged 60GB files as the OS?
 
Koko56 said:
would it be possible to merge the partitions
Click to expand...
Never ever do that!
The merge command can fail very easily. It is a sequence of actions that must succeed one after another. If they do, you will be fine. But, if one of the intermediate actions fail, there will be no undo!

What is the total size of all the date you have on the 750GB drive that you want to keep?
Can you back it all up?
 
MrF said:
Never ever do that!
The merge command can fail very easily. It is a sequence of actions that must succeed one after another. If they do, you will be fine. But, if one of the intermediate actions fail, there will be no undo!

What is the total size of all the date you have on the 750GB drive that you want to keep?
Can you back it all up?
Click to expand...

So merging is best on either empty drives or ones with none important stuff? I see.

As far as backing up, I think I might just be able to, but I would rather not. However - what about creating a new partition on the 750GB HD and imaging the 60GB HD there, and leaving the partition there?
 
Koko56 said:
So now i know a name for it. :p


"Resize it to fill out" - resize the 60GB partition to fill out on the 750GB HD? :confused:

I see what you could do with the partitions, the things is the 750GB HD has data on it - backups from several OS installs +pics/vide etc. 373GB is free though.


So I could create a partition on the 750GB HD - say a 100GB, image the 60GB HD to the 100GB partition, but then would it be possible to merge the partitions back together and still use the imaged 60GB files as the OS?
Click to expand...

In parted magic, when you paste a partition, it gives you the option to resize the newly copied partition. So basically, you could right click on your 60GB partition, click copy, change over to the 750GB drive, click on the empty space, right click>paste, and then the dialogue comes up.

If you don't want to format the 750, make sure you resize that partition (accessed via right clicking). and then you can paste the 60 GB partition as long as there is AT LEAST 60 GB unformatted space on the drive.

EDIT: Make sure you paste the partition on UNFORMATTED space. When you resize, it will leave empty, unformatted space for you to do this in.
 
I forgot!
You may have a 200MB or 100MB (depending on which W7 version you have) partition right before your 60GB partition.
If you do, that is your system partition. You will need to copy it as well. That will be the partition that you must make active (Manage Flags to set boot).
 
Koko56 said:
Why unformatted sapace? :confused:
Click to expand...

Because you will be essentially creating a new partition and copying the data from the old one.

Like I said, when you resize the partition on your 750 GB drive, it will leave unformatted space afterwards.
 
zaxour said:
Because you will be essentially creating a new partition and copying the data from the old one.

Like I said, when you resize the partition on your 750 GB drive, it will leave unformatted space afterwards.
Click to expand...

Isee, but I'm thinking that, even if I move the stuff over, would not it need a file system to... well work?
 
How many partitions are there on the 750GB drive?
What is the total used space size on that drive?
When you installed Windows 7, was there any other OS on the system?
How many partitions are there on the 60GB drive?
 
MrF said:
How many partitions are there on the 750GB drive?
What is the total used space size on that drive?
When you installed Windows 7, was there any other OS on the system?
How many partitions are there on the 60GB drive?
Click to expand...

1 partition on the 750GB HD
366GB free:


W7 installed onto a formatted 60GB HD without anyother HDs attached.

1 Partiton on the 60GB HD.
 
I have 2 options for you strongly recommending the first specially if you have irreplaceable data on the 750GB drive.

- Right click "Computer" and select "Manage". Under "Storage", select "Disk Management". The 55.8GB W7 partition must show "System" as well as "Boot". If it does not show "System", and there is a 100MB partition before it showing as "System", you must copy it first every time you copy the W7 partition (*). In that case, you also must set the copied 100MB partition to have a boot flag instead of the copied W7 partition (**).
- Download GParted live CD iso image and use an iso burner (like iso recorder) and burn to a CD.


Safe way RECOMMENDED
- In windows, copy the data from the 750GB drive to an external drive or to a third drive.
- Boot to the GParted live CD and delete the only partition on the 750GB drive. Apply.
-* Copy the 55.8GB W7 partition from the 60GB drive and paste onto the unallocated space on the 750GB drive. This will also paste the partition structure. So, no need to create a partition first. Apply.
- Resize the new W7 partition on the 750GB drive to take the entire drive. Apply
-** Right click the new W7 partition on the 750GB drive and select "Manage Flags". Set the "Boot" flag. Shut down.
- Disconnect your 60GB drive. Boot to your Windows 7 DVD and click on repair on the "Install" window. It will find problems with startup. Click "Repair startup and restart ...".
- In windows, copy the data from the external drive to your new 750GB Windows 7 drive.

Risky way
- Boot to the GParted live CD. Right click on the partition on the 750GB drive and shrink to 350GB leaving unallocated space on the right. Apply.
- Create a temporary partition in the now empty space (on the right). Apply. Reboot.
- In Windows, copy any data you need from the 350GB partition to the new temporary partition.
- Boot back to GParted and delete the 350GB partition on the left on the 750GB drive. Apply. Leave the temporary partition alone.
-* Copy the 55.8GB W7 partition from the 60GB drive and paste onto the empty space on the left side of the 750GB drive. Apply.
- Resize the new W7 partition on the 750GB drive to take the entire 350GB available space. Apply.
-** Right click the new W7 partition on the 750GB drive and select "Manage Flags". Set the "Boot" flag. Shut down.
- Disconnect your 60GB drive.Boot to your Windows 7 DVD and click on repair on the "Install" window. It will find problems with startup. Click "Repair startup and restart ...".
- In windows, copy the data from the temporary partition to the new Windows 7 partition.
- Boot to GParted and delete the temporary partition and resize the new Windows 7 partition to take the entire drive.


If you want to reconnect your 60GB drive, make sure to enter the BIOS and give boot priority to the 750GB drive, otherwise, it may boot back to the 60GB drive..
 
Last edited:
RIght, thanks for all of your input guys - now I have good ideas of what to do.

BTW - might just install (as strange as it might sound) Vista. :p
 
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