Best way to replace boot drive?

[mikegg]

My Intel SSD is malfunctioning and I need to replace it. I already created a backup of it using Windows Backup Tool and Acronis.

What's the best way to restore the backup to a new hard drive? I have 2 other hard drives installed but they have no OS's.

How can I load data back without an OS and only 1 computer? Ideas?

 

[Charlie98]

Where is the Acronis backup image? Hopefully on one of the storage drives?

Replace the bad drive with a new one, using the Acronis CD (or the recovery disk you made, hopefully, ) recover the Acronis image back to the new drive. There may be a few more details to it (I had to do the very same thing last year when my SSD died, ) I'm sure there are instructions on the Acronis site.

Understand, also, that if the image is bad because of errors with the SSD or hardware/software... that will transfer with the recovered image (unless the image was made before you started having problems.)

 

[Chiefcrowe]

That sounds like good advice. I'm curious, how did you determine there was a problem? Was there any diagnostic you ran or was it just acting really strange?

 

[mikegg]

That sounds like good advice. I'm curious, how did you determine there was a problem? Was there any diagnostic you ran or was it just acting really strange?

Mobo gave storage warnings everytime I boot up and my computer started freezing randomly.

 

[Charlie98]

Mobo gave storage warnings everytime I boot up and my computer started freezing randomly.

That may or may not be the SSD... OS corruption, driver issues, virus, background programs running... take your pick. Intel builds a solid SSD, I might look around a bit before committing the cash. Maybe post what you are seeing in Computer Help first and see if someone there can help you out with troubleshooting. 🙂

 

[flexy]

It's a little pointless to backup your (OS) drive but then facing the situation your OS drive may be shot...and you don't know how to RESTORE it? 🙂

Obviously, you want a bootable USB/DVD/CD with Acronis on it so that you can restore the image...

Another alternative would be to have an emergency OS on a second partition/drive so that you can dual boot into the emergency OS and then recover from there.

Also..any DECENT SSD brand today should come with software that will allow to image/clone your OS drive and restore it. I remember when I got my Samsung 840 EVO, while I had images made with Acronis and EaseUS Todo backup, I didn't use them since I used the software which came with the drive and it worked flawlessly.