Cloning HDD

bojan · #1 23-10-2022, 07:34 AM

Since my old(?) Lenovo G570 (originally W'7 Home, now upgraded to W'10 Home) became quite slow recently, I decided do speed-up things a bit by cloning old HDD (600GB) to new SSD (Crucial 1TB). Then I planned to revert original HDD to factory settings (W'7 Home) and then install only applications that I really need on that lap.

Using Macrium free, cloning to SSD went apparently OK (first time it ended with error 8", on second attempt the process finished without error after ~3 hours) but resulting "100% copy/clone" doesn't boot.

I didn't expect that.. I saw a lots of discussions (meaningless for me) on web re this.. but shouldn't a clone be a clone, meaning the same. meaning bootable just as original?
I checked everything couple of times, all 4 partitions seems to be copied according to Macrium.

How can I sort this out, any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

RB (Andrew) · #2 23-10-2022, 08:42 AM

The way I change my internal laptop HDD is by taking the original C: out of the laptop and installing a new HDD in the laptop.
Then hook up the original via USB and boot up Clonezilla on a CD.
I clone the original C: back onto the new internal HDD.
When finished I disconnect the original and reboot from the new internal C:

I never have issues using this method.

Clonezilla is free and an excellent 1:1 clone tool.
Every few years I upgrade the internal HDD to avoid failures and keep the original in case I need to revert back.
Also, a great way to keep a backup copy of the HDD.

I've used Macrium in the past but I much prefer Clonezilla.

Don't know if this helps.

RB

bojan · #3 23-10-2022, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RB

.. Don't know if this helps.

RB

It certainly does help, thank you!
I will try asap.

RB (Andrew) · #4 23-10-2022, 08:50 AM

Windows doesn't like it when it boots from a drive that's been cloned externally apparently.
This method has always worked for me.

bojan · #5 23-10-2022, 10:21 AM

OK, I am on this..
Which Clonezilla should I use to make (with Rufus) the bootable USB stick?
Thanks in advance!

RB (Andrew) · #6 23-10-2022, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bojan

OK, I am on this..
Which Clonezilla should I use to make (with Rufus) the bootable USB stick?
Thanks in advance!

Try stable - 3.0.1-8

I've never tried a zip via USB stick, I've only burned a CD via ISO.

bojan · #7 23-10-2022, 05:57 PM

Andrew,
I have USB stick, made from ISO, and it boots OK (download was very slow).
Since I already cloned my HDD to SSD (with Macrium), I already have 4 partitions on it, named:
sdb1, sdb2, sdb3, sdb4.
Should I format the target first?

Source HDD has the same:
sda1, sda2, sda3, sda4.

Do I transfer one of them at the time, or they will be transferred all at once?
I am just extra careful, mistakes here can be catastrophic :-)

RB (Andrew) · #8 23-10-2022, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bojan

Andrew,
I have USB stick, made from ISO, and it boots OK (download was very slow).
Since I already cloned my HDD to SSD (with Macrium), I already have 4 partitions on it, named:
sdb1, sdb2, sdb3, sdb4.
Should I format the target first?

Source HDD has the same:
sda1, sda2, sda3, sda4.

Do I transfer one of them at the time, or they will be transferred all at once?
I am just extra careful, mistakes here can be catastrophic :-)

So if I’m understanding you correctly, you are going to clone your original HDD which is externally connected to the laptop to the new internal SSD which already has a copy of all the data of the Original HDD and has four partitions, sda1,2,3,4, just like the Original HDD, correct?

And you’re going to overwrite the internal SSD correct?
If so then do a complete clone of the HDD to the SSD.
You will end up with all four partitions of the same original size on the new SSD
and have empty room since the SSD is larger.

Once you have the cloning complete, disconnect the original HDD and boot up,
If all is well then use something like Partition Magic to enlarge your partitions to the sizes you’d like on the SSD.

bojan · #9 23-10-2022, 06:49 PM

Actually, both drives are inside laptop. HDD is in it's own slot (sda), SSD is in place of DVD drive (sdb).

Clonezilla also shows partitions on both drives, that is why I am a bit confused (I will continue tomorrow, now I feel a bit overwhelmed with all this).

RB (Andrew) · #10 23-10-2022, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bojan

Actually, both drives are inside laptop. HDD is in it's own slot (sda), SSD is in place of DVD drive (sdb).

Clonezilla also shows partitions on both drives, that is why I am a bit confused (I will continue tomorrow, now I feel a bit overwhelmed with all this).

