Can I use Macrium Reflect free to clone my laptop?

suspect008 said:

WHS. ignatzatsonic - I am using macrium after you guys have suggested. there is something called Redeployment to different hardware in new reflect restore tab and I went through their help index and they are declaring that this would be possible to do with reflect. I was just about to ask from WHS about this matter about how reliable would it be...and it is only available with the paid version. I am asking that if somehow we can get exact partition sizes on the other disk same as the one we have imaged, as to macrium help index would it be possible? and they have mentioned a way of resolving driver issues too. but I am left with a feeling that there would be whole lot of junk files on the new computer when we done this method. So if you could check and post your suggestions, much appreciated:)

I understand what you are trying to do but I am not sure of the answer since I have never tried that.

I think it is best if you "sysprep" the new disk - that means you define a partition of the same or bigger size than the partition from where the image came. You can do that e.g.with an elevated Command Prompt (run as admin). The commands would be:

Diskpart
List disk
Select disk n (where n is the number that was given for your new disk in List Disk)
Create partition primary size=XXXX (This number must be in the amount of MB - NOT GB - that you want the partition to be)
Active
Exit

If you do that on a PC where you have have no opersting system running, you can do it from the installation or repair disk (you find it in System Repair) or from the Hirens DVD.

Gozoman said:

Not sure if I can do this or not but hopefully someone will know.

At the moment I have two Sony Vaio laptops. My old one has an 80 GB hard drive partitioned as a C and D drive and has Windows XP. My new one has a 320 GB hard drive in one partition C running Windows 7 64 bit. I have several backups on a Freecom 320 GB external hard drive created with Macrium Reflect free edition.

The latest back-up I have on the Freecom is the complete contents of my new computer ammounting to about 72 GB.

Would it be possible for me to copy what is on the Freecom to my old computer in order to create a clone of my new computer? I basically want to have this as a backup in case the new laptop croaks. If this is possible would I have to prepare the old drive in any way such as wiping it clean or re-partitioning it or would the stuff on the Freecom do that as it copied? Thanks for any advice.

Dear Gozoman,
The latest clone of your new Laptop cannot/need not be copied onto the old one for two reasons.

1) The Internal HD of the old laptop is 80 GB( is it the real size?) and as such partitioned into 2 drives.You will need to recreate a partition big enough to fit the 72 GB clone of the new one. That will leave you with theoretically 8 GB free space. Your idea of converting the old laptop into another storage disk is hazardous as the chances of an old HD failing are more!

2) The new laptop is a 64-bit system and thus has a 64-bit OS and i assume (as you have not mentioned whether the old laptop is a 32-bit or 64-bit system) and the 72 GB clone is 64-bit and will not be accepted by the old one.Period!


3) As you have a clone of the new OS +all the added media on your External Drive, why are you thinking of copying the clone onto the old laptop with probably insufficient space on the HD? I hope i made it clear.

Best wishes,
sreedhav:)

Gozoman said:

Any chance you could expand on the instructions assuming that the person with the problem is a silver surfer, which I am? You lost me at sysprep the system.....

The site here has instructions which are probably far better than what I could write. Their instructions work great for single OS but you have to do some other stuff to transfer a dual boot system.

Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer

Alternatively you can transfer the image and activate it with your new license key.

Gozoman said:

Would that work?

Sure, when you get the message about the illegal windows copy, just use that new legal key. If that does not work, call MS and have them fix it. Activation and registration of a Microsoft product