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[derekimo]

em with the MSDN Technet MD5 sums and they match so these are good, safe ISOs to use,

I'm curious why you chose clone instead of image?

Derekimo -- He is going to clone, so he can save his Docs, run his Recovery Partition and then take the Docs from the clone and reinstall them on his PC. He could not do that with an image.

Thanks, I was just wondering.

 

[copiman]

I have partitioned the external with a 650G partition. I'm still getting sector size issue.

 

[DavidE]

@copiman
If a recovery disc (DVD) set has not been created, you should do that first.
That way if the HD with the Recovery partition crashes, or that partition becomes corrupt for any reason, you have other media you can use to restore to factory conditions.
Normally only one set of recovery discs can be created, it should be an option in the Start Menu / PC manufacturer programs.
Many people don't create recovery media, and later learn they need to purchase a new W7 disc/license, or order recovery media from the PC manufacturer.
In post #14 you said it's not your PC, so you may need to ask the PC owner if they created and have recovery discs.

@bigmck

Derekimo -- He is going to clone, so he can save his Docs, run his Recovery Partition and then take the Docs from the clone and reinstall them on his PC. He could not do that with an image.

I use Images, and I can mount/browse/copy from the Image (Macrium and Acronis).
For me, mounting an image shows it in Windows File Explorer, like any other partition.
Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but i have copied and compared files from a mounted image to my current OS partition.

@all
As this is not the PC owned by OP, cloning is probably the easiest and safest approach to recovery.
I don't use cloning, it doesn't work well for ME.

Also, if you have a valid W7 ISO, it can be unlocked to use any W7 version (home/pro,etc.), for that BIT (32/64) version.
I'll continue using images, they are reliable for me, and use less space than a clone.

I also don't understand how the screen print in post #6 shows apx. 800 GB space used on the drive, and then in post #9 it's stated "I have 43.4G of files that I need to keep" I store user data (Pictures, Videos, Documents, Music, etc.) on a different partition than [C]. My W7 64 bit installed over 6 years ago, the [C] OS+programs partition is using about 50 GB now. I can't help with cloning problems, i don't use it.

 

[bigmck]

I have partitioned the external with a 650G partition. I'm still getting sector size issue.

The problem you are running into is that your C: drive is so big it is causing a problem. When a drive goes over a 1 TB the sectors change. Normally you only want a C: with a enough for your OS and programs. Not a 1.35 TB like yours is. This is why the sector problem is popping up. You must have your external drive about the size of the C: drive so the sectors are the same. See my message #17. You need to make the external drive a 1.5 TB partition so that the sectors are the same as C: Don't clone your D: Recovery Drive. Just the System Reserved and your C: == Make your partition 1.5 TB on your external and try cloning again. = We can worry about adjusting the size of C: later.

 

[copiman]

I have ran into a problem. I'm not that versed on partitioning. I have 2 Unallocated partitions that take up about 1.3TB and the other partition is about the same size. I have no files on the external drive, just the stuff you see in the other attachment. I need some help getting this drive partitioned. Its a 3TB drive.

Do I really need any of the stuff that came on the external drive out of box? I do not use it for regular backups. I only use it to back up files from a computer I may be working on. I will use it also to learn more. Like what I am trying to do or doing a system image and installing it back on a PC. That is if I get one I can play with. Anyway, let me know.

Thanks bigmck. I really appreciate your helping me.

 

[bigmck]

I am getting confused on you Disk Managements. The one you posted in Post 6 on Page 1 was your PC. The one you just posted in Post 25, above you said was also you PC. They are not the same. Fill me in on that. == I think we should Partition before we try the clone. It might make things easier. I know you have not done this before, but it is not hard. Go to this link
Best Free Partition Manager for Windows | MiniTool Partition Free Then there is a video you need to watch to learn how to use it. Go down to the bottom of the page and you will see in Big Letters, "What's Free?". To the left is "Resize and Move Partition Free". Click on "Extend or Shrink Partition" and it will take you to a Video that shows you what to do. If you still want to continue, download the program. Install it and go into it and look on the Toolbar and you will see "Make Bootdisk" or something to that order. I am not at me PC that has Partition Wizard at this time. You want to make a 300 GB Partition on both your PC and your External Drive. You might do the External first. Try that and let me know how it goes.

 

[copiman]

Sorry about that. Post #6 is the PC and post#25 is the external drive. I will do as you suggested in post #26.

 

[bigmck]

Sorry about that. Post #6 is the PC and post#25 is the external drive. I will do as you suggested in post #26.

OK, I will continue to check the site and help when I can. When I get home about 6 PM CT, I will look at my program and give you more exact info on how to make the Boot Disk. Let me know if I can do. ==

== ALERT ==

I just reread my Post 26. You need to make the C: drive on your PC 300 GB and make a 300 GB blank partition on the External. You will need the Boot Disk in order to change the C: drive.

 

[copiman]

I'm sorry but I really don't understand how to complete what you requested. I have downloaded the tool and watched the video. I tried to resize the external drive and this is what I got (see attached). Also I'm unsure how to do the 300G thing. Man I feel like a lost puppy. Maybe after you get home and if you have the time you could help me understand. Thanks again for all your help.

 

[bigmck]

OK, when I have the program in front of me, it might be easier. I will give you a reply tonight.

