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Please recommend a good free HD cloning software!

C

compuwiz1

Admin Emeritus Elite Member
I'm getting ready to install a new SSD into my laptop and my old one will reside in the second drive bay. I'm gonna first install the SSD in the second drive bay, then clone the original drive to the SSD, once done I'm going to swap them so that it boots from the new SSD and wipe the original drive so I can use it for extra storage / back up. I'm thinking this should work fine, but I need a recommendation for a good cloning utility that is, of course, free.

So, what would you suggest? 🙂
 
RossMAN said:
Do you own any WD drives? http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp?swid=119
Click to expand...


Nope. The factory drive is a 320 gig Seagate. The new SSD is a 240 gig Crucial.

Oops: I lied...lol I have a couple WD passport external USB drives. Not sure how that or if that helps. 🙂

Ross, I think, if I get your drift, I can use this software, as long as it can see I have a WD drive connected to my computer. Right? 😉
 
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A standard recommendation is Macrium Reflect Free Edition. You can transfer a system through either cloning or imaging. If one doesn't work, try the other.

There's a paid version also, but you don't need it for your job.

SSDs often come with cloning software that may work also. Or maybe not.

None of the methods are foolproof. You have to be willing and prepared to do a clean install if that becomes necessary.
 
ignatzatsonic said:
A standard recommendation is Macrium Reflect Free Edition. You can transfer a system through either cloning or imaging. If one doesn't work, try the other.

There's a paid version also, but you don't need it for your job.

SSDs often come with cloning software that may work also. Or maybe not.

None of the methods are foolproof. You have to be willing and prepared to do a clean install if that becomes necessary.
Click to expand...


Thanks. Fortunately, I have nothing I can't afford to lose. Everything else is backed up.
 
compuwiz1 said:
Nope. The factory drive is a 320 gig Seagate. The new SSD is a 240 gig Crucial.

Oops: I lied...lol I have a couple WD passport external USB drives. Not sure how that or if that helps. 🙂

Ross, I think, if I get your drift, I can use this software, as long as it can see I have a WD drive connected to my computer. Right? 😉
Click to expand...

Seagate also has a free version of acronis called diskwizard ,that works on maxtor drives too.
Every manufacturer has a cloning program they give away for free,only with ssd drives sometimes you have to pay a little more for a special version that will include access to cloning software.
 
TheELF said:
Seagate also has a free version of acronis called diskwizard ,that works on maxtor drives too.
Every manufacturer has a cloning program they give away for free,only with ssd drives sometimes you have to pay a little more for a special version that will include access to cloning software.
Click to expand...

Another great answer. Thanks ELF!
 
compuwiz1 said:
Oops: I lied...lol I have a couple WD passport external USB drives. Not sure how that or if that helps. 🙂

Ross, I think, if I get your drift, I can use this software, as long as it can see I have a WD drive connected to my computer. Right? 😉
Click to expand...

Correct and perhaps I should have placed more emphasis on any :thumbsup:
 
I used Aomei on the wife's laptop with a CD caddy.

Aomei OS to SSD instructions here. http://www.disk-partition.com/help/migrate-system-wizard.html After you click on finish you must click on "apply" to start action.

Aomei free download http://www.disk-partition.com/free-partition-manager.html

I heard (?) it's a good idea that after the OS is on the SSD, do the first boot or two with only the SSD in the machine. Windows has a tendency to spread boot files over two drives when the first boot has 2 or more drives present. Later add the 2nd drive to wipe or use as you please.

Jim
 
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I've used Acronis and Norton Ghost in the past with great results.

I know that Intel and Samsung both have free data cloning tools (based on Acronis, IIRC) which work if you have a SSD made by them in your PC. WD/Seagate also have their own respective free tools which will work as long as you have a drive made by them in your system.
 
Well, all plans, advise and execution went to sh8. The drive refused to be cloned, due to some hidden recovery partition. Pretty simple, I thought. I got an ISO disc from a friend who is in the computer repair business. My DVD rom decided to take a sh8. Today, I created a bootable USB flash drive and was able to reinstall Windows. No biggie, since I had already backed up all my important stuff, prior. I now have a great running system with my new SSD as my primary HD and my old drive as a second source of storage.

Heh, sometimes you gotta just take the long way around. Thank you all for the advice, pointers and links. I'm sure in all of it I got an education, which will help me greatly next time I am in this situation. 🙂
 
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Wow! For an admin you should know not to use profanity in here. And yet I get the shaft for dropping the F-bomb twice in OT and I see others do the same thing. I call BS!
 
John Connor said:
Wow! For an admin you should know not to use profanity in here. And yet I get the shaft for dropping the F-bomb twice in OT and I see others do the same thing. I call BS!
Click to expand...

John, was not trying to offend anyone. Didn't think the "s" word was a problem in the context I used it. It's not a filtered word and was not in a thread title. Sorry!🙂
 
John Connor said:
It's not offensive to me. It's just that if I did the same thing I'd get the infraction.
Click to expand...

If it's a rule, I'd like to see it. Years ago, a certain admin named Derek Wilson removed the language filter for most words, as I remember. BTW, I'm no longer an admin, but admin emeritus, which means past admin. Still, if you can point me to where I am not supposed to use those words, I'd like to see where it's written. I'm not here to break rules.

Edit:
"Although the administrators and moderators of AnandTech Forums will attempt to keep all objectionable messages off this forum, it is impossible for us to review all messages. All messages express the views of the author, and neither the owners of AnandTech Forums, nor vBulletin Solutions, Inc. (developers of vBulletin) will be held responsible for the content of any message.

By agreeing to these rules, you warrant that you will not post any messages that are obscene, vulgar, sexually-oriented, hateful, threatening, or otherwise violative of any laws.

The owners of AnandTech Forums reserve the right to remove, edit, move or close any thread for any reason."

Ok, I get it, although it's kind of vague. 😉
 
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It's actually in the guidelines and has been there for years.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=60552

First Paragraph:
Member and Posting Guidelines

Do not use our Forums to post any material, or links to any material, which is knowingly false and/or defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy, or otherwise violative of any law. Special exception to the restrictions on vulgarity and profanity are granted ONLY in the social forums. Additionally, special exception to the restriction on sexually oriented material is granted ONLY in the Love & Relationships forum.

Then there is rule 6)

6) Foul language in topic titles, summaries or sigs and excessive foul language is not permitted. With uncensored language comes an increased requirement for responsibility among users. Moderator discretion applies.


This applied to places where profanity is allowed, (social forums) but is there for people that use excessive profanity.
 
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xgsound said:
I used Aomei on the wife's laptop with a CD caddy.


Does anyone know if it's possible to "clone" one's existing HDD into a new drive that is attached to the system in a CDCADDY?

If so, what cloning software would work for this?

[I know it's common to clone from the HDD via a USB to a new drive, but can the cloning be done using the CDCADDY]????

-thanks
Click to expand...
 
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rl4518 said:
xgsound said:
I used Aomei on the wife's laptop with a CD caddy.


Does anyone know if it's possible to "clone" one's existing HDD into a new drive that is attached to the system in a CDCADDY?

If so, what cloning software would work for this?

[I know it's common to clone from the HDD via a USB to a new drive, but can the cloning be done using the CDCADDY]????

-thanks
Click to expand...

Is the drive shown as a regular drive in Computer/My Computer? If so, you should be able to clone to it. If it doesn't work, at least, the software to try it is free. 🙂

EaseUS Todo Backup Free works very well, and, as the name indicates, it's free. They give you the option not to participate in their community (i.e. not to receive spam from them) 😎 :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
 
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