How to Clone a Windows 7 Partition to a new Hard Drive?

[chobo2]

Hi

I just bought a ssd drive and I have 2 partitions. 1 is for work and one is for personal. I did a fresh install for my personal partition. However for work I want to make a clone(it would be a huge pain to setup everything again) of it on my ssd drive.

Original Drive

1 Tb seagate hard drive and has my 100gb work partition with windows 7 on it.

I want to now take that partition and put it on a partition of the ssd drive.

I tried to use

Acronis Disk Director to make a copy of it and I tried DriveImage XML to do a clone of it and I get the same result both times.

The cloning finishes and I was unable to acess my work windows 7. I used "EasyBCD 2.1.2" to hookup my computer so it can handle dual boot(my fresh windows 7 and my work windows 7).

I loaded into my work windows 7 partition and it comes to the login screen and everything is all good till I try to log in.

I get a screen that goes "personalizing settings". After like 5 minutes it goes to another screen with a dialog box in the top left corner.

"setting up personalized settings for: web platform customizations".

After 45mins it is still on this screen.

I don't know why this is happening.

Edit

I should mention that I can log into my work partition under safe mode. It does not run into that problem but it comes up with a message saying the "profile is broken....."

 

[karlsnooks]

chobo,

First, amplify your system specs please.

Update your SevenForums System Specs
User CP (located on the top menu bar) |
Your Profile | Edit System Spec (left-hand column)

To gather info, use Speccy (my favorite) orSIW or System Info

Add the word laptop or desktop or netbook to the
“system manufacturer” block, for example,
Toshiba Satellite L305D notebook.

Provide full windows version info, for example:
MS Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit

Use the “Other Info” block for Optical Reader,
Mouse, touchpad, wifi adapter, speakers, monitor, etc

Scroll down and click on SAVE CHANGES.
======================================================

======================================================

Now, related is: What is the size of the SSD?

2nd, Post following please:
HOW TO POST A SNAPSHOT OF DISK MANAGEMENT DISPLAY
Run disk management:
WIN | type DISKMGMT.MSC | ENTER
WIN=key with Microsoft logo on top.


Maximize the output of Disk Management:
ALT-Spacebar key combo | X key (selects Maximize) |
Drag the field separators (such as between Status and Capacity) to show entire field.


Make a snapshot:
WIN | type SNIPPING | ENTER | New
Drag the cursor around the area you want to snip.
File | Save as | select save location and name | Save


Post the snapshot:
Post a File or Screenshot in Seven Forums

==========================================
thanks, karl

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Your post is confusing.

Please clarify on at least this point:

Do you want to end up with an SSD containing 2 bootable Windows 7 partitions ("work" and "personal")?

Leaving aside whether that is sensible, I'm not sure it's legal if you have only 1 Windows 7 license.

We also need the Disk Management screen shot as Karl says.

 

[chobo2]

chobo,

First, amplify your system specs please.

Update your SevenForums System Specs
User CP (located on the top menu bar) |
Your Profile | Edit System Spec (left-hand column)

To gather info, use Speccy (my favorite) orSIW or System Info

Add the word laptop or desktop or netbook to the
“system manufacturer” block, for example,
Toshiba Satellite L305D notebook.

Provide full windows version info, for example:
MS Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit

Use the “Other Info” block for Optical Reader,
Mouse, touchpad, wifi adapter, speakers, monitor, etc

Scroll down and click on SAVE CHANGES.
======================================================

======================================================

Now, related is: What is the size of the SSD?

2nd, Post following please:
HOW TO POST A SNAPSHOT OF DISK MANAGEMENT DISPLAY
Run disk management:
WIN | type DISKMGMT.MSC | ENTER
WIN=key with Microsoft logo on top.


Maximize the output of Disk Management:
ALT-Spacebar key combo | X key (selects Maximize) |
Drag the field separators (such as between Status and Capacity) to show entire field.


Make a snapshot:
WIN | type SNIPPING | ENTER | New
Drag the cursor around the area you want to snip.
File | Save as | select save location and name | Save


Post the snapshot:
Post a File or Screenshot in Seven Forums

==========================================
thanks, karl

Ok I updated my specs. I will get you the snapshot on the disk management. Do you want both drives or just the ssd drive?

My 1tb drive has many partitions right now(I split it apart into many to get a better sense of what I have and what I want to later on move to the ssd drive).

Your post is confusing.

