cloning

Hello. I have a compaq presario CQ57 439LT notebook. Windows 7. It has a seagate serial ATA disk drive 250 GB. The hard disk has been showing that it has a smart hard disk error. I was able to run Malwarebytes and found nothing. I am still able to boot to safe mode. I would like to clone the whole disk. I have no operating cd or recovery disks so I thought I should clone. I would like to purchase a clone docking station but am confused on which one would work. It seems easy to be able to insert the 2 hard disks and push a button and let it clone. I thought I would purchase the same hard disk as I have. But do the docking stations allow you to insert 2 of the same size hard disks. And will they all do the seagate ATA disk? Here is a link to one I saw.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-Hub-2-5...US_Drive_Enclosures_Docks&hash=item1e792b17ce

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

I simply used one of these and a copy of Minitool Partition Wizard.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182182

Most here recommend EaseUS but I've had no problem with Partition Wizard.

The cloned drive was pulled a few months later in favor of a clean install of Windows 7.

Things work much better now.

 

I am not sure I would know how to use the one you suggest. Are the directions clear for a first time user? I do a lot of computer fixing for friends but have never done this before. I thought the dock might be better for me but I will sure study this more. Thanks!

 

The link that you posted shows a hard drive enclosure which is simply for putting an external drive into then connecting it to your computer. It has nothing to do with cloning contents of a drive.

 

This is one of my favorite tools:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...E16812161002&gclid=CK-Ohezp7rcCFRGi4AodjEYAsA

 

You can clone your original hard drive to another one of equal size or greater but NOT smaller.

The item you posted a link to has the one touch backup button for copying the contents of the drive in the dock to your internal drive over the USB connection. Not the other way around.

I have a drive cloning kit from ebay which comes with a Linux based cloning software called Clonezilla. It's one of the top cloning softwares made. But you can use a Windows based partitioning software's cloning utility such as MiniTool, EaseUs or AOMEI.

 

Thank you to all for the help. I think I will go with the kit that mdonah has mentioned. I will go to ebay right now and purchase it. This one shows it has good directions. if I get in a pickle I hope mdonah will help?

Again thanks to all.

 

Just bought the drive cloning kit that mdonah suggested. Hope I can do this. I like to learn new things and always wanted to be able to do this. Thanks!

 

Are you implying that copying/cloning the disk with Partition Wizard didn't really work and that the 3-4 months I spent using the copy/clone was all part of my overactive imagination?

Your fave cloning kit didn't come with a destination drive either.

 

Sorry.:-o I blew right past the part about MiniTool.

What you link to though is simply an enclosure. I've got 3 of them. The enclosure you show is only for eSATA drives. Most people have SATA and some still have IDE. The kit will accomodate both. I've also got two other drives I can clone to — 1 SATA and 1 IDE (my computer has an IDE internal drive).

 

I thought I was the only one left with a system running an IDE hard drive. It's an old Pentium III doing duty as a glorified print server.

I likewise have 3 enclosures: 3-1/2" IDE, 3-1/2" SATA, and 2-1/2" SATA. I personally would rather have an enclosure on my desk than a docking station or yet more cables. I don't swap drives often so putting a new drive in one of the enclosures doesn't put me out much.

Once farmgirl has worked her way through cloning her first drive, I'm sure she will realize there are any number of tools she can use to get the job done.

 

Currently 8 computers in the house and I think 6 of them have IDE drives.
My enclosures, since they hold 5.25" drives hold a CD burner and a CD/DVD (non-burner) combo I pulled from e-cycled computers.
So I have to use my old cables if I want to look at a hd pulled. Unfortunately the old set pre-dates SATA so I was looking to get another set. I read good and bad about each brand. I had it down to Vantek, Rosewill, and Startech but the reviews are all over the place.

 

There are more IDEs still running than you know and it's mostly because people, like myself, can't afford to go out and buy a new computer. So, I've got to make due with what I've got. I'm going to have a REAL problem when support for XP ends next April.

 

There is also Acronis True Image, which will clone the drive. I personally would just go with a new machine, and get something like this as a Print server http://cirago.com/wordpress/products/networking/ciragolink/

 

I cloned the hard disk in my HP Pavilion dm4 1050ea six months ago - no, gosh it must be nine months now. I wanted an identical disk, wth all software on it including hidden stuff, to act as a back-up of the "original" disk - in case I lost that.

I'm thinking it's in your head to make a back-up before you try fixing any problem, just in case the fix doesn't work, in which case you'll be no worse than before you started.

I bought a new USB hard disk the same size as the one in my computer (but as has been pointed out, it could be larger).

I downloaded a copy of the EaseUS disk cloning software (free) and made the optical disk as instructed. I plugged in the new USB hard disk, and cloned the internal HD onto the new, external (USB) HD. (the time for the cloning process in my case took a few hours) But before doing that I formatted the new USB HD to eliminate any remote possibility of that HD having any hidden and unwanted software on it. I examined the new copy (not comprehensively) and everything seemed to there and put away. Fortunately, I haven't needed it.

(aside: my plan is to, if ever the internal HD in my PC becomes unrecoverable, to fit a new internal HD in my PC and clone the USB disk onto the replacement internal HD)

Dumb_Question
28.June.2013
Windows 7