partition to partion imaging

[rick007]

I would like to clone a partition on a disk drive to another partition on the SAME disk. I seems that TI 9.0 will not let the destination partition be anything but the same as the previous source. I wanted to step up from the old Drive Image programs that could do this. I'm setting up a(nother) dual boot system and need this.

[GroverH]

Powerquest Drive Image would NOT allow an image to be created on the same drive as being imaged. It would allow the image to be saved on the same drive but the it had to be saved in a different partition.

Likewise, you will need to save the Acronis image into either a different partition; or the Acronis secure Zone; or an external drive; or direct to CD.

[rick007]

ok, I was not clear. I want to image partition 1 of drive 1 to (anywhere on) drive 2 and then image it back to partition 2 of drive 1.

[TerryFox]

You want to image drive 1 onto drive 2 and then afterward image drive 2 onto drive 1 , is that correct ?

[rick007]

No.

I want to duplicate what is on drive 1 partition 1 onto partition 2 of drive 1. I realize that another media may be needed to temporarily store the data from partition 1 drive 1, until I can copy it onto partition 2 of drive 1. TI will not allow the copy from temporary location onto drive 1 partition 2. It will only allow the temporary data to be put 'back' to partition 1 of drive 1. The destination options are only the 'original' source partition.

[seekforever]

-{ Quote: "No.

I want to duplicate what is on drive 1 partition 1 onto partition 2 of drive 1. I realize that another media may be needed to temporarily store the data from partition 1 drive 1, until I can copy it onto partition 2 of drive 1. TI will not allow the copy from temporary location onto drive 1 partition 2. It will only allow the temporary data to be put 'back' to partition 1 of drive 1. The destination options are only the 'original' source partition." }-

Are you sure? I just went through the Restore wizard to put my C image stored on a second internal drive onto another partition on the same drive. I didn't do the "Proceed" but it allowed me to set it up. I am using TI9Home B3567.

Is your desired target partition big enough?

[TheWeaz]

"The destination options are only the 'original' source partition"

Can you post a screen shot of that window?

[GroverH]

If I understand correctly,

To accomplish your goal of getting the information from 1st partition to the 2nd partition... You will need to have two partitions on Drive 1 plus at least one partition on a second drive.
Assume that Disk 1 partition 1 is Drive C
Assume that Disk 1 partition 2 is Drive D
Assume that Disk 2 partition 1 is Drive E

Create a backup image of drive c and store it on Drive E
Do a image restore. Restore the image file on Drive E to Drive D.

[Howard Kaikow]

-{ Quote: "I would like to clone a partition on a disk drive to another partition on the SAME disk. I seems that TI 9.0 will not let the destination partition be anything but the same as the previous source. I wanted to step up from the old Drive Image programs that could do this. I'm setting up a(nother) dual boot system and need this." }-

First, so-called "cloning" a drive will not give you a workable DUAL boot system.

There are (10s of) thousands of drive letter references that need to be changed on the 2nd drive.

The right way is to do a clean install in the new partition, be it on the same dive or not.


I was once masochistic enough to achievethe goal you desire, doing it the wrong way, but I'd not do it again. T attempt do this, foolish as it may be:

1. Copy ALL files and directories from the source to the destination drive.

2. Manually edit boot.ini to make the dual boot configuration.

3. Now, boot, if you can into the new OS, but do NOTHING but the following:

a. Get yourself a good registry editor (I forget which I used ) and make ALL the needed drive letter changes in the registry. There will be (10s of) thousands of such changes.

b. Make sure that the new partition has NO shortcuts, links, etc. in files or in the registry to the old drive.

c. Search ALL files on the new drive forr eferences to the old drive and change them to the current drive.

The above is actually a foolish thing to do. I did it once and got lucky, but never again!

[Brian K]

-{ Quote: "I would like to clone a partition on a disk drive to another partition on the SAME disk. " }-

rick007,

I've done this with several apps and by far the easiest way is to use Partition Magic from the floppies. It's only 4 mouse clicks. Use the Copy Partition choice. Copy to Unallocated Space and then hide the new partition before booting. Use a boot manager to select which OS to boot. Partition Magic takes care of the boot.ini on each partition.

Make sure you HIDE the new partition so that only one OS is visible. This prevents cross OS corruption.

[Howard Kaikow]

-{ Quote: "rick007,

I've done this with several apps and by far the easiest way is to use Partition Magic from the floppies. It's only 4 mouse clicks. Use the Copy Partition choice. Copy to Unallocated Space and then hide the new partition before booting. Use a boot manager to select which OS to boot. Partition Magic takes care of the boot.ini on each partition.

Make sure you HIDE the new partition so that only one OS is visible. This prevents cross OS corruption." }-

The OP was talking about a dual boot configuration.
If both drives are concurrently mounted, the problems I mentioned break things.

[rick007]

Howard, yes you can easily make a dual boot system IF TI would help. I have done it many times, but using Power Quest products. The secret is to use a boot manager that hides the 'other' partition when not in use, so when the system boots, the first visable primary partition will be assigned the first drive letter, ie. C: Everything else is the same.




