Format prior to cloning?

Leporello · 27 Jun 2006 at 10:02

Dear Friends,

I've decided to add a SATA drive to my system and I plan to use Acronis True Image to clone my C:\ drive. Could some kind soul advise me whether it will be necessary to format the new drive before I use True Image or will the program take care of that?

Thanks for your attention.

Dutch Guy · 27 Jun 2006 at 10:23

You just need to have the new drive connected, the program will allow you to select partiton sizes.

Leporello · 27 Jun 2006 at 12:50

Thanks for the helpful reply.

Dutch Guy · 27 Jun 2006 at 13:03

This is the TrueImage manual:
http://us2.download.acronis.com/pdf/TrueImage9.0_ug.en.pdf

Leporello · 28 Jun 2006 at 09:24

A manual? What a splendid idea!

Leporello · 30 Jun 2006 at 00:42

Acronis IDE to SATA - So far so good.

OK, now I have the Seagate drive and Acronis True Image 9.1 and I've had a quick browse of the manual. I'm happy about the process of cloning my current C:\ drive to the Seagate. However, I'm uncertain about one thing. Acronis suggests wiping the data from the cloned drive before booting into Windows with the new one but the manual also warns not to delete the data from the old drive until you're certain that the new drive is functioning properly.

It's a couple of years since I last cloned a drive and I've never done this from IDE to SATA before. my options seem to be as follows...

1. Allow Acronis to make the new drive my C:\ drive and to erase the data on the old IDE drive. (this makes me a little apprehensive as I'd hate to have to re-install my system should I or circumstance mess up the cloning.

2. Allow Acronis to make the Seagate the C:\drive and leave the OS and system to remain on the old drive and to do a quick reformat of it once I've (hopefully) booted into Windows from the Seagate. (If this works it seems to be the most hassle free procedure).

3. Allow Acronis to do its thing and then to disconnect the old IDE before rebooting into Windows.

I'm making heavy weather out of this so I'd welcome some kindly advice. I plan to do all this tomorrow morning so an early reply would be gratefully received.

Thanks for your attention.

UKflames · 10 Jul 2006 at 13:11

Leporello, did you manage to get the answer to this as I'm in a similar situation.

Cheers

Dutch Guy · 10 Jul 2006 at 13:23

What I did was to leave the data intact, shut down after cloning, disconnect the old drive and boot with the new drive.

After checking everything was working as it should I shut down, installed my old drive, booted up from the new drive (obviously) and Formatted the old drive in Windows.

UKflames · 11 Jul 2006 at 16:35

Cheers, sounds like the way to go.

Have a good one.