 

[bigmck]

Start up your Partition Wizard Program and make your Partition Wizard Bootable CD. Use this tutorial if you need help. It should be pretty straight forward. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93322-partition-wizard-use-bootable-cd.html Click on the second Icon from the right that says "Bootable CD". Put in a CD and click it and it should make OK. ==
Plug in your External Drive. After the CD is made, shut down your PC and boot with the CD. It takes a couple minutes to boot. You might think it is not working, but it just takes some time. When it boots, it will look just like the screen that you posted on here. == Click on the unallocated portion of the external drive. Look at the top row and the fourth icon from the left is MOVE/RESIZE. Click on it. The window that pops up is what you will work from. At the end of the drive on the right is an arrow pointing to the right. Put you mouse on it and hold down the left mouse button and pull to the left. The Partition should move. The section on the right is what you will work with. Keep pulling until the right part is 300 GB. There are three windows on the Popup. One says "Unallocated Space 00.00" Under that is "Partition Size and a very big number". The third and bottom one is what you are concerned with. Grab the right side on the Arrow and hold down the left mouse button and move the Partition to the Left. When the bottom window says "Unallocated 300000.00" that is what you want. It does not have to be EXACTLY that number but get it fairly close and click OK. The popup window will close and you will see at the top left a Green Check Mark that says "Apply". Click on that and the program will make your changes for you. You will then have a 300 GB Partition to the right. == One note. The number you want is 300000. That is 300000 MB which is also 300 GB. That is just the way the program does it, not a mistake on my part. Click on the 300 GB Partition you just made and Format it so it is no longer Unallocated. THe Format button is at the top. == Before you resize C: on your PC, let me see how the External went for you. Talk to you in the morning.

 

[copiman]

I now have 3 partitions on the external drive:

1= 1397.35GB NTSF Primary
2= 300.36GB NTSF Logical (This is the one I just created)
3= 1096.78G Unallocated

Thanks to your instructions it went well. FYI- I had to use the Create icon because there was no MOVE/RESIZE to change size. Maybe because it was unallocated or I'm using the free version. Just thought I would let you know. Regardless I was able to get it done.

 

[bigmck]

I now have 3 partitions on the external drive:

1= 1397.35GB NTSF Primary
2= 300.36GB NTSF Logical (This is the one I just created)
3= 1096.78G Unallocated

Thanks to your instructions it went well. FYI- I had to use the Create icon because there was no MOVE/RESIZE to change size. Maybe because it was unallocated or I'm using the free version. Just thought I would let you know. Regardless I was able to get it done.

I don't know if it will make a difference but make the 300 GB Primary before you clone. You might run into trouble. I am in a rush now and hope that you know how to change it to Primary. If not I will return later. == You can Resize the C: drive on your PC now. Make it 300 GB. That is all you need to do, no format. I will check in later. If you get the Extended Disk changed to Primary and the PC size changed to 300 GB you can clone to the Extended Disk. No need to clone the Recover Disk, just the System Reserved and the C: drive.

 

[copiman]

I made the 300G on the external and made it primary. I resized the C: on the PC to 300G and it is primary as well. I assume when you say clone you mean copy. There is not a clone feature just a copy. When I select the C: drive on the PC and select copy, it says the destination device must be an unallocated space. Not sure how to handle this for I thought I wanted to copy it to the new 300G space on the external drive. I will wait for your response.

Update: when coping the system reserve it also states that the destination device must be an unallocated space.

 

[bigmck]

I made the 300G on the external and made it primary. I resized the C: on the PC to 300G and it is primary as well. I assume when you say clone you mean copy. There is not a clone feature just a copy. When I select the C: drive on the PC and select copy, it says the destination device must be an unallocated space. Not sure how to handle this for I thought I wanted to copy it to the new 300G space on the external drive. I will wait for your response.

Update: when coping the system reserve it also states that the destination device must be an unallocated space.

You need to use the Macrium Reflect to clone. Not the Partition Wizard. Is that the problem? Macrium definitely has clone on it.

 

[bigmck]

I made the 300G on the external and made it primary. I resized the C: on the PC to 300G and it is primary as well. I assume when you say clone you mean copy. There is not a clone feature just a copy. When I select the C: drive on the PC and select copy, it says the destination device must be an unallocated space. Not sure how to handle this for I thought I wanted to copy it to the new 300G space on the external drive. I will wait for your response.

Update: when coping the system reserve it also states that the destination device must be an unallocated space.

You need to use the Macrium Reflect to clone. Not the Partition Wizard. Is that the problem? Macrium definitely has clone on it. You only need to clone C: drive and the System Reserve. When you get through cloning, post the Disk Managment of the PC and the external. Don't forget to widen the columns so all print can be read. Later.

 

[copiman]

first off you were right, I was not using Macrium Reflect, I was in Partion Wizard. I have posted below 2 snips. The first one is the drives prior to cloning. The second on is what I get when I attempt to clone the C: drive.

The way I attempted to clone the C: drive is as follows: Selected the C: drive> Selected clone this disk> select a disk to clone to> selected drive F: which is the 300G partition on the external drive. Here is were the problem pops up.

 

[bigmck]

OK, let me work on this. I will get back to you tonight.

 

[bigmck]

I have bad news. The sector size is different. I have not run across this before because it only occurs when cloning a disk and I always image mine not clone. There are two sizes, 512 and 4096. They are made one way at the factory and can not be changed. Here is the link with the info How to change sector size from 4096 to 512 - Hard Drives - Storage Let me think about what else can be done to save your files. Be back tonight.

 

[copiman]

You may find this interesting. Found it on the Macrium site. If I understood it cloning in my situation is not possible without going and purchasing a hard drive and connecting it directly to the PCs sata connector. I could do this if absolutely necessary. What size drive would I have to get?

Cloning to WD My Book drive

I went ahead and copied the documents to another PC, so I can load them back on the original PC after the recovery.