From 2 HDD's to one new HDD; possible?

Hi,

Maybe this was already asked by someone-else; if so: sorry !

Situation:
System W98SE
Pentium 3, 600 MHZ
Motherboard Asus P2B
Two internal harddrives: 1: C; 2 : D,E,F,G
One external USB-2 harddrive (Maxtor OneTouch)
No problem with TI (latest build) to make full backup-images to the external HDD or to restore from it; using TI bootable floppies.
I only use TI for full backup-images; no secure-zone or something like that.
Backups are made for each partition separately.

Problem:
I have the strong feeling that one (or both) of my internal harddrives needs to be renewed.

Is this possible:
I go to the shop, buy one new internal Harddisk, ask the shop to remove the two existing ones and put in the new one (due to bad eyes I cannot do that myself).
Then at home I restore the backup-images from the external HDD to the new one.
Either the shop or me has to make the needed 5 partitions on the new HDD.
And during the restoring process I have to take care that partition D (at the moment first partition on HDD 2) has the right partition format.

Questions:
Do you think that is possible?
Are there other things to look at in this respect?

Thanks a lot in advance !!!
Best regards, Jan.

 

Hi, FanJ

Yes it is Jan.

One problem might I say might be the size of the new HDD being recognized by the BIOS, if it is a big HDD the BIOS might be old and need updating. [but the Shop will tell you that and should do it, [have to update if needed] as they are
go to be fitting the HDD and will have to test it]

There is no need to make Partition as you already have:-

when you restore the Images Ti restores the Partition format that is in the Image. [If you made an Image of a FAT Partition then FAT is restored or FAT32 or NTFS]

Take Care,
TheQuest

 

Many thanks TheQuest !

Yes, you're right about the size of the new HDD.
I would like to avoid possible problems on this old system with W98SE, so I think I'll go for something like a 80 GB HDD.
I think I have already for a long time the latest BIOS for the motherboard; I doubt there will be a newer one for that old mobo.

You said that the shop might need to test the new HDD; but how if there is no OS installed on it at that moment?

About the partitions:
Are you sure that there is no need to make first those 5 partitions on the new HDD?
Let's say first I restore C. Then D (then E etc). Gives TI the possibility during the restoring-process to make a new partition for each of them? I think it does indeed like you wrote, but I wanted to be sure
All existing partitions are FAT32, so that is no problem.
For D, first partition of HDD 2 at the moment, I think I'll have to make it a logical one during the restoring-process.

Sorry for all the questions ....

PS:
I think I will also ask the shop to put a new PCU (Power Supply Unit) in it.

Many thanks again !
Warm regards, Jan.

 

What about 3 SCSI HDD. We have a RAID 5 array. Before restore the backup we create the array, but then when we are using the acronis software we got the message: this image archive is corrupted. It happened after we insert the last CD, then the first CD and then the last one again and is verifying the image.... We could not find any information in the web that can help us about it. Could you give me an idea why is happening this?

 

Hi, FanJ

Absolutely.

I you were to format the HDD, with the five Partitions Ti would report that it has no space to restore the Image, and ask if it can delete one or more to restore the Image, it can not restore an Image to a any Partition, only unused space.

It will be best to restore one Image at a time, [manualy retsore and resize] that way you will be able to keep a eye on the space you use as you proceed.

Take Care,
TheQuest

 

Hi, crodriguez

Welcome to Wilders and Acronis Forums.

Yes you have to create an Array first for any Raid Array. [An Array is not a file Partition]

As for your image archive corruption, I have no Idea what the cause is. [there can be many reasons for the cause]

Did you Verify it [them] when you created them?

Do you have a PATA HDD you can create to, and restore from as it is far safer.

Take Care,
TheQuest

 

Hi FanJ
The new hard disk would have to be at least as big as the 2 old ones combined to be able to restore all the partitions and if it's bigger I wander if the extra space would cause a problem. Also since the first hard disk was one big partition I also wander if Acronis would have a problem restoring it and having space left over and then restoring the other partitions to the new drive when they used to be on a second drive. As I currently understand things Acronis is designed to restore to the same drives or the same size drives and something called sysprep is used when restoring to different hardware. Being Windows 98SE the operating system would not cause a problem whereas if it were Windows XP it might. Others may be able to clarify this.

 

Hello FanJ,

Thank you for your interest in Acronis True Image (http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/).

TheQuest told you everything right. I would like to add only that since you have operational system (or several of them) at the drive you will have to create the image of the whole disk to make it bootable. Otherwise you would not back up MBR and wouldn't be able to boot though all the files would be present.

Thank you.
--
Ilya Toytman

 

HURRAY !!! I'm soooo happy

Thanks to TheQuest, Acronis, Mareke, Paradigit !!!

