Win 7 to new hard drive

[wbeans]

Win 7 to new hard drive [Imaging failed]

My hard drive is failing due to a bad sector so I plan on buying the exact replacement for $50 from newegg. What do I need to do to get my Windows 7 onto the new hard drive?

 

[DocBrown]

Is it working well enough to make an image backup ?

:ar: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html

 

[wbeans]

Yes, it's crashed twice within the past 2wks. I'm actually on it right now, but this time I have the S.M.A.R.T. notification saying the hard drive is going to fail.

For the back up image part I see:

1. Dell Utility
2. Recovery
3. OS (C

 

[mjf]

As long as you are moving to a HDD the same size or larger it's very simple.
I have made two HDDs this way:

With Windows imaging
1) Image old disk to ext HDD
2) Replace old HDD with new HDD (no prep needed - straight out of the bag). Do NOT leave both drives connected.
3) Boot with System Repair Disk or install DVD and reimage to new HDD

That's it for the Windows bootable part of the job.

Products like Macrium will also work (with Macrium you need to image 100MB system reserved if you have one and say YES to MBR replace). When reimaging you need to reimage both the system reserved and the Windows OS partition separately. Macrium may require you to reformat the disk beforehand.
I find Windows imaging simpler for this task since it does all the above automatically.

For your Dell RECOVERY and Dell UTILITY. Definitely use Macrium for these partitions. I did exactly the same for an Acer recovery partition.

So I:
1) Restored the OS partition and disk partition structure with Windows imaging.
2) Followed up later with Macrium to put the manufacturers partitions back.

 

[wbeans]

So I can just use the Windows Image tool to put it on my external HDD then use the recovery disc when I get the new HDD?

How do I do the imaging from the ext HDD?

 

[wbeans]

OK, gotcha, Windows for the OS and Macrium for the other 2.

How do I do the reimaging though?

 

[mjf]

You store your images on an external HDD.
Windows:
You boot with a system repair DVD and choose the restore an image option. It will pick the lastest image but you can tell it to show all image options. Also occasionally "refresh" the scan if it didn't find it.
Macrium:
Boot with the linux boot the recovery CD/DVD. and select the partitions to restore.

Windows and Macrium will make the recovery disks. I suggest you try BOTH ahead of imaging. Obviously just exit when you're happy they are working.

 

[bones1]

As long as you are moving to a HDD the same size or larger it's very simple.
I have made two HDDs this way:

With Windows imaging
1) Image old disk to ext HDD
2) Replace old HDD with new HDD (no prep needed - straight out of the bag). Do NOT leave both drives connected.
3) Boot with System Repair Disk or install DVD and reimage to new HDD

That's it for the Windows bootable part of the job.

Products like Macrium will also work (with Macrium you need to image 100MB system reserved if you have one and say YES to MBR replace). When reimaging you need to reimage both the system reserved and the Windows OS partition separately. Macrium may require you to reformat the disk beforehand.
I find Windows imaging simpler for this task since it does all the above automatically.

For your Dell RECOVERY and Dell UTILITY. Definitely use Macrium for these partitions. I did exactly the same for an Acer recovery partition.

So I:
1) Restored the OS partition and disk partition structure with Windows imaging.
2) Followed up later with Macrium to put the manufacturers partitions back.

Hello, which drives are you referring too here?

 

[wbeans]

I made a system repair disc using windows and on another cd i made one with Macrium already

I've been running the image back up for about 20min now and its only about 30% done (guessing by progress bar)

Once I get my new HDD I do this:

Put Windows Recovery CD in disc drive and have external HDD plugged in and restore image

For the other 2 partitions its the same thing but using the Macrium recovery?

Sorry for all the ?'s, I just need a simple walkthrough of all the steps I take

 

[mjf]

I made a system repair disc using windows and on another cd i made one with Macrium already

I've been running the image back up for about 20min now and its only about 30% done (guessing by progress bar)

Once I get my new HDD I do this:

Put Windows Recovery CD in disc drive and have external HDD plugged in and restore image

For the other 2 partitions its the same thing but using the Macrium recovery?

