Drive image question!

[Alsenor]

You really need a place to back up your files more often, unless you plan to regularly clone your HD as backup.

I understand. I have several drives from previous machines that I use externally for that purpose.
Also, being retired, there is no vital current business stuff on my PC any longer. Another few years, and nobody will care about what was on my drives. :sarc:

 

[karlsnooks]

Read or reread this tutorial. You will find that by making a system image of your hard drive, that you will be able to a restore to another drive if the need ever arises, assuming that you will restore to a drive of equal or greater size.

You might find following of interest:
________________________________________
DISK – COPY/CLONE/PARTITION/BACKUP/RESTORE SOFTWARE

PARTITION WIZARD (a favorite of many SevenForum contributors)
Free download. Move/resize/delete/etc partitions.
Go to their web page and download the “bootable CD” version.
Free Download Magic Partition Manager Software – Partition Wizard Online

MACRIUM REFLECT
Macrium Reflect Backup and Hard Disk Imaging for Windows 7, Vista, XP and Server 2003/2008
Hard disk image and backup software.

PARAGON BACKUP AND RECOVERY SOFTWARE
Free Backup Software: Paragon Backup & Recovery Free Advanced Edition - Overview
Backup & Recovery Free Edition
Based on the commercial backup and recovery software from Paragon.

EASEUS DISK COPY
Free hard disk copy, disk clone, partition copy, backup.
EASEUS Disk Copy: Free Disk Copy, Disk Clone, Partition Copy Software. Sector by Sector for hard drive backup freeware.

 

[Alsenor]

Read or reread this tutorial. You will find that by making a system image of your hard drive, that you will be able to a restore to another drive if the need ever arises, assuming that you will restore to a drive of equal or greater size.

Yes, and therein lies the problem. If your main HD is 650, and your second drive is only 500, you can't do it.

 

[karlsnooks]

Read again.

How many partitions/volumes on that drive? How much space does your C drive occupy?. Post the maximized output of a snapshot of the output of Disk Management. I've gone from big to small a couple of times.

 

[gregrocker]

I've gone from big to small a couple of times.

Cloning?

He wants a clone backup, ready to plug in.

 

[karlsnooks]

I'm awaiting the snapshot. And yes, cloning.

 

[Alsenor]

I'm awaiting the snapshot. And yes, cloning.

Here:

 

[karlsnooks]

With shrinking and the use of Partition Wizard, you can reduce your big drive to less space required than the small one. When you do you want the space at the end of the the big one to be unallocated.

As an example, after shrinking then I'd be able to "clone" to a 100 GB drive.

 

[Alsenor]

With shrinking and the use of Partition Wizard, you can reduce your big drive to less space required than the small one. When you do you want the space at the end of the the big one to be unallocated.

As an example, after shrinking then I'd be able to "clone" to a 100 GB drive.

View attachment 96286

If you have successfully done that it would be great, and I'll try it too. Have to see it to believe it though.

 

[karlsnooks]

Quite understandable and correct.

Let me know if you have any questions. I did use Windows 7 Backup and Restore with a System Restore Disc for the restore portion.

 

[Wishmaster]

Read or reread this tutorial. You will find that by making a system image of your hard drive, that you will be able to a restore to another drive if the need ever arises, assuming that you will restore to a drive of equal or greater size.

Yes, and therein lies the problem. If your main HD is 650, and your second drive is only 500, you can't do it.

With Acronis you can, reagrdless of the partion size. Provided the "Used" space does not exceed the capacity of the smaller drive.

It will simply resize the partiton during the restore.