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    OS Cloning with a USB Drive

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Jaycee8980, Sep 22, 2008.

  1. Jaycee8980

    Jaycee8980 Notebook Deity

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    I am trying to clone my asus 80gb HDD so I can get a larger HDD and not have to worry about reinstalling windows etc.

    Using Acronis True Image can i clone from hdd to usb drive then just boot off the USB drive when I install my new HDD and then export the image on the USB drive to the hdd and have a fully working clone of the old HDD?

    I know you guys helped me out on this before but I can seem to find the thread. Can somebody help me :(
     
    Jaycee8980, Sep 22, 2008
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  2. dkwhite

    dkwhite Notebook Deity

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    I think that will work, but why not clone the image directly to the new drive and just place the new drive in the notebook when you're done. Saves you a step.
     
    dkwhite, Sep 23, 2008
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  3. John Ratsey

    John Ratsey Moderately inquisitive Super Moderator

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    Here's the quick guide to cloning a HDD.

    John
     
    John Ratsey, Sep 23, 2008
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  4. Purehazard

    Purehazard Notebook Evangelist

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    I just used Acronis Migrate Easy 7 to clone my entire A8Js's 120GB hard drive to my new 320GB hard drive that was attached via USB. Left it cloning last night and just popped the new drive in this morning. Worked beautifully. I'm typing on my A8Js with the new right drive now.
     
    Purehazard, Sep 23, 2008
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  5. FeralReason

    FeralReason Newbie

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    Did this work for you ? I heard that if you clone to an external target drive, Windows prevents it from becoming bootable. I was considering putting the source drive in the USB enclosure and the target drive in my laptop (then booting from the CD.)
     
    FeralReason, Mar 27, 2009
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  6. jeremysdad

    jeremysdad Notebook Evangelist

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    It can make it unbootable, but it's an easy fix with a Windows install CD and the repair console.

    Have done it many times. When I cloned my Dad's Vista install, it repaired itself.
     
    jeremysdad, Mar 28, 2009
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  7. goofball

    goofball Notebook Deity

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    The key to doing this, in my experiences, is to clone without having plugged the external drive into the Windows installation that you're trying to copy. I had to do a repair afterwards because Windows had assigned the drive a letter and it gave it that drive letter after I cloned onto it (thus, not being C:\)
     
    goofball, Mar 28, 2009
    #7