Please clarify on at least this point:

Do you want to end up with an SSD containing 2 bootable Windows 7 partitions ("work" and "personal")?

Leaving aside whether that is sensible, I'm not sure it's legal if you have only 1 Windows 7 license.

We also need the Disk Management screen shot as Karl says.

Sorry. Yes I want my SSD drive to have 2 bootable partitions on is a personal partition(windows 7 ultimate - fresh install) the other is for work(windows 7 pro).

To me it makes sense and for many reasons.

1. For legality as you mentioned. All software on my work is machine is a licensed piece of software from my company.
2. Since the nature of my job I need lots of software in order to my job and I don't want to start mixing personal software into the mix and if I ever leave the company I would have to go and remove all the software and stuff.

 

[Kaktussoft]

So on old 1TB harddisk:

• personal win7
• work win7
• more partitions

On SSD:

• personal win7. But clean install.
• work win7. Should be a clone of win7 work hdd

Is this situation now?
---------------------
If all works fine: Can HDD work win7 and personal win7 be removed?

Post screenshot of disk management

 

[chobo2]

So on old 1TB harddisk:

• personal win7
• work win7
• more partitions

On SSD:

• personal win7. But clean install.
• work win7. Should be a clone of win7 work hdd

Is this situation now?
---------------------
If all works fine: Can HDD work win7 and personal win7 be removed?

Post screenshot of disk management

Yes this is correct. The HDD win7 personal probably can be removed but not my work one as until I know the one on SSD works I can't get rid of it otherwise I got no copy to fall back onto(I got some old backups of it but I hear restoring a backup onto a new drive is not a good thing to do).

 

[whs]

I would do that a bit differently.

1. Move the bootmgr from your 100MB Work system to the C partition of the Work system on the 1TB drive. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/209885-bootmgr-move-c-easybcd.html. With the 100MB partition out of the way, things will be easier.

2. Image the C partition of your Work system. Acronis is as good as any for that job.

3. Create an active primary partition on the SSD for the C partition of the Work system.

4. Restore your image into that partition. I am not certain if Acronis will adjust the partition size. If not, you will have to shrink the Work C partition on the 1TB drive to the size of the partition you created on the SSD before you image that C partition.

5. Create a second partition on the SSD. That can be a logical or primary but must not be marked active.

6. Install your private Win7 into that partition. The installer will pickup the active partition of the Work system and place the BCD there. Disconnect the 1TB drive and all other possible drives during that installation process.

Hopefully you have enough space on the SSD for 2 OS partitions. If you need further details on the above steps, post back.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Post screenshot of disk management

 

[chobo2]

I would do that a bit differently.

1. Move the bootmgr from your 100MB Work system to the C partition of the Work system on the 1TB drive. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/209885-bootmgr-move-c-easybcd.html. With the 100MB partition out of the way, things will be easier.

2. Image the C partition of your Work system. Acronis is as good as any for that job.

3. Create an active primary partition on the SSD for the C partition of the Work system.

4. Restore your image into that partition. I am not certain if Acronis will adjust the partition size. If not, you will have to shrink the Work C partition on the 1TB drive to the size of the partition you created on the SSD before you image that C partition.

5. Create a second partition on the SSD. That can be a logical or primary but must not be marked active.

6. Install your private Win7 into that partition. The installer will pickup the active partition of the Work system and place the BCD there. Disconnect the 1TB drive and all other possible drives during that installation process.

Hopefully you have enough space on the SSD for 2 OS partitions. If you need further details on the above steps, post back.

1. Move the bootmgr from your 100MB Work system to the C partition of the Work system on the 1TB drive. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/209885-bootmgr-move-c-easybcd.html. With the 100MB partition out of the way, things will be easier.

Hi

I am confused with step 1. You want me to load into my work partition on my 1TB drive. Copy the bootmgr and where should I copy it too my SSD drive?

 

[chobo2]

Post screenshot of disk management

When I am able to access the computer. HDD one or SDD?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I would do that a bit differently.

1. Move the bootmgr from your 100MB Work system to the C partition of the Work system on the 1TB drive. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/209885-bootmgr-move-c-easybcd.html. With the 100MB partition out of the way, things will be easier.

2. Image the C partition of your Work system. Acronis is as good as any for that job.

3. Create an active primary partition on the SSD for the C partition of the Work system.

4. Restore your image into that partition. I am not certain if Acronis will adjust the partition size. If not, you will have to shrink the Work C partition on the 1TB drive to the size of the partition you created on the SSD before you image that C partition.