The SSD needs to be in the HDD slot to start with, if your laptop boots from there.
You will be cloning back onto the SSD and the laptop has to see it in that slot once you first boot up after the cloning is finished.

RB

bojan · #11 24-10-2022, 04:28 AM

OK, I have that arrangement (last time I selected wrong menu, and I had partition list instead of disk-disk.
Job started at 6:05.

bojan · #12 24-10-2022, 06:24 AM

After 1 hour, success!
This laptop is as new, actually faster than ever, even with w'10 upgrade. (originally it was w'7 home).

Thank you for your help!

I have one more question: can I expand/shrink C:\ partition using windows disk manager?

RB (Andrew) · #13 24-10-2022, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bojan

After 1 hour, success!
This laptop is as new, actually faster than ever, even with w'10 upgrade. (originally it was w'7 home).

Thank you for your help!

I have one more question: can I expand/shrink C:\ partition using windows disk manager?

Great job!!

It's been a very long time since I've adjusted partitions and from memory, disk manager is kind of limited.

I've prefer using either Partition Wizard by miniTools or Partition Magic which show all the spacing on the disk and allows you to use up free space that disk manager won't, they do things that disk manager can't.

Try them and see how you go with it.

https://www.partitionwizard.com/free...n-manager.html

https://www.easeus.com/partition-mas...l-version.html

RB

bojan · #14 24-10-2022, 09:02 AM

Excellent, thanks again!
Bojan

bojan · #15 24-09-2024, 12:53 PM

Everything went fine with cloning last time, except not the whole SSD is used (I could not expand the partitions but it doesn't matter really)

Now I have the opposite problem - The target SSD is a bit smaller (by ~6GB) and Clonezilla can't do the job.
I know that I should use larger disk, but.. :-)

Is there a way to overcome this somehow, for example to use only OS partition and not bother with system recovery one?
Thanks in advance!

Leo.G (Leo) · #16 24-09-2024, 04:49 PM

A program my son uses which is AOMEI and my son mentioned you can move partitions with partition clone (copy not move, sorry), he also mentioned if you can somehow repartition the source drive (one being copied from) to 10GB smaller than the SSD it will give you access to 4GB you didn't have.
Sorry, that probably sounds terribly confusing but shrink your original partition if you can, it may require a few files be deleted. That way the target drive will be large enough and that 10GB you shrink the partition may not actually be in use anyway.

I apologise, I've been doing this crap for over 30 years and my brain has said "enough" and I no longer keep up with what software is out there to use.

bojan · #17 24-09-2024, 05:17 PM

Hi Leo,

Thank you for the reply :-)
I managed to set Clonezilla (in expert mode) to clone shrunk C: drive (by 5GB).
I am using that new SSD now :-)

The only issue is, I have now 4GB un-allocated.. disk manager (W'7) refuses to expand the drive... I will sort it out later.

Leo.G (Leo) · #18 24-09-2024, 06:27 PM

I kept up with Windows until 98, the last large expensive OS book I ever purchased.
I have qualifications in IT (electronics and electrical and little memory of any of it) I just got sick of anything beyond repairing hardware issues. I used to repair motherboards and graphic cards at a component level back pre Pentium things. Now I can't even remember how to use my oscilloscope......

Add in the books titled Building and repairing PC's, Hardware bible and others I have a lot of expensive reading material I read cover to cover and used to remember (I formerly had an Eidetic memory and was considered smart in several fields (and turned down a state managers position with a major Japanese electronics firm with a $250K salary on offer-I wasn't driving across the stupid Harbour bridge every day to get to work and home, not for all of the tea in China 1980s))), now I barely remember my own name and never what day it is. Now I hardly remember why I leave a room, 3 seconds later.

bojan · #19 24-09-2024, 06:36 PM

Eh.. you are joking mate :-) it can't be that bad.. I am 74 and struggling a bit with memory (it used to be photographic..) but still not kicking a bucket :-)

Your posts are telling me different story :-)

Anyways, don't worry, I will sort this out

Leo.G (Leo) · #20 24-09-2024, 08:18 PM

I'm 64 and think my main issue is a lack of movement, I'm a person of little physical activity with migraines every day. When I started walking after a heart attack in 2012 my memory recall improved incredibly but every step with a migraine is like an explosion going off in my head. I do a few push ups and chin ups when I can to keep a little upper body strength up but that's about it.

Keep moving to keep going.