How do I clone a System Partition onto a new Drive

[tomtom185]

Hello,

I recently got a new SSD drive that I was interested in turning into my "System Drive" where I just keep all my system files (and some applications that I want to run fast) so that my boot speed is faster.

So this is what I did:

1. Downloaded EASEUS Disk Copy
2. Booted it from a USB
3. Copied my System Reserve and System Partition onto my SSD
4. Set my System Reserve on my SSD to Active using Diskpart
5. Changed the boot order to run my SSD first at startup

Once I completed all these steps I started up my computer and after my post I get a little white bar "_" that just stays there blinking forever.

I have tried changing my SATA controller to AHCI with the same result. (It's on IDE, now)

Did disk copy not copy some of the files I need to boot with my SSD? Or did I not copy all the correct partitions? Thanks so much for the help!

 

[seavixen32]

Have a look at this tutorial for pointers on anything you may have missed.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/149969-ssd-install-transfer-operating-system.html

 

[whs]

I would start anew. There is apparently something missing.

step 1. move the bootmgr to C - http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/209885-bootmgr-move-c-easybcd.html Then you do not have to mess with the system reserve partition

step 2. create 1 (one) aligned partition on the whole SSD with diskpart as described in my tutorial linked above by Andrew

step 3. Make an image of C - make sure the partition (not only the data) you image is equal or smaller in size as the space on your SSD partition.

step 4. dump the image into the SSD partition you created

step 5. change the boot order and the thing should boot correctly.

step 6. stop defrag for the SSD and get rid of the hiberfile - unless you use hibernation.

 

[tomtom185]

Alright thanks so much for the help, I'm still working on it. I'll let you know, I appreciate it!!

 

[tomtom185]

Okay so here's the update: It worked....kinda.

I can boot up windows on my SDD but when I get to the log in screen I only get a black screen with a cursor (Which is the reason I bought this SSD because I think my HDD is going bad) Now my HDD also has these symptoms. (Go figure it's an exact copy)

Here is how I go it to work:

1. Follow instructions on your tutorial to create a new System Reserve partition
2. Made a C: Partition in Disk Manager
3. Used my EaseUs Disk Copy to just clone my System Reserve and System Drive from my HDD into the Partitions that I created on my SSD with diskpart (I don't have my External right now.)
4. I copied the HDD System Reserve to the 100MB partition I made on the SSD and the C: System Partition to the partition I created with Disk Management (which left some unallocated space on my SSD)
5. I put it as only boot device just to make sure I wasn't getting my other HDD

I think the things that made it work was doing:

Diskpart
List disk
Select disk n (where n is the number that was given for your SSD in List disk)
Clean
Create partition primary size=100 align=1024
Format fs=ntfs quick
Active
Exit

from your tutorial to create the System Reserve on my SSD, then turning the rest of the unallocated space on my SSD into an NTFS (though windows didn't let me make it a logical drive) partition using Disk Management.

I didn't try to mess around with partition manager because I'm not that used to images yet.

Thanks so much for getting me this far!!!

 

[tomtom185]

Oh My Goodness! No, sooner did I finish posting that message when my computer randomly pops out of the black screen and starts up. That means it must have taken sitting in the black screen for about 10 minutes for windows to actually start.

Any ideas, or should I post a new thread?

 

[whs]

It looks to me that you had a serious problem with your OS on the HDD and now you have transported that problem to the SSD. That is not the fault of the SSD or the setup you made.

Before we go any further, we first have to fix your basic problem - on SSD or HDD. A new thread would help if you can describe the problem - but you can also continue here.

I think you have 2 options:

1. a repair/install trying to get it fixed on your current system: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

2. if #1 does not help, you should consider a reinstall directly to the SSD. Make sure though that you have all your data backed up (should be in the image anyhow). I know that is painful, but chasing the problem may take longer.

 

[tomtom185]

I'm making some progress.

I booted into Safe Mode and followed this guide to disable all my start up services but windows ones.