I had some .jpg screen captures, but they won't upload. They meet the max filesize spec.

[Howard Kaikow]

-{ Quote: "Howard, yes you can easily make a dual boot system IF TI would help. I have done it many times, but using Power Quest products. The secret is to use a boot manager that hides the 'other' partition when not in use, so when the system boots, the first visable primary partition will be assigned the first drive letter, ie. C: Everything else is the same.




I had some .jpg screen captures, but they won't upload. They meet the max filesize spec." }-

The OP asked about dual boot, not about using a boot manager to hide drives.

[Brian K]

-{ Quote: "The secret is to use a boot manager that hides the 'other' partition when not in use, so when the system boots, the first visable primary partition will be assigned the first drive letter, ie. C: Everything else is the same.
" }-

Couldn't agree more. I'll try doing it with TI today.

[Brian K]

rick007,

Your original post is accurate. I just tried to clone with TI and you can't clone an individual partition. Only a whole HD. I imaged the C drive to my second HD and then tried to restore that image to another partition on the first HD. You can't do that either. You only have the source partition as the destination.

Disappointing. Other software is needed to do what you desire.

[Brian K]

-{ Quote: "I just went through the Restore wizard to put my C image stored on a second internal drive onto another partition on the same drive. I didn't do the "Proceed" but it allowed me to set it up." }-


seekforever,

I missed your post. So I tried again. The wizard is confusing (to me anyway). You actually have to select the original partition and then click Next. Then all choices become available. After you have done it once it’s duh.

I restored the image to the second partition on the first HD after having hidden the OS partition before I started. The computer booted into the second OS partition without any error messages. I used pqboot32.exe to change between OS. Strangely the boot.ini in each partition showed partition(1). I’ve never seen that before. It’s usually (1) and (2).


So it can be done. And easily too. Good work Acronis.

[TheWeaz]

"The wizard is confusing (to me anyway). You actually have to select the original partition and then click Next. Then all choices become available."
That's why I was hoping for a screen shot. I think that's the same confusion I ran into the first time I restored. The screen wasn't asking me what I thought it was.

[bVolk]

That's strange. I can do it normally (Build 3567).

System disk partitioned C: and D:.
Image of C: stored on second internal drive.
In Recovery Wizard I select partition C: as the source image, then I can see partition D: among the destination options (every existing partition being shown), select it, can resize it and step further until Proceed.

The programmed tasks on the last screen are correct. Did not Proceed, of course.

[Brian K]

Out of interest I edited the boot.ini in the second partition to reference partition(2). The OS booted. I edited the boot.ini to reference partition(3) and as expected the OS didn't boot. With BartPE I edited the boot.ini to reference partition(2) and the OS booted.

[Brian K]

TheWeaz,

You and I must be confused at the same step.

bVolk,

That step must not confuse you.

[bVolk]

-{ Quote: "
"The wizard is confusing (to me anyway). You actually have to select the original partition and then click Next. Then all choices become available."

" }-

Wouldn't the selection of the "original partition" possibly be just the selection of the source partition inside the image file? Namely, selecting the image file doesn't define the source yet, since an image file may cointain images of several partitions.

In other words, the selection of the source is a two step process: first the selection of the image file and then the selection of the partition contained within that image file. It's only further from here that you begin dealing with the destination.

[TheWeaz]

-{ Quote: "Wouldn't the selection of the "original partition" possibly be just the selection of the source partition inside the image file? Namely, selecting the image file doesn't define the source yet, since an image file may cointain images of several partitions." }-
That was me quoting someone else, but anyway ...
It was a while ago, I was in a state of semi-panic (I was not restoring just to test the operation), so I don't remember all the details. I do know, however, the restore wizard got to a point where I said "What the hell?!". Some kind folk here (maybe Menorcaman) helped me through.

[Brian K]

-{ Quote: "Wouldn't the selection of the "original partition" possibly be just the selection of the source partition inside the image file? Namely, selecting the image file doesn't define the source yet, since an image file may cointain images of several partitions.

In other words, the selection of the source is a two step process: first the selection of the image file and then the selection of the partition contained within that image file. Only further from here you begin dealing with the destination." }-

That could be the answer. It's the "Partition or Disk to Restore" window. What you say makes sense. But it certainly confused me on my first run.

I've restored several images with TI in the past and can't recall this degree of confusion. Maybe I need a beer.

[TheWeaz]

Here's the thread with me with my head firmly implanted ...

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=121747

[bVolk]

Yes, it would certainly help if Acronis added the terms "source" and "destination" to the captions. As they are, they are ambiguous, especially if one doesn't read them to the end.

I'm surprised that beginners don't slip on this detail more often.

[rick007]

After reading the posts here and trying again I was able to get the partition copy done using TI.

Brian K, thanks for the tip about Partition Magic partition copy. Much easier.

[Brian K]

Copying a partition with 4 mouse clicks. Pretty easy.