Win7 fast cloning and booting from multiple partitions

[onidarbe]

Hi,
I'm able to clone and boot from other partitions using free software, but I would like to automate it a bit.

So what I do now is:
1) Delete "\DosDevices\C:" in "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices" and some other DosDevices that will have an other letter booting the clone.

2) Using the free MiniTool from partitionwizard.com, I delete a partition I don't need anymore and clone the one running in it.
PS: PartitionWizard will reboot and clone it unless I copy an other not active partition (previous clone) which can not have been booted yet so "\DosDevices\C:" is still absent.

3) Now I need to run "bcdboot f:\windows /s f:" in a cmd/dos-window or batchfile
where "f:" is the new created clone. Or use EasyBCD.

4) Then I also use the free version of boot-us.com to be able to hide and protect the other not needed clones or original partition when booting and using a clone.

So I don't really need the BCD bootmanager from Win7. It gives only more things do to to prepare the cloned partition. I even don't need the "\DosDevices\C:" in the registry, because I need to take it out before cloning.

Is there a way to skip or delete the BCD and boot into the only not hidden active partition called C:, which will have any other serialnumber?

Is there a way to keep "\DosDevices\C:" out of the registry or change it after making a clone-copy. Maybe be able to change the registry from a non active partition with a simple batchfile. Or maybe even have "\DosDevices\C:" be deleted everytime when windows is booting before it is automaticly been rewritten into the registry with the active partition?

Any input would be welcome on automating cloning Win7 several times forward and backwards.

Thank,
Michel

 

[Bernardus]

All I know is that running BCD you can delete the extra startup entries of which you boot from. One however must be present or the drive won't boot. (the program will warn you about that)

 

[gregrocker]

Partition Wizard does not clone. Use an imaging/cloning program for best results.

I recommend Acronis True Image, which has a free version if there is a WD or Seagate HD in the mix.

You can select which drives you want to clone, whether you want to include MBR and Track0. I would.

If you want to leave behind the SysReserved partition, then skip MBR and Track 0, after cloning unplug all other HD's, boot the Win7 DVD/Repair CD to mark C Active and run Startup Repair 3 times.