Help on Imaging Scenario

[oreo27]

Hi everyone!

I'm going to be asking for certain advice regarding my current HDD setup that I'd like to change.

My current setup is this:

1 X 80GB Physical HDD as my OS drive
1 X 500GB Physical HDD as program files and other data storage.

I'd like to have the contents of both HDDs on the 500GB physical drive. So in other words, I want the setup to be the exactly the same but on one physical HDD.

I also have a 1TB external drive that I can use to store the images on.

My current imaging program is Macrium Reflect.

Is there a way to do this? Please let me know in a step-by-step manner as I am an admitted noob when it comes to imaging, MBRs and the likes.

(Edit) P.S. The reason for this is there is no performance gain from what I did. Lol. I'll simply be giving the 80GB drive to my Dad for added storage for his netbook. I'll simply get a Sata to USB converter which is dirt cheap

 

[mjf]

My current setup is this:

1 X 80GB Physical HDD as my OS drive
1 X 500GB Physical HDD as program files and other data storage.

Can you give more details exactly what is on each drive.
Is time the only issue for you doing a clean install?

 

[oreo27]

My current setup is this:

1 X 80GB Physical HDD as my OS drive
1 X 500GB Physical HDD as program files and other data storage.

Can you give more details exactly what is on each drive.
Is time the only issue for you doing a clean install?

80GB, One partition, Drive C:\
-C:\Windows
-C:\Users
-C:\Program Files, Program Data - The ones that do not have the option to be installed in another drive or partition for that matter.

500GB, One partition, Drive D:\
-Program Files, All properly installed, Paging File.

Clean install was done along with formatting of both drives during setup.

Let me know if you need more info.

Time is very limited to me these days and quite frankly it takes me a week to set things up.

OS>Preferences>Updates
Program Files>Preferences>Updates (On my internet connection, this is horrible )
Games>Updates>Savegames

Not to mention my mediocre HDD, which I'm planning to upgrade to at least a WD Black.

I will do a clean install when time warrants it. In fact, I want everything on one partition. But until then, I'm looking for a shortcut to all this.

Thanks for the time to help

 

[mjf]

I started typing instructions to do this but is really quite messy and therefore risky. I'm going to be conservative and suggest you wait until you buy a new HDD or else you could be without a working system for longer than you'd like.

 

[oreo27]

I started typing instructions to do this but is really quite messy and therefore risky. I'm going to be conservative and suggest you wait until you buy a new HDD or else you could be without a working system for longer than you'd like.

Hmm, what do you mean a new HDD? I think I've confused you somehow mate

I simply want to transfer the content of the 80GB + the 500GB to the 500GB. I have a 1TB external in which I can place the image files

P.S. You meant the new drive purchase? That's not going to happen for a while

 

[mjf]

Ok here is the "shortcut" I saved but you may very well need to do a clean install so make sure you have everything backed up to do one! The fact that your page file and some installed programs on a separate disk complicates things.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would keep installed programs and page file on the OS partition never mind HDD but that's history.

As long as you understand that these changes aways come with risk. Assuming one partition per HDD -
1) shrink d: partition by say 100GB using Partition Wizard.
2) Image c: and d: with Macrium.
3) remove HDD c: and put HDD d: in its place
4) repartition old d: to contain new partitions c:, d:. c: to 85GB, d: to remainder. Use Partition Wizard bootable CD. Make partitions primary NTFS C:, D:. Make C: active.
5) reimage with old c:, d: images with Macrium to C: and D: respectively. When reimaging C: and D: do NOT replace MBR. You want to retain the partition table of the new d: HDD. Make sure C: is active.
6) Run startup repair up to 3 times from the system repair CD. This is to repair the MBR boot code and other boot files.
7) Fix up unallocated space on the new d: disk (C:, and D: partitions) using Partition Wizard.

See free programs section for Partition Wizard.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If another member has a simpler approach then please chip in.

 

[whs]

Hmm, there may be some hidden active partition. It would be helpful if you posted a picture of your Disk Management. Then it may be possible to avoid the repair/install. The MBR you can most likely fix during the Macrium restore.

But the procedure that mjf posted should work too. I just would use Disk Management in lieu of PW where possible. With PW you can more easily make a mistake.

