Clone to smaller HDD

[Hikertrash]

Before I update a Windows 7 installation to Windows 10, I'd like to clone the 750GB HDD to a 320GB HDD. If possible I'll be using ATI WD (or Seagate) edition (2016), but would use another free solution.

Of course, I'll back up (and delete) most of the music, data and documents to another external HDD so the installation fits the smaller drive. I'll also uninstall a few larger programs (CS6, MS Office, Acrobat, etc.) before reinstalling on a newer laptop.

The bottom line is I want to use the 750GB HDD as a second drive on a newer laptop that only has a 256GB SSD, and utilize a smaller HDD I've upgraded from over the years on the older laptop.

Is this going to be possible?

 

[RolandJS]

If the final reduced partition will be smaller, i.e. if its byte-size is equal to or smaller than 320GB, it should work. What I don't know: if the receiving HDD has to have some working space or not. I'm wondering if a full image of source and restoring that image onto target might be easier, let's see what others have to say.

 

[file3456]

I found it difficult to do myself. There's Roadkil's rawcopy that might do it but I have had no luck with it.

 

[SIW2]

1. You could use O&O diskimage - it can exclude files/folders from a "clone".

O&O Diskimage Pro v12 available free. Lots of options including imaging to their regular format, or to vhd ( V15 also does vhdx ). Also included is restore to different hardware, excluding files/folders from images an clones, etc. Nice stuff for enthusiasts.

Register for free Diskimage Pro V12 license here:
Registration for your FREE license of O&O DiskImage 12
They send an email. Click the link in the email they sent you and you will receive another email with your license key

Download O&O Diskimage Pro V12 program in English
Download Archive


2. O&O fans might be interested in the new O&O Diskimage Pro v15 - available on special , or the pack with three other tools
O&O Software - special

NOTE: because of high dpi setting, v15 doesn't play well with standard win7 winre. For v15 use win8/10 winpe to create recovery media


3. The free version of DiskGenius can also exclude from "clones", but I haven't tested if it adjusts bcd etc to the new device ( only necessary when cloning an OS - not needed for data partition clone)

Disk Genius free version is here:
All-in-one Solution for Data Recovery, Partition Manager and Data Backup - DiskGenius

4. If you need bootable recovery media, this 17514x64v15.iso includes DiskGenius and lots of other tools ( the iso needs to be extracted to usb, using usb7ice or similar)

usb7ice

I'd like to clone the 750GB HDD to a 320GB HDD. If possible I'll be using ATI WD (or Seagate) edition (2016), but would use another free solution....
I'll back up (and delete) most of the music, data and documents to another external HDD so the installation fits the smaller drive. I'll also uninstall a few larger programs (CS6, MS Office, Acrobat, etc.) before reinstalling on a newer laptop.Is this going to be possible?

 

[Snick]

Perfect Disk will allow you to shrink a partition beyond what most other free programs permit
Some Win files are on the end of the partition, yea, figures, hard to move, yes
Perfect Disk will move that and preserve the integrity of the partion.
I use AOMEI and only image the DATA not free space.
If you use Perfect Disk
then AOMEI Backupper
I've had excellent success, and they are newbie, not so tech savvy, friendly!
How to shrink a Windows harddisk and migrate to SSD | Robin ...
Perfect Disk Prep for Shrink
Bill

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

As long as the data on the drive you are cloning from has 75-80% of the capacity available on the smaller drive, you can clone it with some programs. I've done it with Macrium Reflect using Intelligent Sector Cloning (Forensic Cloning will copy every sector on the source disk, whether they are in use or not).

The reason for the 75-80% figure is an HDD needs 10-15% free space to work properly (it's 20-25% with SSDs, btw).

 

[SIW2]

Aomei backupper is very good - it is on the boot disk I linked. However like most imaging programs, it doesn't have an exclude function.

The source has too much data for the target disk. Defragging won't help with that.

The OP will therefore have to either move the data before "cloning", or use a program that allows exclusions from "clones"/images.

Only a few imaging programs allow exclusions. O&O and diskgenius are two that I know of.

Perfect Disk will allow you to shrink a partition beyond what most other free programs permit
Some Win files are on the end of the partition, yea, figures, hard to move, yes
Perfect Disk will move that and preserve the integrity of the partion.
I use AOMEI and only image the DATA not free space.
If you use Perfect Disk
then AOMEI Backupper
I've had excellent success, and they are newbie, not so tech savvy, friendly!
How to shrink a Windows harddisk and migrate to SSD | Robin ...
Perfect Disk Prep for Shrink
Bill