Clone disk to partition?

[wolvers]

Hi,

I want to clone a boot disk to a partition on another disk, is this possible? I've got 3 windows installations that I'd like to backup on one larger drive if possible.

Acronis doesn't seem to be able to do this as it wants to create all new partitions on the destination disk.

Thanks

 

[Lanz]

You can do a manual copy of all the data and then use another util (or your windows disk) to repair the boot files.

 

[Raumarik]

Ghost can image from drive to partition or partition to partition (or indeed disk to image, then image to partition). I do tend to use older versions but have done it in the past. The only thing is I'm not convinced that the various Windows installs would be happy afterwards!

We use to image the second partition of one drive into a larger single partition on another drive on our dells at work when they went bonkers.

If you just want a backup though why not just image the 3 installs into separate ghost images and store them somewhere?

 

[MoodyB]

Hi,

I want to clone a boot disk to a partition on another disk, is this possible? I've got 3 windows installations that I'd like to backup on one larger drive if possible.

Thanks

DriveImage XML

http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm


Gparted Live

http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.php


Partimage

http://www.partimage.org/Main_Page


Clonezilla

http://clonezilla.org/


Have used the first 3 with no problems here. DriveImage is easier to use as it can run within Windows. It can also be run from a cd/dvd/usb drive, but has to be as part of a BartPE recovery cd.

The last 3 can be run from their own boot cd/dvd/usb drive as they are linux based utilities & the download includes all the necessary files. You just burn the iso's and off you go. Handy to have if your pc goes south & you need to replace the boot partition, etc...

 

[wolvers]

Thanks for your replies.

You can do a manual copy of all the data and then use another util (or your windows disk) to repair the boot files.

Wouldn't I have to put the HDDs in another machine to do this?

If you just want a backup though why not just image the 3 installs into separate ghost images and store them somewhere?

Imaging, that's something that I need to learn about. I've always just cloned my HDDs. If I create an image of each install, how do I use those images to restore an install if, say, a HDD fails?

 

[Chris1712]

I'm interested in doing this now my W7 install is where I need it to be. Whats the best (free?) imaging package which will allow me to image my whole install do some kind of file, which I can use in the future to restore to?

 

[MoodyB]

Forgot about Macrium Reflect Free :

http://www.macrium.com/ReflectFree.asp

 

[Raumarik]

Imaging, that's something that I need to learn about. I've always just cloned my HDDs. If I create an image of each install, how do I use those images to restore an install if, say, a HDD fails?

Put them on a USB drive, boot off it and image to the new HDD. Takes a bit of setting up though. Alternatively save the image file onto a second HDD and if the first one with the OS breaks simply pop the new drive in, boot off a Ghost CD and image back from the backup you have on the second hard disk (or indeed if it's small enough put the image on DVD)

Tons of alternatives!

I'm interested in doing this now my W7 install is where I need it to be. Whats the best (free?) imaging package which will allow me to image my whole install do some kind of file, which I can use in the future to restore to?

If you have Pro then the built in backup is OK.. I use it but don't really like it much! Too damn slow!

MoodyB has posted some good alternatives, some will be more user friendly than others so it's just a case of finding one your comfortable with. Alternatively there are several paid-for products like Acronis True Image and Symantec Ghost. Acronis is ace but I end up using Ghost purely as I'm more familiar with it.

 

[wolvers]

Thanks for the links MoodyB. DriveImage XML seems simple to use in Windows to create the image. I guess I can use one of the others to restore the image to a drive rather than have to mess about with BartPE?

 

[MoodyB]

I guess I can use one of the others to restore the image to a drive rather than have to mess about with BartPE?

I doubt it tbh, but not 100%. Part of what it creates is an XML file, but you have the other part of the image to deal with as well.

Try the free version of Macrium Reflect. It also runs from within windows & has an option built-in to create a backup/utility cd/dvd with the program on it.

The full version has 2 other options for creating backup/utility discs if the free version doesn't play nice, and isn't that expensive at £25 iirc. It also lets you try it for 30days, but only lets you use one of the backup/utility disk options when its paid for afaik.