I can now boot into windows normally, which makes me think that maybe this isn't my HDD and it has to do with some software I have installed. I am currently using WD Lifeguard to fully scan my HDD for errors (to see if it was just bad sectors that my SSD inherited) and if nothing comes up I'll have to guess and check which program is interfering I guess.

The strange thing is that I already clean installed windows about two weeks ago because of this same problem and now it is back again. That makes me think either my HDD is going bad (Which is why I thought to buy this SSD) or some software I installed recently (Pro Tools 8) might be interfering.

Thanks for all the help, you rock!

Edit: Does Repair installing from Windows completely delete all my system files? Meaning that if I have software with settings and Licenses (or whatever they put in there) saved in the registry that I will have to reinstall all those applications?

Double Edit: I just finished the Extended Drive Check with WD Lifeguard that said it "Passed," (pretty vague) but I guess that means it isn't an issue with my HDD.

 

[whs]

Good, in fact you can disable ALL startup programs except the aniti virus and those that you started yourself like gadgets (sidebar), docks (e.g. Rocket Dock), etc.

But this Pro Tools 8 sounds suspicious. I would stay away from such programs.

I think your HDD is OK. The bug is in your installation.

Startup/repair fixes defective system files. Nothing else. It works similar as sfc /scannow except it has access to all system files whilst sfc has only access to those files that are in the mirror (which are only the essential ones). Drivers that were loaded later and program files of programs that you installed afterwards do not get fixed because those are not on the installation disc.

 

[tomtom185]

Okay, I systematically went through and started back up all my Services (Not Start Up programs yet) except ... BitDefender Virus Shield and Bitdefender Desktop Update Service. These two whenever I check the boxes and hit Apply Windows automatically unchecks them.

All my other services are up and running and it restarts fine.

Did windows....fix itself? (I know unbelievable) Maybe Bitdefender was the problem? :huh:

Update: I went through and turned back on all the start up items I knew weren't the issue and then one by one turned back on the ones I thought might be the issue and everything works. The only services that will not start - because I guess windows doesn't let them - are the BitDefender Virus Shield and Desktop Update Services. If BD is the reason my computer doesn't start....that's just wonky. Or Maybe getting it to start up once fixed the initial problem?

 

[gregrocker]

I'd not throttle a new SSD with an old possibly corrupt Win7 installation but instead get the freshest start with a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7. The steps are the same for retail, everything you need is in the link.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164

 

[tomtom185]

I'd not throttle a new SSD with an old possibly corrupt Win7 installation but instead get the freshest start with a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7. The steps are the same for retail, everything you need is in the link.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164

Thanks, I'm thinking I'll have to do this. I just want to know what is causing all these boot problems because I clean installed two weeks ago because of them and they are back again...

 

[badcat]

Good, in fact you can disable ALL startup programs except the aniti virus and those that you started yourself like gadgets (sidebar), docks (e.g. Rocket Dock), etc.

But this Pro Tools 8 sounds suspicious. I would stay away from such programs.

I think your HDD is OK. The bug is in your installation.

Startup/repair fixes defective system files. Nothing else. It works similar as sfc /scannow except it has access to all system files whilst sfc has only access to those files that are in the mirror (which are only the essential ones). Drivers that were loaded later and program files of programs that you installed afterwards do not get fixed because those are not on the installation disc.

Pro Tools is an audio recording and mixing program.

 

[tomtom185]

Pro Tools is an audio recording and mixing program.

Yeah, I just didn't know if it was interfering with other audio drivers or not, I've had it happen before on other systems.

But anyway to get back on topic. I realized that I was fixing my HDD and NOT my SSD. My SSD wasn't booting up so it was automatically starting up my HDD instead.

The good news is that my HDD is now perfectly bootable minus AntiVirus, but the bad news is that the SSD gets an "autochk program not found - skipping autocheck" restart loop to infinity and beyond after "Starting Windows". I am currently clean installing as per gregrocker's suggestion.

We'll see if the black cursor happens in another 2 weeks or not...

