Solved Simple straightforward hard drive cloning software?

[Tomha]

Does anyone know of a simple program that will allow me to clone a hard drive of about 800gb onto a partition on the same physical drive as the boot drive, while in the OS, without mounting DVDs and all that kinda thing?

Thanks

 

[Kaktussoft]

So you have a pc/laptop with only 1 harddrive (WIN7 is on it)? You want to clone that drive. Correct?

New drive is larger? Nothing on new drive yet? Old and new drive both SATA or both IDE?

 

[Kaktussoft]

Please post screenhot of "disk management". With all fields visible of source harddisk (the disk you want to clone). After cloning you want to format old harddisk and use it for other purpose?

 

[Tomha]

The drives are all internal 1tb drives from Western Digital in my current rig. I have a temporary install of windows on one of the drives with plenty of room left which I want to use for the backup of the old drive, a second drive with about 780gb of data, all of which I want a copy of. The image illustrates:

As you can see here:
http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...-sysprep-original-hdd-failed.html#post1987779
I am trying to get the old disk working, but failing that I will reformat and perform a fresh install of windows. That I can handle by myself, I just want to make sure I have a copy of everything on it before I do this.

 

[Kaktussoft]

you want to clone disk 0 to disk 2? Or do you want to backup E and G to disk 1?

 

[Tomha]

Backup E and G to disk 1, sorry if that created confusion, I say clone because I am aware sometimes things that give you "backups" end up giving you giant files you cant use or something, I want an exact copy of all the files, but can't just use copy/paste because windows wont let me do this for many of the files, especially restricted ones such as the user files.

 

[Kaktussoft]

I think you want to backup E and G to disk 1. Correct? If so:

• Defrag G
• Shrink G so make it as small as possible. For example 800GB. Can also be done with partition wizard
• Defrag C
• Shrink C to make space from the backup. Most likely this is not possible due to open files and MFT in the middle!! Solution: Install "Partition wizard manager" and let him do the shrink. Free Partition Magic alternative, partition manager freeware, partition magic server, partition magic Windows 7 and free Partition Manager software for Windows 7/8/VISTA/XP/2000 and Windows Server 2003/2008/2000. home edition is freeware!! Make the C partition about 100GB so there is enough space for the backup
• Label E as "System Reserved Old" and label G as "Windows Old" so it's easy to see what is what

Post disk management screenshot when done.
How to Move/Resize Partition with partition manager? Partition Wizard Move/Resize Partition Video Help. resize C changing the right partition border NOT the left, otherwise most likely system doesn't boot!

 

[Kaktussoft]

Backup E and G to disk 1, sorry if that created confusion, I say clone because I am aware sometimes things that give you "backups" end up giving you giant files you cant use or something, I want an exact copy of all the files, but can't just use copy/paste because windows wont let me do this for many of the files, especially restricted ones such as the user files.

Copy/paste files is not what you want! You want sort of copy/paste partition. All info like file owner/security and registry settings should be saved

 

[Kaktussoft]

Well if you just want to break the sysprep process: try this when booting from old drive (new drive disconnected)

1. When the error: Windows could not finish configuring the system. To attempt to resume configuration, restart the computer. Press SHIFT – F10. Don’t press OK.
2. Start compmgmt.msc, enable the administrator user, or create an extra user with administrator rights. Or do net user yourusername /active:Yes
3. Start Regedit
4. Go to HKLM\System\Setup
5. Clear the Cmdline value
6. Reset the MiniSetupInProgress, SetupType and SystemSetupInProgress to 0 / zero
7. Restart the machine

Post results

 

[Tomha]

Im running the defrag now. In regards to your previous post, what did you mean by " You ant"? I can't quite tell what those last 2 sentences are trying to say due to that, I'm sure its just a typo, but none the less.

As for the sysprep process, I'll try that, but come to think of it, I would still like that backup. A fresh install would actually solve quite a few of my problems, at least having a backup allows me to easily do that by myself.

 

[Kaktussoft]

ant=want

 

[Kaktussoft]

Well if you just want to break the sysprep process: try this when booting from old drive (new drive disconnected)

1. When the error: Windows could not finish configuring the system. To attempt to resume configuration, restart the computer. Press SHIFT – F10. Don’t press OK.
2. Start compmgmt.msc, enable the administrator user, or create an extra user with administrator rights. Or do net user yourusername /active:Yes
3. Start Regedit
4. Go to HKLM\System\Setup
5. Clear the Cmdline value
6. Reset the MiniSetupInProgress, SetupType and SystemSetupInProgress to 0 / zero
7. Restart the machine

Post results

After this you have to install hotfix A Windows 7 or a Windows Server 2008 R2 image deployment process stops when you try to deploy the image on another computer
reboot and try to sysprep again

 

[Tomha]

Is there any kind of program or something that allows you to save installed files, cd keys, certain registry changes, etc and allow you to easily restore them after an install? For example I have microsoft office 2010, but my product key came in an email which has since been lost to a stuff up with the server, trying to get this working again would be a huge hassle.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Is there any kind of program or something that allows you to save installed files, cd keys, certain registry changes, etc and allow you to easily restore them after an install? For example I have microsoft office 2010, but my product key came in an email which has since been lost to a stuff up with the server, trying to get this working again would be a huge hassle.

Windows Easy Transfer - Windows 7 features - Microsoft Windows does it partitially

But better..... make backups using windows backup or "system image"

 

[Kaktussoft]

Still defragging? Still shrinking partitions? Or are you trying to cancel sysprep and boot from old drive?

 

[Tomha]

How do I use windows backup? I can't find it anywhere.

The defrag process is still going on G (its slow ). Almost done though..I assume...part3:3% consolidated?. Once the partitions are all set I'll let you know, I'm gonna try get a backup before I try fix it, then I will fix that, start grabbing my second lot of backups using the tools you have suggested, then I will reformat and start a fresh install.

Thank you soooo much for the help, its incredibly helpful and I appreciate it a lot

 

[Kaktussoft]

Is there any kind of program or something that allows you to save installed files, cd keys, certain registry changes, etc and allow you to easily restore them after an install? For example I have microsoft office 2010, but my product key came in an email which has since been lost to a stuff up with the server, trying to get this working again would be a huge hassle.

First solve the current problem!

 

[Kaktussoft]

Did you install Partition Wizard Home edition? Do it now! Shrink C to about 100GB and G to about 800GB. unallocated space should appear now on the right side (not the left!) of both partitions. Take at look at the free space next to C and the size of partition G. Does G fit in the free space after C? Now press apply. You have to reboot I think.

Post screenshot of disk management after reboot

 

[Tomha]

Shrinking G at the moment, just under 800gb

 

[Kaktussoft]

Shrinking G at the moment, just under 800gb

partition wizard moves files being located at end of partition to another location... so it can shrink.

Shrink (use partition wizard move/resize) C as well. Make it about 100GB. Of course apply changes and reboot
Post screenshot of "disk management" afterwards