Drive cloning question

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  1. Posts : 63
    Windows 7 Professional
       #1

    Drive cloning question


    Is there a software package available that will allow me to make an image of my working system that can then be imaged back onto a smaller drive? I know it's easy to always go larger. I have a 300Gb drive in my laptop that only has about 80Gb of data on it, and a spare 160Gb drive that is empty. I want to make a clone of the larger drive to the smaller one. I would like it to be bootable and ready as an immediate drop-in if I have a drive error. I also understand that if I ever get more data than the smaller drive can hold, it will not work. But for now I would like to make an exact duplicate.

    Anyone have any recommendations?
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  2. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #2

    All commercial programs such as Norton Ghost, Paragon, Acronis and Macrium Pro can do that.
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  3. Posts : 10
    Win 7 Enterprise x64
       #3

    Hi,

    We use Acronis at work to clone an OS onto several drives in production.
    It allows the backup image to be placed onto smaller drives, provided the image fits.
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  4. Posts : 1,325
    Windows7 Ultimate 64bit
       #4

    Macrium Reflect

    zzz2496
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  5. Posts : 63
    Windows 7 Professional
    Thread Starter
       #5

    whs said:
    All commercial programs such as Norton Ghost, Paragon, Acronis and Macrium Pro can do that.
    Thanks whs, I do have Paragon drive copy 10 and while it can make the image, it wants the new drive to be at least as large as the old one as it makes a full image of the current ( larger ) drive. Maybe I just need to explore it a little more.

    Any comments on using Microsoft ImageX to do this?
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  6. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #6

    mvnsnd said:
    whs said:
    All commercial programs such as Norton Ghost, Paragon, Acronis and Macrium Pro can do that.
    Thanks whs, I do have Paragon drive copy 10 and while it can make the image, it wants the new drive to be at least as large as the old one as it makes a full image of the current ( larger ) drive. Maybe I just need to explore it a little more.

    Any comments on using Microsoft ImageX to do this?
    Unfortunately I do not have a running Paragon right now. I have uninstalled it long time ago. But you must see how to make a clone - not an image. Maybe the documentation can help you.
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  7. Posts : 63
    Windows 7 Professional
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Thanks again for your help. I did look at the help documentation for cloning ( migrating to a new drive ) and it only mentions going to a larger drive. Of course, I can also look at shrinking the current volume to see if I can get it small enough to fit on the new drive and then grow it again later.
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  8. Posts : 292
    Windows 7 Professional
       #8

    Acronis will do what you want. It will clone a larger drive to a smaller drive. I have been doing that for years. I tried Macrium free, but Acronis is easier for me to understand how to do. I went back to it.
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  9. Posts : 1,113
    windows 7 professional & ultimate 64bit laptops
       #9

    download this and it works with ANY HDD. when it asks to buy full program, just hold ALT then T then O



    DiscWizard End User License Agreement | Seagate
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  10. Posts : 63
    Windows 7 Professional
    Thread Starter
       #10

    Thanks pacinitaly, I'll take a look at the Seagate software as both are Seagate drives.


    I did manage to get Paragon to make the clone. I had to use the console CD to boot and then re-size partitions. The drawback to that was that it also reduced the size of the 100mb recovery partition. But afterward, the system needed a couple of passes with the Windows repair tool and boots just fine now from the smaller drive.

    I may still take a look at Acronis too.

    Thanks everyone for their inputs on this.
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