Solved Cannot clone failing hard drive

[Husaberger]

WD Hard drive is failing with increasingly more frequent BSODs
Can usually boot to Win7. Cannot clone with Macrium. Has failed 5x
Have run chkdsk before each attempt to clone
WD Data Lifeguard fails Quick Test (Status code 07, Failure checkpoint 65)
Don't have valuable data on HD but have lost keys to some of the software so I want to clone
Any repair (or other) ideas?

 

[cyberSAR]

In the past I have had cloning fail with a bad drive, but was able to create and restore a system image. I usually use acronis. You can get a free version from WD (also Seagate) but you must have one of their drives hooked up when using it.
WD Support

 

[GokAy]

There are apps that can extract keys from the registry or reg files. See https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

Both freeware and paid versions in that page, there is a list of supported software as well (6500+).

 

[Husaberger]

Thanks cyber and GokAy
Someone suggested a $40 standalone hard drive cloner/duplicator
Thoughts?

 

[cyberSAR]

I would try doing a backup image with the free WD Acronis program before I spent the money. I've had a few drives that wouldn't clone but was able to create a backup system image and restore it to the new HDD with no issues.

 

[Husaberger]

Thanks for the quick reply cyber
I'm going to follow your advice and post my results

 

[cyberSAR]

Good luck!

 

[Husaberger]

Hi Cyber
Tried to do what you suggested re creating image and restoring it but was unsuccessful
I used Acronis and was able to save backup of failing HD to good HD. I then copied the backup to the bad HD and attempted to restore it to the good one
I don't think I'm doing it right
Would you mind walking me through the steps?

 

[GokAy]

I believe you should try to clone the bad one to good one. If you are using imaging rather, you have to image to a 3rd place and restore to the good one. You should not use the bad one for anything other than cloning or imaging from.

 

[cyberSAR]

Gokay is correct. Not much time now will check later

 

[Husaberger]

Ok. Thanks for the replies
I do have 3 HDs avail
Dell motherboard only has 2 SATA slots
When you have more time, please provide steps I need to take
Thank you again!

 

[GokAy]

Attach bad and 3rd HDD, image old to 3rd
Remove bad HDD and plug good HDD
Restore image (3rd) to good
Remove 3rd or adjust BIOS if necessary

 

[Husaberger]

Thanks Gokay
Will follow your instructions
Just to confirm, using Acronis, this is simply making a standard (nonbootable) backup and then recovering it to the 2nd (new) HD

 

[GokAy]

Yes, images are always non-bootable, it is just a minor annoyance and some time lost.

 

[Husaberger]

Gokay- When I remove failing HD (c: drive), I cannot run Acronis to restore image to new drive

 

[cyberSAR]

Sorry I had to leave you hanging but life got in the way

What I would suggest is creating the acronis cd (I rarely image within windows). Boot from cd and create image of failing drive to 3rd HDD (You may already have this accomplished). Replace failing HDD with new HDD. Boot to cd and restore image from 3rd drive to new HDD. If all goes well you should be able to boot windows on your new HDD.

 

[Husaberger]

That makes sense
Will give it a try

 

[Husaberger]

One more question cyber
As mentioned, I only have 2 motherboard sata slots
Can I still do what you describe?

 

[cyberSAR]

One more question cyber
As mentioned, I only have 2 motherboard sata slots
Can I still do what you describe?

Sure. Failing HDD is probably already on sata 0 so plug 3rd HDD into sata1. Create image of failing drive to 3rd drive. Replace failing drive with new HDD on sata 0. Boot to cd and restore image from sata1 to sata0.

Note that during restore you'll have the option to copy drive signature. Do so, as some programs use it for licensing activation.

Also note that if you are using the free WD version of Acronis you will need to have a WD drive always hooked up for it to function.

 

[cyberSAR]

Should have also mentioned that you can usually create your image to, and restore from, a usb drive but I rarely do so as it is too slow for me.