copy whole os to new hardrive??

Jordus said:

Why not use the built-in windows complete PC backup tool? (if you have an external drive you can back up too)

Or you can capture the volume using WinPE and ImageX, which is free.

My understanding is that you can't do this. I dropped my laptop the other and busted the hard drive. Yesterday, I received and installed the new one and when I run the built-in image restoration tool the computer will not recognize the image I have saved on my external hard drive. I thought I was out of luck until just a few minutes ago when I read that Acronis True Image 2010 can be use to convert my Windows image into a format that True Image can use to restore to my new hard drive. Can anyone set me straight here? I've got documents for school that I sorely need to get back to pass one of my classes.

Jordus said:

Why not use the built-in windows complete PC backup tool? (if you have an external drive you can back up too)

Or you can capture the volume using WinPE and ImageX, which is free.

My understanding is that you can't do this. I dropped my laptop the other and busted the hard drive. Yesterday, I received and installed the new one and when i run the built-in image restoration tool the computer will not recognize the image I have saved on my external hard drive. I thought i was out of luck until just a few minutes ago when i read that Acronis True Image 2010 can be use to convert my Windows image into a format that True Image can use to restore to my new hard drive. Can anyone set me straight here? I've got documents for school that I sorely need to get back to pass one of my classes.

Did you change the name of the image in any way from WindowsImageBackup? It needs to be named that (and only that) and placed in the root of the external drive to be discovered by the imaging app.

Are you booting the Win7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD, selecting "Recover using a system image" and allowing it to search while your external is plugged in to see if it autodetects the image file?

No I haven't change the name of anything. There is a folder labeled WindowsImageBackup in the root. Within that folder there are several more folders containing catalog files, xml files, and a vhd file. Which file(s) needs to be in the root? Thanks.

First post has good programs used them before.

justcheese said:

Jordus said:

Why not use the built-in windows complete PC backup tool? (if you have an external drive you can back up too)

Or you can capture the volume using WinPE and ImageX, which is free.

My understanding is that you can't do this. I dropped my laptop the other and busted the hard drive. Yesterday, I received and installed the new one and when i run the built-in image restoration tool the computer will not recognize the image I have saved on my external hard drive. I thought i was out of luck until just a few minutes ago when i read that Acronis True Image 2010 can be use to convert my Windows image into a format that True Image can use to restore to my new hard drive. Can anyone set me straight here? I've got documents for school that I sorely need to get back to pass one of my classes.

I believe that you are not talking about running the Windows 7 Repair disk, that you create from win 7, rather a restoration tool that comes with your new drive, is that correct? If so, that is the problem! You need to boot up with the Win 7 Repair disk that you made (hopefully, you made one when you imaged your system to your external drive?). I have installed a new drive in my notebook doing exactly that procedure, and I am happy to say that it worked flawlessly, as easy a way to install a new drive as any other imaging solution that I've used, including Ghost/Acronis/Paragon.

PeteC said:

justcheese said:

Jordus said:

Why not use the built-in windows complete PC backup tool? (if you have an external drive you can back up too)

Or you can capture the volume using WinPE and ImageX, which is free.

My understanding is that you can't do this. I dropped my laptop the other and busted the hard drive. Yesterday, I received and installed the new one and when i run the built-in image restoration tool the computer will not recognize the image I have saved on my external hard drive. I thought i was out of luck until just a few minutes ago when i read that Acronis True Image 2010 can be use to convert my Windows image into a format that True Image can use to restore to my new hard drive. Can anyone set me straight here? I've got documents for school that I sorely need to get back to pass one of my classes.

I believe that you are not talking about running the Windows 7 Repair disk, that you create from win 7, rather a restoration tool that comes with your new drive, is that correct? If so, that is the problem! You need to boot up with the Win 7 Repair disk that you made (hopefully, you made one when you imaged your system to your external drive?). I have installed a new drive in my notebook doing exactly that procedure, and I am happy to say that it worked flawlessly, as easy a way to install a new drive as any other imaging solution that I've used, including Ghost/Acronis/Paragon.

I did make a repair disk when I imaged the drive, but even after half a dozen tries or so I can't get the computer to boot from that particular disk. I've only been about to get it to boot from the Win 7 install disk.

justcheese said:

No I haven't change the name of anything. There is a folder labeled WindowsImageBackup in the root. Within that folder there are several more folders containing catalog files, xml files, and a vhd file. Which file(s) needs to be in the root? Thanks.

WindowsImageBackup

Windows Backup in Windows 7 is awesome, create a full backup and system image of the old drive, then after the new one is installed you can pop in the windows 7 dvd or a system repair disc created with the same program, you just need to boot from it and follow the steps. Use Restore Image and it will restore everything, including programs. I tested and did that with my laptop when i bought a new drive for my laptop and all task ended flawless.