My last question would be, what is the best way to save my system drive so that I can easily restore it when the next boot up fail occurs? I read somewhere that I can save an image of windows after I have installed all my updates and drivers and simply restore that image every time I have a problem. Recommendations would be great!

 

[whs]

Yeah, an image is your best option. I use free macrium which is the easiest, most reliable and fastest. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I

For your SSD I recommend a completely new start. But I would first do a secure erase of the SSD with Gparted ( http://www.gskill.us/forum/showthread.php?t=5901 ). That will set it back to factory condition. Best would be if you made a fresh install on the SSD - but unplug the HDD when doing that.

Else you can transfer the current OS with an image. But that transports all your problems too. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/149969-ssd-install-transfer-operating-system.html

 

[tomtom185]

Yeah, an image is your best option. I use free macrium which is the easiest, most reliable and fastest. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I

For your SSD I recommend a completely new start. But I would first do a secure erase of the SSD with Gparted ( http://www.gskill.us/forum/showthread.php?t=5901 ). That will set it back to factory condition. Best would be if you made a fresh install on the SSD - but unplug the HDD when doing that.

Thanks for the tips! I decided to start anew. I didn't secure erase with GParted though (Didn't think to do it) I have my SSD up now and installing updates/drivers

I'm definitely going to check out that Macrium Free Edition. Do you recommend just creating one imaging when I finish installing drivers and updates/core programs, or constantly updating my SSD image as I go along? Or maybe creating one now and then a different one that constantly updates? Thanks, you've been a big help!

 

[whs]

I take an image 3 times per week - and on 2 different external disks (just in case one breaks). If you image infrequently, you lose too much of your work the day you have to recover from an image.

I also image my data partition. That is even more important because if you lost your data, there is really no way to recover it. A system you can always reinstall, but your own data would be lost for good.

PS: the secure erase is not vital, but it helps with performance - write performance in particular. But if you let your system idle for a longer period of time (2 or 3 hours), the SSD garbage collector will cleanup your nands too.

 

[tomtom185]

Thanks! I'm going to set it up just as soon as I finish these updates. Getting to SP1 takes forever...

For me it is almost always the system that screws up. I have back ups of my data now. When my HDs screw up I'm usually able to grab what I need, but I think I'm going to start backing up now just in case. Do you think backing up programs is a good idea too? I know Microsoft backup says it doesn't usually copy the Program Files.

So for me I guess what I need is someway to get the system back up and running fast after it crashes all the time and I can't boot. (I can always find my data by plugging it into my other computers, it's just the HD in question doesn't like to boot) Will having a image of my SSD with Macrium get me back on my feet fast when I can't boot?

 

[gregrocker]

Keep an image of the OS and programs partition which will be restored exactly as it is when imaged. Then if Win7 becomes irreparable reimage it to C and the latest data will be current and waiting on its own separate partition or HD.

Easiest method to link your User folders from OS to data partition is to copy them there, then link each user folder to it's related library: Library - Include a Folder - Windows 7 Forums

 

[tomtom185]

Keep an image of the OS and programs partition which will be restored exactly as it is when imaged. Then if Win7 becomes irreparable reimage it to C and the latest data will be current and waiting on its own separate partition or HD.

Easiest method to link your User folders from OS to data partition is to copy them there, then link each user folder to it's related library: Library - Include a Folder - Windows 7 Forums

Okay wow, wait. You're blowing my mind right now. (Still getting used to Windows 7 two years later)

I was planning on having an OS partition with all the system files and SOME programs that I want to benefit from the SSD (They will benefit right?)

Then I was going to make a Data Partition on my HDD that holds my User folders that I moved over from my SSD (Downloads, Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos) And it would hold the rest of my Program Files that are huge and don't need a speed boost.

Are you saying to just back both of these up and then re-image when I have a problem? I guess I'm not understanding the Library Program Files thing. It seems really sweet, but I just can't wrap my head around what's happening.

Thanks for the input!