Cloning Help

[feelimbz]

Hi! 

Im looking for help for cloning a Seagate 320gb HDD. It been inside my dads pc for a while and its giving him some boot problems, so I want to buy a new one and clone it. The problem is I have never done it before, I have had some help and I pretend to use Macrium Reflect for the process. The question is, do I need a cloning bay or can I just but 2 Sata cables for the process? Can I buy the exact same HDD and not have any problems with the partitions? Is there any info besides this that I need beforehand?

 

Help is appreciated!

[homeap5]

You can find probably hundred topics about Macrium Reflect on this forum.

No matter how you connect both drives. I recommend to use second computer for cloning process - made image first, verify that image and restore that image to second drive. If you have only laptop then just use pendrive and create rescue usb, boot from that usb and made clone that way. If it's too difficult for you - just use program as is and made clone. You don't must buy the same type of drive. You can clone HDD to SSD (which is even recommended).

 

[TheGlenlivet]

Samsung has some pretty good cloning software that is free, but only works with their drives.

A 500GB Sata SSD would be a good option, depending on your budget.

You can do the clone with just one computer that way.

[Vishera]

5 minutes ago, feelimbz said:

do I need a cloning bay or can I just but 2 Sata cables for the process?

You can use both,there is no problem with that.

6 minutes ago, feelimbz said:

Can I buy the exact same HDD and not have any problems with the partitions?

You can even buy a a different drive for it.

8 minutes ago, feelimbz said:

Is there any info besides this that I need beforehand?

Use Sector by sector cloning,it's the most accurate cloning technique.

In Macrium Reflect it's called "Forensic sector copy":

https://knowledgebase.macrium.com/display/KNOW72/Cloning+a+disk

4 minutes ago, homeap5 said:

I recommend to use second computer for cloning process

And i recommend to boot from USB image of Windows,like Hiren’s BootCD PE.

It has Macrium Reflect and everything you need for a rescue environment.

Download link:

https://www.hirensbootcd.org/download/

[homeap5]

Do not use sector by sector, it's no longer 1995 and programs are much better now. Sector by sector is for different reasons.

 

And Macrium Reflect creates WinPE bootable usb with it's internal function.

[Vishera]

Just now, homeap5 said:

Do not use sector by sector, it's no longer 1995 and programs are much better now. Sector by sector is for different reasons.

 

And Macrium Reflect creates WinPE bootable usb with it's internal function.

Many times other options have failed me,the only one that never failed is Sector by sector.

[homeap5]

1 hour ago, Vishera said:

Many times other options have failed me,the only one that never failed is Sector by sector.

Failed for different reasons maybe. I made clones a lot and it always works. Sector by sector is mindless clone method using for copying unknown drives (for example - if your drive is corrupted and you want to made copy for use rescue programs without risk).