5. Create a second partition on the SSD. That can be a logical or primary but must not be marked active.

6. Install your private Win7 into that partition. The installer will pickup the active partition of the Work system and place the BCD there. Disconnect the 1TB drive and all other possible drives during that installation process.

Hopefully you have enough space on the SSD for 2 OS partitions. If you need further details on the above steps, post back.

1. Move the bootmgr from your 100MB Work system to the C partition of the Work system on the 1TB drive. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/209885-bootmgr-move-c-easybcd.html. With the 100MB partition out of the way, things will be easier.

Hi

I am confused with step 1. You want me to load into my work partition on my 1TB drive. Copy the bootmgr and where should I copy it too my SSD drive?

WHS wants you to move the contents of the System Reserved partition on the Work system to C of the work system, using the tool at the link he gave. The goal being to get rid of the System Reserved partition. If the boot files are on C, then System Reserved is unnecesary.

DON'T copy it to your SSD.

As far as screenshots of Disk Management goes, the more complete the better. Ideally, show all partitions on all drives.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Post screenshot of disk management

When I am able to access the computer. HDD one or SDD?

Preferable SSD but HDD is good as well

 

[whs]

Once you moved the bootmgr in your 1TB instalklation from the 100MB partition to C, then you do not need the 100MB partition any more. When you image/restore the C partition to SSD, the bootmgr will be on C. No further action required. That system alone should boot. At least it always did when I moved my OS to SSDs.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Once you moved the bootmgr in your 1TB instalklation from the 100MB partition to C, then you do not need the 100MB partition any more. When you image/restore the C partition to SSD, the bootmgr will be on C. No further action required. That system alone should boot. At least it always did when I moved my OS to SSDs.

Almost correct. 100MB system reserved only needed if bootmgr is there. but also if you use bitlocker. This is not the case I assume. So you're right.

If you do it the way you say the bootmenu will be on SSD ... but still pointing to old HDD.

We still don't know if he has a system reserved btw (didn't read it in post). Also don't know what partition is flagged active (so has bootmenu)

 

[chobo2]

Once you moved the bootmgr in your 1TB instalklation from the 100MB partition to C, then you do not need the 100MB partition any more. When you image/restore the C partition to SSD, the bootmgr will be on C. No further action required. That system alone should boot. At least it always did when I moved my OS to SSDs.

Almost correct. 100MB system reserved only needed if bootmgr is there. but also if you use bitlocker. This is not the case I assume. So you're right.

If you do it the way you say the bootmenu will be on SSD ... but still pointing to old HDD.

We still don't know if he has a system reserved btw (didn't read it in post). Also don't know what partition is flagged active (so has bootmenu)

Sorry I am still quite confused. First I think we should put some names to all these partitions

HDD-P = 1Tb hard drive with windows 7 ultimate - personal
HDD-W = 1Tb hard drive with windows 7 pro - work
SSD-P = 180 GB solid state drive - personal
SSD-W = 180 GB solid state drive - work

HDD-P
-100 GB of usable space ~40 to 50gb used.
- On boot this one the default choice.

HDD-W
100 GB of usuable space ~40 to 50gb used.

SSD-P
- 60 GB of usable space - Probably less than 5gb uses (fresh install)
- This should be the active partition on the drive.

SSD-W
- 100 GB of usable space - When I tired to copy HHD-W to SSD-W through acronis I had to make the partition the same size and was not marked "active"
- When this failed I tried driveImage XML and cloned the HDD-W over top the SSD-W what overrode the partition. This gave me the same failed result as Acronis.

If I have both HDD and SSD plugged in my HDD boot manager seems to win and will be choosen.

Right now I SSD only plugged in so it boots into that. When it boots up I see in the boot manager the same choices as the HDD one.

Personal
Work

If I choose personal everything works as it was a fresh install.
If I choose work it loads up to the login screen and when I try to log in I never get past the ""setting up personalized settings for: web platform customizations".

I can load into my work machine through safe mode however I don't see any my files what should be on the desktop. Windows also warns that the account I logged into is corrupt or something like that(the message is long and don't remember).

It seems like the partition is sort of there but not 100%.

