Best way to restore and test

Whats best to just check a restore.
Have a image on external drive. Just installed another internal as a slave drive to use only as another full bootable backup, to test with this software then just keep in case.

So restore image to the slave drive. Shut off PC, change inside case to master, reboot.
or
Shut off PC change slave to master drive inside PC case. Then reboot using the acronis CD, then restore.
Also can I move it back in the slave position and leave it alone, or should I just leave it unplugged. Would it hurt to have 2 bootable drives actually installed.
Thanks

 

I have actually done that on purpose - having two bootable drives, one a clone of the other - connected at the same time and there were no problems. One was a Master on the Primary channel, and the other was a Master on the secondary channel. But Acronis always advises that on first reboot after a clone that you disconnect the original. I didn't disconnect just to test it. I cloned from master on Secondary to master on Primary.

 

If doing a restore, I would
1. remove old and install the new
(make sure the new drive has the same jumper settings and connector placement).
2. Boot using TI Rescue CD
3. Do a full disk restore.
4. The old is not attached and safe. After the new proves itself, then you can optionally re-install the old as a slave--if IDE.

 

What you said "IF IDE"
would it make a difference if it is SATA. is it a problem if this is reinstalled as a slave.
thanks

 

Ignore my "if ide" comment. The procedure still applies.

In SATA, there is no slave. Check other postings for more info.