Solved Move from 150 GB HD to a new 488 GB HD

[whs]

I have not restored an image in over 5 years and never with Macrium, so I can't say how long the restoration process takes.

Takes between 20 and 30 minutes for C:

 

[koolkat77]

I have not restored an image in over 5 years and never with Macrium, so I can't say how long the restoration process takes.

Takes between 20 and 30 minutes for C:

sure!?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

WHS:

What about cloning speeds as opposed to imaging?

What about image restore speeds from an external disc?

I only use internals, so I have no idea how much an external might slow you down.

 

[gregrocker]

Cloning takes about 15-30 minutes depending on the used partition space.

A reinstall is always best because you get the chance to wipe away all the creeping corruption and start fresh. But to do it right it should spread over several days so you can observe performance between program installs.

You can adapt the steps given here to get a perfect reinstall even though they were written for OEM: Reinstalling Windows 7

 

[mjf]

Your transfer should be quite straight forward.

1) Backup your data partitions (D:, E: ) using any method you choose.
2) Make a Windows Image accepting it's minimum (grayed and ticked partitions).
It will want to image you C: (OS) and your System reserved).
3) Take out your old HDD and simply put in the new larger HDD.
4) Reimage using the system repair CD/DVD.
5) You will have a bootable larger HDD with two empty data partitions and a large chunk of unallocated space at the back of the HDD.
6) Preferably use Partition Wizard to readjust your new HDD partitions to better suit it's size and replace your data.

Note: You can use a HDD straight out of the bag. Windows will replace the MBR and the partition table. It will format and partition the new HDD according to this partition table ie. you don't need to do anything but cleanup after.

 

[koolkat77]

Cloning takes about 15-30 minutes depending on the used partition space.

A reinstall is always best because you get the chance to wipe away all the creeping corruption and start fresh. But to do it right it should spread over several days so you can observe performance between program installs.

You can adapt the steps given here to get a perfect reinstall even though they were written for OEM: Reinstalling Windows 7

thanks Greg for the link it hasn't been long i reinstalled.but if i remain confused and scared i guess i will just go for a fresh install of the OS .
at the moment i am getting nothing but confused. cause i am not sure if it takes 12 hours to image? or 30 minutes to image? sorry, but i am a 19 yr old girl so its a bit hard to catch up with each of your points . i will keep a back up of my personal stuff in the external hard disk so is it necessary for me to image those drives too? or if i just do the C: shall be enough?

 

[mjf]

Follow my simple directions - it will work. The system reserved partition can be anywhere.
Just try it! It's so simple and you have nothing to lose.

PS: I've actually transferred to out of the bag HDDs a number of times doing just this.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

The 12 hours reference was to copy 350 GB of data from one external drive to another. That is much more data than you will be moving around.

The occupied space on your C drive is less than 1/10 of that.

I think MJF's method is using the built-in Windows imaging. It works OK once you understand it.

 

[koolkat77]

Follow my simple directions - it will work. The system reserved partition can be anywhere.
Just try it! It's so simple and you have nothing to lose.

Hi MJF thanks for the post,
it'll take me a while before i start

 

[whs]

WHS:

What about cloning speeds as opposed to imaging?

What about image restore speeds from an external disc?

I only use internals, so I have no idea how much an external might slow you down.

1. I never use cloning - always image

2. The times I quoted are from an external drive, but there is not a very big difference to an internal drive

 

[koolkat77]

The 12 hours reference was to copy 350 GB of data from one external drive to another.

The occupied space on your C drive is less than 1/10 of that.

I think MJF's method is using the built-in Windows imaging. It works OK once you understand it.

so how long will it take? this might sound dumb
but where are the imaged files stored once done?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

The image file remains wherever you stored it--on the external in this case. It doesn't move.

Once that image file is restored and C is known to be working OK, you could delete the image file from the external.

From what I gather from the various reports in this thread, it isn't likely to take over an hour or so to make and then restore.

It would take longer if you had a big C drive or were imaging large data partitions, but you aren't.

 

[gregrocker]

Twenty minutes average to save your WIndows backup image to external, then 20 minutes to reimage it onto the new HD. Unplug the old HD and boot from Win7 DVD or Repair CD.
Illustrated steps here:
Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup
System Image Recovery

Half as long to clone since you don't need to save the image first, just clone old HD to new one in 20 minutes avg.

 

[mjf]

Koolkat,
your confusion level may be high at this stage. I think simple is the way - ok???
Yes image - reimage will probably take 20+20 minutes as indicated. BUT it is essentially a couple of button clicks.

Make your image by simply going to the backup & restore window and press the make a system image button over on the left. Just select you external HDD to store it on.

Reimage by booting the system repair disk (you should always have one of these) and select restore an image. If you haven't made one of these just say so.

These are all inbuilt tools. If they don't work it's no big deal - try another method.

Edit: When you read the options again. With the larger HDD it would be a good idea in the "cleanup stage" to put your D: partition data in the new space and extend your C: from the small size it is now to use all of the D: space as well. Your OS partition is very small at the moment. Now is the perfect time to do it.

 

[koolkat77]

thanks kado,whs,mjf,iggy, greg and anybody i missed out on this post. its time for me to sleep now 12.33 am got work in the mornig
so i will read your posts peacefully when i get time and let you know what i start with. probably back up of my stuff will be the first.
so good night to you all, and have a good day if its not night there

 

[kado897]

The 12 hours was at USB speeds which are a lot slower than internal.

 

[koolkat77]

hi guys thanks for the replies
im still reading the posts and thinking what i should start with.
right now i have one question that is: when we do a fresh install we have to update the computer all over again.
is there a way to keep these updates and not download them when & if i decide to format? the only reason i dont want to reinstall is because of these updates. i have around 36 installed.

 

[kado897]

About the best you can do is to use an ISO with SP1 included.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

hi guys thanks for the replies
when we do a fresh install we have to update the computer all over again.
is there a way to keep these updates and not download them when & if i decide to format? the only reason i dont want to reinstall is because of these updates. i have around 36 installed.

I assume you are referring to Windows updates?

As far as I know, there is no way to save them if you reformat.

But you can go to Microsoft and download an EXE file that contains Service Pack 1. You run that EXE just like any other application. It will update you to the level of Service Pack 1, which was released earlier this year.

But I think for the post-Service Pack 1 updates, you would have to go to Windows Update and get them. For that matter, you can get SP 1 that way, but using the EXE will likely simplify matters.

SP 1 is here:

Download: Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (KB976932) - Microsoft Download Center - Download Details

Be careful to get the right version. If you have 64-bit Windows, you would need the next to last file (903.2 GB). If you have 32-bit Windows, you would need the last file (537.8 GB).

Or as Kado says, you can find an ISO with SP1 integrated into Windows 7 and then burn it to a disc.

 

[koolkat77]

I assume you are referring to Windows updates?

yes i mean windows updates