System Image Backup - Problem restoring to new HDD

[antispam246]

Ok, I've been researching methods of cloning my windows 7 OS drive and moving it to a larger HDD. I've read in various places that the windows 7 system restore/backup tool can do this easily enough. One problem, whenever I go to restore the image I created, it won't let me choose where to install it too.

I saw elsewhere that going into the advanced options should let me deselect any other HDD's attached so it would go to only one. That option doesn't exist for me. I do have adavanced options but only for restarting options and check and update disk error information.

I have several HDD's installed in my system. Windows 7 is purely on a single 80gb Drive. I want to clone this to a 1TB drive. I have successfully backed it up using windows 7 backup tool to create an image file. When i boot from the system repair disk and follow the wizard, it detects my image with no problems.

After it detects my image the screen says the location of the image is on WN7 D: Which is right, as the image is on my OS drive. When I click next, the "Format and repartition disks" option is greyed out, advanced gives the 2 previosuly mentioned options, so i click next again, "Your computer will be restored from the following system image: it gives my image file but it says "Drives to restore: C:" So it's saying the C: drive will be restored, which is confusing as win7 is on D: but whatever. After this i can click finish then it prompts with are you sure but there is no option to choose where I want to install to? So I'm assuming it would simply clone it to the same drive, which is no good.

How do i get it to choose the drive i want to clone the image to?

[fangio]

Hi antispam246,

Forget using the Win7 tool and use Acronis True Image Home 2010.

This gives you the freedom to choose any drive to backup / clone to and from.

It also allows u to resize the partition on the fly.

Also, it is VERY fast.

cheers

[antispam246]

Hi antispam246,

Forget using the Win7 tool and use Acronis True Image Home 2010.

This gives you the freedom to choose any drive to backup / clone to and from.

It also allows u to resize the partition on the fly.

Also, it is VERY fast.

cheers

Have you personally used it with win 7 (64bit). There were alot of issues with windows 7 and acronis last time i checked.

[fangio]

Yes.

I've been using it (The old version) for a few years, but, when I tried it with WIN7 PRO x64 it failed, so I got the 2010 version which is the minimum version for WIN7 x64 / 86.

My b/u process is -

Have a 1Tb hdd in a removable drive bay which is used as a clone boot drive.
If the permanent boot hdd dies I can simply put the drive or image back from the removable hdd.

cheers

[antispam246]

Thanks peeps. Ended up using Acronis True Image 2010. Ran into one issue when attempting to clone but a quick google resolved it. Basically after I chose the source HDD to clone it kept saying "Processing, please wait", it never stopped. Fix was to go into services and disable "Distributed Link Tracking Client". Anyway the process completed successfully and I was able to boot from my new HDD.

[OzzYGuY]

Glad you got your cloning issue sorted.

Ive never experienced any issues with using Acronis.

The best cloner you can use in my opinion.

[Nibiru2008]

I have a question here regarding cloning hard drives. Is it feasible to clone from the existing hard drive to an SSD unit?

Would it just be better to do a fresh install on the SSD? Uncle Sam delayed my tax refund check due to no apartment number on the address, it was "undeliverable".

So I'll probably get my drive in a week or so from Newegg.

So I have had to wait an extra 5 weeks to get the check. I'm gonna kill the guy who did my tax return for screwing that up... he goes by the moniker of Nibs. LOL!

[Nibiru2008]

Anybody have any answer for my question? Just curious... guess I'll have to go to the SSDTechnology site.

[gldndragn]

Your best bet, IMHO, is a clean install. SSDs work differently from spinners. doing a clone MIGHT cause issues with performance, and other things.
Just a thought