This whole, very old, system runs so much better

Everything (well almost ) went as I thought.

As usually I had made full backup images to my external USB-2 HDD.
Emails received after that were backed up by Express Assist to ZIP drives.
(I wrote about that in the first guidelines for TI here at Wilders ).
Taxi taken to the shop (I can't drive cars with those eyes...).
The very friendly guy in the shop spend one and an half hour for me to get things right.
I had only to pay for a new 40 GB HDD !!!
Dust also cleaned
No new PSU needed.
He also made 5 partitions for me
Non-functional internal dial-up card removed.
Taxi back to home.
At home: All 5 partitions restored from the external HDD.
As I wrote earlier: D was a primary partition and now only a logical partition (I knew that would and needed to happen).
Yes, all partitions on the new HDD have now get their new (larger) size; I knew they would get
BTW: originally HDD-1 was 8 GB and HDD-2 was 20 GB.

I suppose that because the guy in the shop made some changes (BIOS and SCSI-BIOS (very old SCSI-card; I wished it were Adaptec...) for the Plextors CD-R and CD-RW) and because of the new HD, the "renewed" system showed some changes.
After having rebooted onto Windows, Windows found some "new" hardware, like for example the USB-2/Firewire card. No problem to let it detect the drivers.
Only problem was/is to let it detect the drivers for the HP-970Cxi Printer; I still have to find out (any advice really appreciated !!! ).

Some other things:
I don't fully understand that the TI-restoring process told me that for C and D :
Cluster size : 4 kB -> 8 kB
But not for the other partitions.
If someone could tell me more about that, I would be very grateful !

After having done all the restoring and rebooting, quick scandisk and defrag was run: no problem.

After that, checks with two file integrity checkers (NIS File Check and ADinf32 Pro) were done (NFC checking several thousands of files with strong HASH-algorithm and great info, ADinf32 Pro checking ALL files and MBR using its BIOS-call).
Of course MBR was changed: no surprise (there were 2 HDDs replaced with 1 new).
Some files had their date changed: all related to the fact that Windows detected "new" hardware like (as I said) for example USB-2/Firewire-card (I had that also before the upgrade ).

Only file change that got me, was :
=====
Application: c:\msdos.sys
Status: Changed
Version old: N/A
Version new: N/A
Size old: 1688
Size new: 1692
Date old: 2002-11-07 20:59:52
Date new: 2005-01-12 17:52:38
=====
I'm not too worried about that one


===
===
So:
Once again I love my Acronis TrueImage (TI-8-786)

My system runs sooo much better after the changes

Could someone tell me a bit more about that cluster change?

I have to get my Printer working again...

I have to uninstall the software for the removed Dial-up modem, and have to take care about NetBios bindings
LOL, yeah I know about Steve Gibson's guidelines

===
===

I'm happy with the changes so far
(now to find the money for a big TFT-screen......)

Cheers, Jan.

 

Hi, FanJ

Glad you have it all up and working again Jan.

Sorry I am not able to help with that, I have seen it posted before about the cluster size being put back default [4kb] on a fat file sys, but never increased in size.

Take Care,
TheQuest

 

Thanks TheQuest; really much appreciated !!!

No problem TheQuest; your help and advices are very much appreciated !!!

I guess it was caused by the way that very friendly guy in the shop formatted and partitioned the new HD.
Just being curious: can I somehow see the cluster-size of all the partitions?

Warm regards, Jan.

 

Hello Jan,

We would like to congratulate you with the success in using Acronis True Image and upgrading your system.

As for the claster size change, it is not the subject to worry. This should happen for 8kb size is standard for 40Gb disk. The change happened because you had increased your disk, so it's Ok.

Thank you.
--
Ilya Toytman

 

Here is a link for setting up your printer.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...n&lc=en&product=61818&lang=en&cc=us&rule=7570

Good Luck!!!

 

Thanks Ronnie
Printer is working OK in the meanwhile

Thanks Ilya !

I did a full scandisk in the meanwhile (everything OK ) and noticed the following with respect to the cluster-size:

Partitions C and D : cluster-size 8 kB (8.192 bytes)
Partitions E, F, G : cluster-size 4 kB (4.096 bytes).

That is in "harmony" with what TI was showing me during the restoring-process.

I don't know whether it causes a problem when on the same HD different partitions have different cluster-size, and whether I need to make changes and how.

Best regards, Jan.

 

Dear Jan,

You don't need to perform any changes. There will be no problems though different partitions have different cluster sizes. Your situation is normal.

Thank you.
--
Ilya Toytman

 

Thanks a lot Ilya !!!

Then everything is fine now

Did I tell already that I absolutely love my Acronis TrueImage

Warm regards, Jan.