Solved How to transfer Windows to a new Hard Drive

[Usmaan]

Dear Experts,

I have an Acer Aspire 5750 Laptop with pre-installed Windows 7. It has a 640GB HDD. I want to replace the existing HDD with a new 1TB HDD. In doing so can i

Transfer the Windows to the new HDD along with the Recovery partition?​

Kindly help me by suggesting a solution. A comprehensive answer will be much appreciated.

 

[whs]

You can try to clone your HDD which does not always work or use images which I prefer.

For imaging and restore refer to this tutorial. This program can also clone.

 

[GeneO]

^This.
You can use Marcum reflect to make a backup image to the non-OS partition on the new drive, then restore it to the OS partition on the new drive.

 

[mjf]

Be careful how you deal with the left over (1TB - 640GB). This will depend on the data structure of your initial ACER 640GB HDD.

 

[dana]

Typically there are two methods used to move from an older/smaller drive to a new and larger drive:
The first is ‘Drive Cloning’ and the second is ‘Drive Imaging’. Disk cloning software may not be aware of the hidden partition and as a result only clone the Windows 7 partition, leaving you with an unbootable hard drive. Disk imaging will create an image of both partitions and restore both to the new hard drive.
Here are more details for you: How to move windows 7 to a new or larger hard drive using Backup and Restore

 

[Usmaan]

You can try to clone your HDD which does not always work or use images which I prefer.

For imaging and restore refer to this tutorial. This program can also clone.

Typically there are two methods used to move from an older/smaller drive to a new and larger drive:
The first is ‘Drive Cloning’ and the second is ‘Drive Imaging’. Disk cloning software may not be aware of the hidden partition and as a result only clone the Windows 7 partition, leaving you with an unbootable hard drive. Disk imaging will create an image of both partitions and restore both to the new hard drive.
Here are more details for you: How to move windows 7 to a new or larger hard drive using Backup and Restore

Thanks for the help guys. I now have a better idea of the task.

Just to have your views on some other things i have found out.

1) Acer support suggested me to use the recovery disks with the new HDD but it won't put the recovery partition in place.

2) Microsoft Help Desk told me to install Windows 7 on the new HDD and then try to activate it using the Key i got with the purchase of this laptop but they weren't particularly sure about this. It seems to be an easier option but somewhat uncertain.

Thanks again guys.

 

[whs]

1. If you have the recovery disk, you do not really need the recovery partition. In addition I suggest you make some images right after the initial installation and when you have installed all your programs and settings. Then you can always fall back to that. It is easier than a reinstall. Frequent images thereafter are also recommended so that your fallbacks are not too old.

2. That recommendation is good. The Windows key that belongs to your PC is on the COA sticker which is on the back of a desktop or the bottom of the laptops (can also be inside the battery compartment). Here is a good tutorial for a clean install.

The COA sticker looks like this:

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

With the exception of one time, when the source disk had already become corrupted, I've had no problems cloning drives with Macrium Reflect Free (the SSD in the notebook computer I'm using right now as cloned from the original HDD). You can always try to clone the original drive to the new one (you may need to expand the partition on the destination disk after cloning but that is easily done with the free Mini Tool Partition Wizard).

If that fails, you can always image the original disk, again with Macrium Reflect Free, then "restore" the image to the new drive (whs linked an excellent tutorial he wrote on how to clone using Macrium Reflect. The problem with imaging is it involves two steps and an intermediary drive to park the image on during the cloning and restoration process (you will also need to make a rescue disk or USB stick). You should have a second 1TB drive anyway to backup the new one so needing another drive shouldn't be a problem.