Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with TrueImage

How to clone a harddrive?

Mave_80 — Wed, 09 May 2007 18:25:20 -0800

I want to install a bigger hard drive to my laptop. How do I clone the current hard drive to the new one so I don't have to reinstall windows on the new disk? I have an external USB enclosure that I can put the new HDD in. I have the new HDD. I'm assuming I can use Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image to do so. Thing is, I'm not sure if there's an obvious option to use. Recommendations on software and the process to do so? I'll probably only use the software a couple of times and am not interested in bits and pieces of the disk. I just want a simple one shot deal that will copy the entire disk (including OS) without major hassle. Providing it costs under $50 not too worried about price, although free is obviously better.

Side notes: I will obviously back up all important data on the laptop first. Also, my laptop does not have a built in CD drive, only an external USB one. (I do have 2 USB ports available though). Finally, I've read these previous AskMe threads:
1. How to install old OS on a new laptop harddrive This thread is from a year and half ago - are Ghost and True Image still my best options?
2. Disk imaging utility Ghost wasn't mentioned - True Image was. Should I take a hint?
3. Ghost has given up the ghost.

Thanks for all your help!

Cloning a recalcitrant hard disk

kindall — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 22:22:40 -0800

How do I best clone a hard disk with bad sectors, when the PC spontaneously reboots upon hitting said bad sectors? I've had a few bad sectors on my hard disk on my PC at work for the last year or so. Oddly, the machine reboots whenever it tries to read one of them. Fortunately they were not in any vital files -- mainly I just had to turn off the nightly virus scan and remember not to try to optimize the disk or do a scandisk. Fortunately NTFS is pretty robust as file systems go! Our last IT guy didn't seem to think it was worth replacing the disk over. Now that he's left, our IT guy at headquarters (on the east coast) sent me a new hard disk (yay!) but that pesky rebooting thing is getting in the way of properly cloning it, and since he's on the east coast and I'm not, he can provide only limited hands-on support. I downloaded the 15-day trial of Acronis True Image (it's nice that it's not crippled), but even it suffers from the reboot and can't get through the clone. I haven't tried any other programs -- maybe one of those would work better? Or am I in for a big re-install of everything, which is what my IT guy recommends? My documents are all backed up safely, but it's probably going to take me a full day for a re-install of XP and all my apps, and I'd rather avoid that pain if I can.

I am looking for specific computer backup software

curiousleo — Sat, 16 Apr 2005 12:43:34 -0800

I have True Image 8 and Norton Ghost 9.... They both do fine job in cloning hard drives.. but I can not trust incremental backup and images... I tried about a half dozen time trying to restore files using both software.. absolutely NONE of them was successful... damaged images, files... etc.. I already lost serveral pictures and data... So.. I am looking for file to file backup type software that can incrementally copy files/folders to another networked computer's harddrive without compressing or imaging.... This way... I can always have two exact copies all the time... SecondCopy was one that was suggested... Is there more popular well known.. proven software like this?