Installing Windows 7 image on external HDD using Macrium Reflect

[slipstream55]

Hello, Seven Forum members.

I am getting ready to upgrade my laptop HDD from a 750GB HDD to a 1 TB HDD. When I setup my laptop initially, I used 2 partitions (C and D partitions) with no 100MB Boot Table partition as Windows 7 wanted to do.

After the HDD/Windows 7 setup, I created an image of the C: drive (No D: image) using Macrium Reflect. I have Macrium Reflect installed on the laptop as well as a Macrium Reflect bootable recovery CD.

I would like to put the 1 TB HDD in an external USB enclosure and install the image onto it externally (C partition) from another external USB HDD that has the image file located on it. Once the image is installed on the 1TB HDD, I would then swap it out with the HDD currently installed in my laptop as the image also includes the drivers for the laptop. Note: I tried to install the image file (about 15GB) on a 32 GB USB stick but got an error message saying there was not enough room on the USB stick so I put it on an external USB HDD.

Can I install the Windows 7 image I have onto the new HDD externally (it will be pre-partitioned and formatted) using Macrium Reflect without any issues and is the C: image the only file I need to install? I wasn't sure if the original Windows 7 install put anything on the D: partition or not. It has been 6 years or so since I originally did the Windows 7 installation.

Thanks for any input in advance. I hope I can do this.

Mark

 

[SIW2]

You would be better using winntsetup to support booting 7 from usb connected drive.

OneDrive

 

[slipstream55]

I wasn't very clear with my questions regarding an image load on a new HDD using Macrium Reflect so I'll try again.

I created an image of my laptop C: drive shortly after installing Windows 7 on my laptop using Macrium Reflect Free. The laptop HDD partition size is approximately 210 GB. The image file size created is approximately 71GB. I would like to install this image on an external 1TB HDD that has a 130GB partition and is formatted. The image file is located on a different external HDD. Both external HDDs are using USB interfaces.

Can I use Macrium Reflect Free to install the image located on one external HDD to another external HDD? Am I going to have problems doing this because of the partition size difference between the original partition image and the smaller new partition?

Thanks for any help in advance.

 

[mjf]

You appear to be saying you want to replace your 750G drive with a 1TB drive with an image restored to the 1TB. I think restoring in a round about fashion by having the 1TB first usb connected then moving it to the laptop may have problems - try it if you're curious.
More to the point why not simply remove the 750GB drive, replace it with the 1TB and restore the system image using a Macrium restore pe disc. You should have a working Macrium restore pe as a basic essential.

 

[slipstream55]

I could do this but can I use the image created from a 210GB partition (old drive) on the new drive which has a 130 GB partition?

 

[mjf]

Yes provided the restored size of the image fits within the new partition size. Based on your comment in post 1 your image size was ~15GB so uncompressed I guess ~25GB so you have heaps of room plus plenty of room for growth.

I suggest you download the Macrium V6 user manual & knowledge base.
http://knowledgebase.macrium.com/display/KNOW/Macrium+Reflect+KnowledgeBase

 

[slipstream55]

It's actually approx. 71GB uncompressed. There are windows updates on the image as well as laptop drivers and some software suites (MS Office, etc). I thought 130GB would be sufficient room for the Windows 7 System partition.

 

[mjf]

71GB uncompressed then 130 GB would be ok . On a HDD you probably want ~10GB for your pagefile. In the past when I've used a 1TB HDD as my OS drive I allocated 200GB for the OS partition and the remainder for a data partition - just a personal decision.