How to 'copy' laptop HD 'image' from old HD to new HD

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by akm, Nov 12, 2008.

  1. akm

    akm Sergeant

    How to 'copy' laptop HD 'image' from old HD (that laptop cant 'recognize') to new HD ?

    Having problem with Dell D830 laptop HD which occasionally needs to be 're-seated' because laptop cant 'recognize' it.

    Sounds like may be needing a new HD.

    Dell tells me they cant transfer info from old HD to a new HD and that I would need to 're-image' the new HD from my backup system.

    But that seems like a very indirect and iffy way if all of the info is still on the old HD.

    'Re-imaging' never seems to work like it is supposed to when 're-imaging' a new HD from backup software like Acronis True Image, etc.

    Suggestions ?
     
  2. jlphlp

    jlphlp Master Sergeant

    Hi AKM,

    Haven't used XP's backup but many times have used 98 backup. I backup the entire harddrive to an external drive, Change the drive, load Windows and the backup program and then restore the new drive. Other bakup progs should do the same trick. Other ways are also available. A flash driver or CD or DVD burner can be used to make the backup etc. Someone will have easier ways to do this. GUYS?

    Good Luck, Jim
     
  3. akm

    akm Sergeant

    Jim
    Thank you for the reply.

    That is the way I would do it also, but am skeptical of how well existing programs (like MS Office 2003 etc) will get seamlessly transfered to the new HD.

    But, maybe since it is the same laptop and just a new HD, that process, if necessary, will have a better chance of working.

    Am using 'Acronis True Image Home 10' for my backup software (in addition to an uncompressed backup with 'Karen's Replicator') to backup to an external HD.

    If not able to 'copy' HD direct, would be happy to get any other suggestions/warnings for how best to do it (or not do it) with ATIH, and avoid any stupid mistakes in the process.

    BTW, just had to 're-seat' the HD again last night, so may be getting closer to this question :(
     
  4. jconstan

    jconstan MajorGeek

    Acronis should work very well for your re-image. I have used it several times with success.

    First you need a place to put your laptop image that Acronis creates. It can be an external hard drive or storage space on a network.

    Boot from the Acronis CD....select create disk image.....select your source drive (the drive in the laptop)....select where you want to place the image....then go.

    Once the image has been created.....replace the hard drive....boot from the Acronis CD.....and select create disk from image....select the image you want to use.......select the target drive......then go.

    Remove the CD from the drive and boot.

    BTW......the options I have listed are not verbatum.
     
  5. akm

    akm Sergeant


    Thank you for the reply !

    So, if I have a ATIH 'full' backup with a couple ATIH 'differential' backups on an external HD, I should go directly to step (2), and do not install any Dell stuff or OS on the new HD... let the ATIH reimage do that directly to the 'virgin' HD ?
     
  6. studiot

    studiot MajorGeek

    Firstly I assume you don't have the Dell recovery disks with this pc, so you could simply reinstall onto a new drive.

    That said you will have the Dell recovery partition on the existing hard drive. Dell are then quite right to warn you that imaging will not work directly because the Windows partition will not be the first one on the disk, so if you simply copy the Windows partition (directly or indirectly ) to another disk - it will not boot.

    You will have to find a way of editing the boot.ini file to reflect the revised configuration on the new drive.
     
  7. akm

    akm Sergeant

    Thank you for the followup info !
    Must admit most of it is somewhat over my head.

    We do have all of the original Dell OS (XP) and other diagnostic CDs that came with the D830 laptop, and I could post a list of those titles if that would help.

    How far should we go with the Dell CDs in order to prep/format the HD before the ATIH re-image ?

    Would the re-image then replace whatever info was out of date with the Dell original formatting and OS install ?

    Sorry if my more layman terms confuse the question, but I appreciate your patience and will try to be as specific as possible in reply to your help.
     

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