Sorry for all the ?'s, I just need a simple walkthrough of all the steps I take

Yes you look on track.
Just note that when reimaging to the new HDD the old HDD must NOT be connected.
Re: the windows imaging time depend on a number of factors. Are you imaging around 100GB? Also, for some Windows imaging appears to present a problem I guess due to some particular system configuration. Your imaging should complete and ask if you want to make another recovery DVD (yes or no is up to you).

PS: If Windows imaging plays up on you just do the lot with Macrium. I just find Windows imaging simpler for the first step.

 

[mjf]

Hello, which drives are you referring too here?

I'm referring to the original OS drive to be imaged then replaced
and
the new clean HDD which will become the replacement.

But if you have other drives connected, I suggest you disconnect the sata cables on all of them until the process is completed.

 

[wbeans]

Yes 132GB I'm imaging, thanks for the help so far....Windows Imaging was almost completed but just crapped on me so I'm just gonna use Macrium and back up all 3 at once to my HDD

Also, will be removing my current HDD and putting in the exact replacement, and my external hdd will be connected for the imaging part

 

[mjf]

Yes 132GB I'm imaging, thanks for the help so far....Windows Imaging was almost completed but just crapped on me so I'm just gonna use Macrium and back up all 3 at once to my HDD

Also, will be removing my current HDD and putting in the exact replacement, and my external hdd will be connected for the imaging part

If you have a system reserved say "Yes" when Macrium askes to replace the MBR. Say "No" for the other partitions.
If you have no Sys reserved and just the one OS system partition say "Yes" to MBR replacement here and "No" elsewhere.

You may (????) need to format the new HDD first when using Macrium for everything.

By the way what error did Windows imaging give you?

 

[SIW2]

Shouild be able to restore macrium images directly without needing to partition/format the drive.

 

[wbeans]

Honestly I can't remember, I should have wrote it down. I was typing on this forum I think, then I went to close and the computer started going slow, like it did the first time it crashed but instead the bar just turned red and gave me a an error starting with 0 I think. I just called home and it said 30min left on the overall process. I won't be home for another 8hrs from now.

What do you mean by system reserve and when will it ask me that?

 

[wbeans]

Well from what my parents just told me the imaging through Macrium failed too. I already got all the files I need backed up, might need a few more.

When I get the new HDD can I just use the recovery disk I burned to re-install Win7?

 

[mjf]

When you get back to your computer post a screen shot from "Disk Management" - type it in the lower left search box. Use the snipping tool on windows which makes a jpeg. Click on the little paper click on the posting screen to upload.
Many systems have a small 100MB partition with no letter which can be seen in Disk Management but not windows explorer. It contains important boot files and Windows looks after it.
If Windows imaging is going to play up on you just stick with Macrium. Take note of my earlier instructions with regard to the MBR. The MBR is an important 512 bytes at the very beginning of your HDD. It also contains vital information about the disk and is also important for booting. Macrium always automatically keeps a copy of this and you just need to make sure you tell Macrium to put a copy of it back on your new HDD.

 

[wbeans]

Like I said, the Macrium failed too

 

[mjf]

Like I said, the Macrium failed too

Missed your post in between typing.
Well that's a worry! Maybe your HDD is very sick indeed and the cause of image failures by 2 different apps..

The system repair disk will not reinstall Windows 7. If you made recovery disks when you bought the PC then they should restore to factory condition. Failing that for a modest cost order the restore/recovery disks from the manufacturer.
If it was in warranty you'd let them fix the lot.

When you get your PC running again I would strongly recommend you try using both Windows imaging and Macrium. I don't want to preach but imaging should be done periodically as part of general backup.

 

[wbeans]

I never made recovery discs

I got this laptop in 2009, it is a Dell Inspiron 1745

So basically, I'm SOL right