Cloning 2 internal HDs to 1 external

I don't have TI10 yet but am thinking of buying it.

I have a 120GB internal (windows XP on this one) and a 74GB internal HD in my computer. Neither are partitioned and both are WDs. I have ordered a 320GB WD HD (to be set up as an external SATA) and I was wondering if I can clone both of my HDs to separate partions on my new HD?


Thanks in advance!

 

Hi, LuckyStrike777

Welcome to Wilders Forums

No you can not do that with any Cloning Software, you can only Clone one HDD to another HDD.

You can not turn Twins in to A Clone.

Take Care,
TheQuest

 

Just so confusion doesn't arise later, when you said: "Neither are partitioned and both are WDs." that's not strictly true. If both are in use they have at least one partition.
To have a backup of both on the external, you have to use the Backup feature, not Clone.

 

LuckyStrike777,

As Ralphie has pointed out, there is a single partition on each HD but we know what you meant. You can create a backup image of each HD partition and write these images to the same partition on your external HD. I used to have several partitions on my external HDs but I couldn't see an advantage and I now use a single partition.

 

Thanks for the quick response. I'll probably just clone my 120GB HD. My 74 is just a 10000 rpm one for gaming.

So I should have said 'neither have multiple partitions' or each have a single partition? got it.

 

LuckyStrike777,

Just trying to save you from yourself. Newcomers to imaging want to clone when they should really be doing backup images. Cloning is for upgrading to a larger HD when you want to use that HD immediately. Cloning is not an efficient backup technique.

I know you won't listen to this but don't clone.

 

Actually you can "have your cake and eat it" so-to-speak.
Clone the 120 to the 320 - this will give you a bootable 320 with XP on it and with over 200gb of unused space. Then do Image backups to the 320 of whichever drive, the 120 or the 74 or both if you want. To identify which backup belongs to which drive, give the backup images unique names like WD120 and WD74, and/or put the images in separate folders on the 320.

 

Brian K

How do you recover with the backup images? I actually want to learn.

 

Make the bootable Rescue cd from the installed True Image program. When you boot with this (you should actually try it to make sure it will work) you use the Recover feature on it to restore the Images to a good hard drive.

 

LuckyStrike777,

Let me give you an extreme example. Let's say you had 30 GB of data on a 120 GB HD. If you made a clone it would take 120 GB of space on the backup HD. If you made a backup image it would take around 20 GB of space so you could keep a generation of 6 images. Images take no effort to make as you can create them daily or weekly on a scheduled basis. You can create them on your second HD or external HD. They can be moved from one HD to another and can be burnt to DVD although I don't advise restoring from DVD.

Hard drive failures are rare so most restore processes are for software problems with Windows. Here you will be restoring to the HD already in your computer. No case opening. As Ralphie says, boot to the Acronis CD, click through the restore menus, have a few cups of coffee and when you return the job is done.

 

If you did have a hard drive failure then imageing would not be able to restore?

 

rayh78,

Thanks for that question. If your HD fails then open the computer case, remove the failed HD and install the new HD that you have just removed from the packaging. Close the computer case, boot to the Acronis CD and restore your backup image. It really is that easy.

I have a low tolerance for doing restores related to software problems, because I know restoring always works. So if there is an annoying problem with Windows that I can't correct easily, I restore yesterday's image.

 

1. So this 'image' is the entire contents of my HD?

2. If I clone the HD (future reference, you talked me out of cloning) I have a 120 GB going onto the 320 GB so I would clone it and check 'proportional'? versus 'as-as'? (I actually looked at the instructions)

I'm thinking I might just use the 320 as my main drive and use my 120 as a backup.

Thanks again.

 

Yes. A single file which will hold all your C: drive data.

If you wanted to use the whole 320 GB as your C: drive then click "proportional". I wouldn't do this as I like several partitions and I avoid single partition HDs. I'd click "as is" and later I'd partition the 200 GB of unallocated space.

Don't be in a rush to do this as there is much to learn before the event. I think having the 320 GB HD in your computer instead of the 120 GB HD is a good idea. Have a look at these links on partitioning and backup.

http://partition.radified.com/

http://www.goodells.net/multiboot/notes.htm#13


Also see Post #7 for my backup approach

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=163829

 

thanks! I'll read those.