create system image and restore New hard drive

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  1. Posts : 5
    win7 professional 64 and win7 professional32
       #1

    create system image and restore New hard drive


    Hi I am running a new latitude e6510 64-bit and I am trying to create system image to a new hard drive I purchased when I bought the new computer for back up. The new drive is WD Blue Scorpio. I loaded win7 pro on the new drive and did create system image. When I tried to restore system image it says restore failed. I called WD and they said I had to remove win 7 pro and only do a format then create system image. I tried that and now it will do the system image but when I load it in to my computer it can not find (bootmgr is missing) and I have to shut down.
    I am doing the system image through my USB port onto my new hard drive.
    I have done this before with no problems, now I have been trying for over a week and it still won’t work. Can you tell me where I can find information on creating a system Image and Restore on a New hard drive?
    TIA
    harriet
    Last edited by Brink; 10 Dec 2010 at 18:43. Reason: removed email address
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  2. mjf
    Posts : 5,969
    Windows 7x64 Home Premium SP1
       #2

    Can you clarify
    1) You have a PC with Windows 7 Pro installed?
    2) You bought a new HDD as a "cold" standby / backup drive in case the normal drive fails?
    3) You don't plan to have both HDDs installed together?
    4) What is the size of existing and new HDDs?

    5) What's the partition structure of your existing HDD
    Partition descriptions, Sizes
    screen shot from disk management would help but don't worry at this stage if you don't know how to do it.

    Suggest you delete your personal email address from the post. Communicate through the forum.
    Last edited by mjf; 10 Dec 2010 at 16:49. Reason: +
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  3. Posts : 5
    win7 professional 64 and win7 professional32
    Thread Starter
       #3

    1 yes I have a laptop with win7 pro
    2 I bought a new hdd in case of system failure and to use as a backup
    3 some times i run both drives if I am digitizing designs for sewing. I like to backup new designs stat
    4 in the new computer I use a 160GB and the new drive is 250GB.
    I am an avid sewer and do allot of embroidery work there is no way I want to lose any of these programs nor do I want to have to reinstall. To reinstall means getting my computer to talk with 4 embroidery machines and that takes forever.
    harriet
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  4. mjf
    Posts : 5,969
    Windows 7x64 Home Premium SP1
       #4

    sewnaturally said:
    Can you tell me where I can find information on creating a system Image and Restore on a New hard drive?
    TIA
    harriet
    This answers the question

    These tutorials are for Windows Imaging:
    Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

    System Image Recovery

    I and many others also use this free and very good imaging program.
    Some people just have problems with the inbuilt windows imaging and use Macrium
    Macrium Reflect (free)

    You use these programs to store images on an external hard drive.
    You can restore images to the old or a new drive.

    So I still don't know if you're using the Scorpio blue as you external backup drive or as your intended replacement internal drive. I thought the WD Scorpio blue was mainly used as an internal drive replacement. You can't use the one drive for the two purposes.
    Last edited by mjf; 11 Dec 2010 at 01:34.
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  5. Posts : 17
    Windows 7 x64 Ultimate SP1
       #5

    Since you purchased a new Western Digital hard drive, you're entitled to use Acronis True Image WD Edition, available free from their website. I've had good success with Acronis TI Home v.11. Haven't tried the WD specific version, but it looks very similar. You can get it direct from WD at this URL, or peruse the full documentation as a pdf file at the same location to see before deciding.

    http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp?swid=119
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  6. Posts : 5
    win7 professional 64 and win7 professional32
    Thread Starter
       #6

    create system image and restore New hard drive


    Hi thanks for the advice use Acronis but I have tried there SW and had a terrible outcome I lost everything. Even there techs couldn't help.
    I prefer windows system image because I have done it before with no problems this is the first time I have ever had trouble doing a system image and restore. When I have done this before I have always used Seagate SATA hard drives. This is the first time I have ever used WD I am wondering if that is the problem. I know that sounds foolish but I really don't know what to think now.
    I am going to try again today with an old Seagate harddrive that I own from my Inspiron.
    I would like to add that I just found this web site last week and I am very impressed with all the details and help I found here. The tutorial for doing the back up is done so well I can't believe it didn't work for me.
    harriet
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  7. Posts : 10,994
    Win 7 Pro 64-bit
       #7

    Hello Harriet and welcome to the Forum. In reading this thread it's my understanding that you have a laptop with a 160GB hard drive and you're using an external WD 250GB hard drive. I'm further guessing you have a USB connection between the laptop and the WD.

    Has the external WD hard drive ever been formatted (wiped clean) and have you checked to make sure it's been formatted to NTFS and not FAT32? Sometimes a manufacturer loads a drive with a lot of bloatware and sets it up for FAT32. With the external WD HD connected, click start > computer > right click the WD HD. You should see a menu open with an option to quick format. During the format process you should be given the opportunity to select NTFS. Or you could use a command prompt to accomplish the same thing.

    Convert a hard disk or partition to NTFS format

    If I've misunderstood your setup I apologize.
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  8. Posts : 5
    win7 professional 64 and win7 professional32
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Hi Marsmimar, Every thing you wrote is exactly right. I am formating to the WD drive 250GB through a USB port. I did have to convert from Fat 32 to NTFS in fact my first mistake was not checking that.
    I am very interested that you say Format the drive with a right click. The Tech at WD told me to format by putting my win7 OS disc in my drive and delete any information on the drive and then format and remove the disc at once. I did that and then did create system image and when I tried to restore it I had a message that the said bootmgr is missing.
    When I click on the WD drive where I created the system image I can where it says "windowsSystemImage". I have gotten my old harddrive out which is a Seagate 120 GB that I did a system Image on with no problems at all. I still haven't had time to try to format that drive and try it. Well I really won't do a format because it has sewing designs and sewing webinars on it that I don't want to lose.
    harriet
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 10,994
    Win 7 Pro 64-bit
       #9

    It sounds like the WD tech might have misunderstood. From my limited experience it sounds like he thought you wanted to put the Win 7 on the WD and make that your primary drive. Assuming you want your laptop HD to remain Drive C: you really don't need to use your install media to format the external WD. As long as it's connected, you should be able to right click on that drive and get the format option. If there's nothing of value on the WD I'd try the quick format making sure to select NTFS. Once it's wiped clean and set up for NTFS I think you'll be able to use the Win 7 imaging tool to create your system image. (That's how I got my external Seagate to work.) I also agree with not doing anything with the 120GB Seagate and risk losing data.

    Attachment 122649
    Last edited by marsmimar; 05 Jan 2011 at 00:39.
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  10. mjf
    Posts : 5,969
    Windows 7x64 Home Premium SP1
       #10

    Yes Marsmimar the WD tech clearly had the same confusion I had. If you had read the thread it was a confusion I tried to clarify.
    Does the OP want the WD 250GB for backup OR a backup replacement main drive. You can't use it for the 2 purposes.
    The question was never answered.
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