 

[oreo27]

Ok here is the "shortcut" I saved but you may very well need to do a clean install so make sure you have everything backed up to do one! The fact that your page file and some installed programs on a separate disk complicates things.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would keep installed programs and page file on the OS partition never mind HDD but that's history.

As long as you understand that these changes aways come with risk. Assuming one partition per HDD -
1) shrink d: partition by say 100GB using Partition Wizard.
2) Image c: and d: with Macrium.
3) remove HDD c: and put HDD d: in its place
4) repartition old d: to contain new partitions c:, d:. c: to 85GB, d: to remainder. Use Partition Wizard bootable CD. Make partitions primary NTFS C:, D:. Make C: active.
5) reimage with old c:, d: images with Macrium to C: and D: respectively. When reimaging C: and D: do NOT replace MBR. You want to retain the partition table of the new d: HDD. Make sure C: is active.
6) Run startup repair up to 3 times from the system repair CD. This is to repair the MBR boot code and other boot files.
7) Fix up unallocated space on the new d: disk (C:, and D: partitions) using Partition Wizard.

See free programs section for Partition Wizard.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If another member has a simpler approach then please chip in.

Awesome man. I'll try this out when I have two or three hours to myself tomorrow. At least, I can re-image my disks in case I muck up.

 

[mjf]

Just to stress again do not (untick) the replace MBR option when doing the Macrium image restores. When you repartitioned the the new d: you create a new partition table in the MBR. It is critical not to overwrite this with one of the old ones.

Edit: Rather than the System Repair x 3 which is often used you may want to get the new d: booting by explicitly fixing the new boot sequence:

1) Get a command prompt from system repair disk
2) Enter
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /rebuildBcd

Then restart.

 

[oreo27]

Looks like this will be delayed a bit. I'm going to download and familiar myself with Macium Reflect v5. Hopefully it's much like v4. Anyway. I'll post updates here. During the restoration, I'll be using my smartphone to read the instructions here and browse the forums

 

[oreo27]

I have a bit of a hiccup. Macrium Reflect is not detecting my drives in PE. Could this be the same issue as my drives being detected as SCSI drives in Windows 7?

 

[oreo27]

By the way, this is my exact same problem.

Thanks for the response. I "solved" the problem with a BIOS change which doesn't make complete sense to me.

I'm using an AMI BIOS. Under "Integrated Peripherals" settings I had
- Onboard Sata Controller [Enabled]
- Onboard Sata Mode [AHCI]
....
which is the way the computer came & is the default.
Windows has always seen the sata (HDD, DVD) as scsi.
When I change the onboard sata mode to [native IDE] windows sees the devices as ATA and Hirens bootCD, SeaTools now work.
Also, if anything the HDD speed has improved a bit.

I would have thought [AHCI] was the correct setting.

The only issue is, I don't have those options in my BIOS settings. Hope you can help.

 

[oreo27]

Bumping this thread. Hope someone can help.

 

[mjf]

What disk control settings do you have in your BIOS?

 

[oreo27]

If memory serves me right,

IDE Controller > Active
Sata > Device 0,1 (I've also tried Device 0) and Disabled but disabled means no HDD even in BIOS.

Unless I should be looking for something else?

 

[mjf]

If memory serves me right,

IDE Controller > Active
Sata > Device 0,1 (I've also tried Device 0) and Disabled but disabled means no HDD even in BIOS.

Unless I should be looking for something else?

You need to go in and check.
Note: my problems post is quite old and predated SP1.

There is a registry entry corresponding to ACHI enabling or disabling see this tutorial
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/61869-ahci-enable-windows-7-vista.html

In addition to the Macrium pe disk you have the Macrium linux boot disk.
Also Hirens Boot CD has a mini XP environment with Macrium built in. It can be used to located and restore Macrium images.

 

[oreo27]

Sorry for leaving this thread hanging like that. I was quite busy and I kind of given up on this whole subject. But apparently, when I updated to Hiren's BootCD 14.1, it detected my HDDs again in MiniXP. Well, it's that or me messing with the BIOS settings.

In any case, I'll be doing this sometime around Tuesday next week along with my fortnightly PC maintenance. I'll let you know how it goes.