Hard Drive Recovery

starkweather · 9 Jun 2007 at 21:59

Hi

Would it possible for me to buy a new hard drive, back up my current hard drive and restore it to the new one? I am using Acronis True Image 10 to do the back up. Would my PC boot up on the new drive as soon as I complete the recovery process with no problems?

Regards.

jbloggs · 9 Jun 2007 at 22:10

I think you would so something like this, make a Backup of your C:\ part (ie Windows system folder, Programs folder, Documents and Settings), store it on another HDD (not the one you going to install), power off computer, fit new HDD, power on, enter BIOS, set DVD rewriter to 1st boot device, save and exit, have ATI boot CD in optical device, power on computer, boot into ATI recovery console, run ATI Restore wizard, put Backup image onto new HDD, reboot, enter BIOS, set new HDD as 1st boot device, save and exit, and boot into Windows.

An easier way would probably be as follows....Fit new HDD, use ATI to clone your Winodws OS onto new HDD, reboot, enter BIOS, set new HDD as 1st boot device, save and exit and boot into Windows.

starkweather · 9 Jun 2007 at 22:16

Hmmm could I, back up drive 'C' (the default drive with OS, etc..) onto my spare drive with Acronis, power off PC, take out my C drive and replace it with the new one, power on PC with the Acronis Bootable Rescue CD and restore my back up from my spare drive to the new drive?

starkweather · 11 Jun 2007 at 13:51

^ Would my above solution work?

**Bump**

jbloggs · 11 Jun 2007 at 14:06

Is the new HDD and the HDD you put your Backup Image on the same HDD?

If so, no it won't (as you need to put Backup Image on different HDD/part), if they are 2 different HDDs then yes (I think) it should.

So, if my understanding is correct, you have are reffering to 3 HDDs, 1 HDD is the present HDD with OS on it, 1 HDD to put the Backup Image on, and 1 HDD that is the new one.

Also (as already said) consider cloning.

You could also use HDD manufacturer's install utility if you like.

ByteJuggler · 11 Jun 2007 at 19:37

yes, to reiterate:
1.) Clone (with acronis) the old drive to the new
or
2.) Backup to temp drive, then restore (with acronis)

both will work so long as you've got enough drives/space.

Euphoria · 11 Jun 2007 at 20:16

ByteJuggler said:
yes, to reiterate:
1.) Clone (with acronis) the old drive to the new
or
2.) Backup to temp drive, then restore (with acronis)

both will work so long as you've got enough drives/space.

Just to add to this, Acronis is far the best disk to disk, or disk to image software for desktops i have found. I use it at work on our desktops (and servers) and it is superb.

starkweather · 12 Jun 2007 at 16:45

Gosh you Frank Vincent's know your stuff.

Yes I am:
Backing up default C drive to secondary F drive. Then taking out the default C drive and replacing it with a new default C drive and restoring my old C drive data from my secondary F drive onto the new default C drive.

Make sense, is that ok?

ByteJuggler · 13 Jun 2007 at 00:52

Yes that's fine. (Stating the obvious, but you'll be doing the restore with the Acronis bootable CD, so make sure you've got that created before you begin, if you don't have it yet.)