Drive cloning question

[mvnsnd]

Is there a software package available that will allow me to make an image of my working system that can then be imaged back onto a smaller drive? I know it's easy to always go larger. I have a 300Gb drive in my laptop that only has about 80Gb of data on it, and a spare 160Gb drive that is empty. I want to make a clone of the larger drive to the smaller one. I would like it to be bootable and ready as an immediate drop-in if I have a drive error. I also understand that if I ever get more data than the smaller drive can hold, it will not work. But for now I would like to make an exact duplicate.

Anyone have any recommendations?

 

[whs]

All commercial programs such as Norton Ghost, Paragon, Acronis and Macrium Pro can do that.

 

[Trembyle]

Hi,

We use Acronis at work to clone an OS onto several drives in production.
It allows the backup image to be placed onto smaller drives, provided the image fits.

 

[zzz2496]

Macrium Reflect

zzz2496

 

[mvnsnd]

All commercial programs such as Norton Ghost, Paragon, Acronis and Macrium Pro can do that.

Thanks whs, I do have Paragon drive copy 10 and while it can make the image, it wants the new drive to be at least as large as the old one as it makes a full image of the current ( larger ) drive. Maybe I just need to explore it a little more.

Any comments on using Microsoft ImageX to do this?

 

[whs]

All commercial programs such as Norton Ghost, Paragon, Acronis and Macrium Pro can do that.

Thanks whs, I do have Paragon drive copy 10 and while it can make the image, it wants the new drive to be at least as large as the old one as it makes a full image of the current ( larger ) drive. Maybe I just need to explore it a little more.

Any comments on using Microsoft ImageX to do this?

Unfortunately I do not have a running Paragon right now. I have uninstalled it long time ago. But you must see how to make a clone - not an image. Maybe the documentation can help you.

 

[mvnsnd]

Thanks again for your help. I did look at the help documentation for cloning ( migrating to a new drive ) and it only mentions going to a larger drive. Of course, I can also look at shrinking the current volume to see if I can get it small enough to fit on the new drive and then grow it again later.

 

[billberry12]

Acronis will do what you want. It will clone a larger drive to a smaller drive. I have been doing that for years. I tried Macrium free, but Acronis is easier for me to understand how to do. I went back to it.

 

[pacinitaly]

download this and it works with ANY HDD. when it asks to buy full program, just hold ALT then T then O



DiscWizard End User License Agreement | Seagate

 

[mvnsnd]

Thanks pacinitaly, I'll take a look at the Seagate software as both are Seagate drives.


I did manage to get Paragon to make the clone. I had to use the console CD to boot and then re-size partitions. The drawback to that was that it also reduced the size of the 100mb recovery partition. But afterward, the system needed a couple of passes with the Windows repair tool and boots just fine now from the smaller drive.

I may still take a look at Acronis too.

Thanks everyone for their inputs on this.

 

[pacinitaly]

you're welcome