 

[whs]

If you do it the way you say the bootmenu will be on SSD ... but still
pointing to old HDD

It will not be pointing to the HDD. If e.g. you disconnect the HDD, the SSD will boot. But you are right in that there will still be a copy of the bootmgr on the HDD in the 100MB partition because with the procedure outlined in my tutorial you do not really move the bootmgr, you only copy it.

And you are right. He never mentioned the 100MB partition. But from the context of his troubles I assume that this is the cause of his problem. He just did not image and restore that partition.

PS> Your previous posting is useful, but a Disk Management picture would be better. In your list you do not mention the 100MB active partition. But that you can only see in Disk Management because it is hidden (no drive letter).

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Once you moved the bootmgr in your 1TB instalklation from the 100MB partition to C, then you do not need the 100MB partition any more. When you image/restore the C partition to SSD, the bootmgr will be on C. No further action required. That system alone should boot. At least it always did when I moved my OS to SSDs.

Almost correct. 100MB system reserved only needed if bootmgr is there. but also if you use bitlocker. This is not the case I assume. So you're right.

If you do it the way you say the bootmenu will be on SSD ... but still pointing to old HDD.

We still don't know if he has a system reserved btw (didn't read it in post). Also don't know what partition is flagged active (so has bootmenu)

Sorry I am still quite confused. First I think we should put some names to all these partitions

HDD-P = 1Tb hard drive with windows 7 ultimate - personal
HDD-W = 1Tb hard drive with windows 7 pro - work
SSD-P = 180 GB solid state drive - personal
SSD-W = 180 GB solid state drive - work

HDD-P
-100 GB of usable space ~40 to 50gb used.
- On boot this one the default choice.

HDD-W
100 GB of usuable space ~40 to 50gb used.

SSD-P
- 60 GB of usable space - Probably less than 5gb uses (fresh install)
- This should be the active partition on the drive.

SSD-W
- 100 GB of usable space - When I tired to copy HHD-W to SSD-W through acronis I had to make the partition the same size and was not marked "active"
- When this failed I tried driveImage XML and cloned the HDD-W over top the SSD-W what overrode the partition. This gave me the same failed result as Acronis.

If I have both HDD and SSD plugged in my HDD boot manager seems to win and will be choosen.

Right now I SSD only plugged in so it boots into that. When it boots up I see in the boot manager the same choices as the HDD one.

Personal
Work

If I choose personal everything works as it was a fresh install.
If I choose work it loads up to the login screen and when I try to log in I never get past the ""setting up personalized settings for: web platform customizations".

I can load into my work machine through safe mode however I don't see any my files what should be on the desktop. Windows also warns that the account I logged into is corrupt or something like that(the message is long and don't remember).

It seems like the partition is sort of there but not 100%.

Where is the screen shot we have been asking for many times over?

We don't just need to know about hard drives and operating systems.

We need to know about partitions, thus the repeated request for screen shots.

 

[Kaktussoft]

If you do it the way you say the bootmenu will be on SSD ... but still
pointing to old HDD

It will not be pointing to the HDD. If e.g. you disconnect the HDD, the SSD will boot. But you are right in that there will still be a copy of the bootmgr on the HDD in the 100MB partition because with the procedure outlined in my tutorial you do not really move the bootmgr, you only copy it.

And you are right. He never mentioned the 100MB partition. But from the context of his troubles I assume that this is the cause of his problem. He just did not image and restore that partition.

PS> Your previous posting is useful, but a Disk Management picture would be better. In your list you do not mention the 100MB active partition. But that you can only see in Disk Management because it is hidden (no drive letter).

What happens if you change the "disk signature"? What happens if you move the OS-partition (starting sector of partition)? you have to do a startup repair!

same bcdedit ouput:
Windows-opstartlaadprogramma
----------------------------
id {current}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 7 Home Premium
locale nl-NL
inherit {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence {56fa818f-89ee-11e1-be91-e9fb9a7089cc}
recoveryenabled Yes
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {fa1a7f9d-ab26-11df-bc4f-ce7145d50d35}
nx OptIn

It looks like system boots to OS on C: but actually it only displays C:
In bcdmenu-file it's actually saved as \disksignature\startsector_of_partition
It's translated to C on-the-fly.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Please post screenshot of disk management with all fields visible (especially status)
We asked for that about 6 times!

 

[chobo2]

Please post screenshot of disk management with all fields visible (especially status)
We asked for that about 6 times!

And I said that when I am able to access the computer (ie when I physically can touch it). I will but right now I can't as I am no where near it.