Any software for backing up?
- Thread starter kevior
- Start date
- Status
Josh Weston
New member
It's certainly possible, what with cloning software being quite popular these days. For programs and OS etc. it's not advised, though. Much better to do a clean install of windows and reinstall all your programs (stuff like documents etc. can of course be transferred over, though)
That way, you're far less likely to run into any issues.
That way, you're far less likely to run into any issues.
SPS
Moderator
Pretty sure that's not possible. What's the reason you want to clone it for? To keep programs or to keep files?
Josh Weston
New member
Ah, well, i've never actually been in a position to use the recovery partition before.
However, seeing as it's a separate partition it'd be treated like a separate hard drive, right? - just like your new HDD.
So, when you go onto your recovery drive, would it not give you the option of what drive you'd want to install Windows onto?
I'd make sure you have a backup of your important files, just incase yours gets wiped, but I don't see why it should.
Still, I could be wrong
However, seeing as it's a separate partition it'd be treated like a separate hard drive, right? - just like your new HDD.
So, when you go onto your recovery drive, would it not give you the option of what drive you'd want to install Windows onto?
I'd make sure you have a backup of your important files, just incase yours gets wiped, but I don't see why it should.
Still, I could be wrong
Stoner81
New member
In my experience why you use the recovery partion it wipes the system back to factory spec (as though you have just bought it) so anything on your drive will be gone, generally though they also use a CD/DVD (well they used to do, no idea now) in order to use the recovery section of the HDD.
Stoner81.
Stoner81.
kevior
New member
As far as i know its a completely separate drive (it's only 7Gb so nothing huge, and it shows up as a separate drive in my computer too. If i do wipe my pc back to factory settings it wont make too much of a difference because i dont really have any important files anyway.
SPS
Moderator
I think if you remove your old drive install windows on your new one, put the old one back in, copy the steam games across and remove the old hdd, steam should do the rest to sort it out and it won't need to download it all again. I think, Google around to see if others have done the same
Grizzly
New member
Unless you are trying to move your old files to a new PC there shouldn't be a problem cloning your hard drive.
If the hard drive is all that's being changed (and it's a hard drive you're moving to not an SSD) use something like Macrium Reflect Free to clone it.
If it is an SSD you're moving to or a new PC then follow the other suggestions.
If the hard drive is all that's being changed (and it's a hard drive you're moving to not an SSD) use something like Macrium Reflect Free to clone it.
If it is an SSD you're moving to or a new PC then follow the other suggestions.
kevior
New member
Im just swapping the HDD, I'm trying backing up my current drive onto the new one, and then restore it. Doing this by going into properties(of my old drive)>Tools>Backup now. From there you can backup and restore files. Should this work?
Grizzly
New member
The way you've worded that, are you trying to backup your old hard drive onto your new hard drive, and then restore from your new hard drive onto your old hard drive?
That doesn't make any sense so I'll assume no and explain things a little better.
Backing up isn't the same as cloning.
A backup will often compress files to save storage space, they cannot always be used/accessed in this form.
Using this method you would need a third storage space to backup your old hard drive to, and then restore from that backup to the new hard drive.
Cloning will just copy one hard drive to another, no extra storage space needed, no extra hassle.
dugdiamond
New member
Accessories -> Maintenance -> Backup and Restore (win7x64ult)
kevior
New member
Will this clone the drive?
Grizzly
New member
No idea why it might be doing that if you can see it in disk manager.
Try Easeus Disk Copy instead, if that doesn't detect your hard drive we'll have to try and figure out what's going on.
dugdiamond
New member
yes - it can be used to 'backup' a drive
NOTE:
CLONING is exactly what it says... it makes an IDENTICAL copy... partitions, clusters, boot sector(s), etc. the data stored on one drive will be placed exactly in the same position on the cloned drive.
if the target drive is larger than the original, a partition will be created to match the one to be cloned. any left over space is available for further partitions, but is not recommended.
so.... a backup is NOT the same as a clone
kevior
New member
Okay, what i have discovered is that i now need to clone HDD instead.
kevior
New member
how do you use it?
- Status
