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#21
Last edited by BigDaddy0790; 21 Jul 2012 at 16:11.
Download the Dos test - burn to cd - this is a very comprehensive test.
Run the LONG test.
SeaTools | Seagate
A bit late for that, I'm in Germany atm, aka not at home. Decided to get a new Windows install and new HDD anyway, just in case it all gets fixed 100%.
I still want to know what that Windows backup thing does. Do I get a full copy of my HDD, meaning I can copy it to another HDD and then just remove this one booting from the new one?
Most think Windows backup is not the most refined tool of its type---it's not particularly flexible and has some peculiarities compared to competing applications.
It creates an image file that can later be restored to another drive---not to be confused with copied to another drive.
It usually works. Sometimes it doesn't.
The best program to use for backup is Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download It is free and does a very good job. It will automatically make a backup to another drive. If your OS should become corrupt, you can just restore, which takes a short time and you are good to go again.
It will include everything in the partition, regardless of what it is. You can image one or more partitions, separately or in one single image.
Since imaging programs aren't foolproof, they are a poor way to backup personal data.
I'm still a bit confused, image? Isn't it supposed to be burnt on DVD or something? What I mean is is there a way to simply insert another 1TB HDD and clone my main one (has just one partition) there, then boot from it and have it all working? Or will it be easier to just copy all the files and clean install?
Images are typically about half the size of the occupied space on a partition and thus would not fit on a single DVD.
You can use multiple DVDs to hold images, but they are much more problematic than hard drives for restoration purposes. Highly not recommended.
Cloning and imaging are 2 different things. Macrium can do both.
Cloning and imaging can both fail. It's up to you to make a wild ass guess as to whether you want to bother with it. Success rate?? Probably above 90%, plus whatever time you have to spend figuring out how to do it.
If in doubt, do a clean.
Clean is more reliable.
The only reason to do cloning or imaging is that they might save you some time--by avoiding the time to configure a clean install. But they don't always work. Take your pick.