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    Pre-sale advice - re. Sony's Recovery partition

    Discussion in 'VAIO / Sony' started by UltraNEO*, Aug 14, 2010.

  1. UltraNEO*

    UltraNEO* Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hello folks, I'm fairly new to the Sony VAIO series of computers and would like some expert advice, as I've never actually had the need to do this.

    Over the next few weeks I'll be making plans to purchase a VAIO. However, I'm wondering would it be possible to clone the recovery partition to another drive - stock ships with 320Gb HD and ideally I like to install a larger more spacious drive, either a 500Gb or 1Tb.

    If cloning is possible, what utility would I use?

    Allow me to say thanks in advance.
     
    UltraNEO*, Aug 14, 2010
    #1
  2. eyal8r

    eyal8r Notebook Guru

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    I'm doing the same exact thing. I would love to know if this is possible without too many nightmares/headaches in the process.

    I'm switching over from HP to my first Sony (WOOHOO!)- I know HP required you to have the same exact size/speed HD as the previous one in order to use the recovery discs. I think that's ridiculous.

    I'd love to upgrade to a larger 7200rpm, or possibly, SSD a little later down the road once they're cheaper.

    Any insights?
    Thanks guys!
     
    eyal8r, Aug 14, 2010
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  3. deahamlet

    deahamlet Notebook Consultant

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    I use Acronis True Image and I think it has options to create an exact image of the whole hdd. Also allows you to burn a boot DVD with Acronis so you don't have to install Windows again or anything. Good luck!
     
    deahamlet, Aug 14, 2010
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  4. anseio

    anseio All ways are my ways.

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    If you got the partition to another drive, VAIO Care wouldn't know where to find it.
     
    anseio, Aug 15, 2010
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  5. deahamlet

    deahamlet Notebook Consultant

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    Maybe also consider burning all the necessary recovery disks and such instead of using a partition.
     
    deahamlet, Aug 15, 2010
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  6. lundstrom.emil

    lundstrom.emil Notebook Consultant

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    1. Create the recovery discs and then you can create a new recovery partition on the new drive with them, it is easy.

    2. You can clone the whole HDD to the new and it will resize the system partition for you, no problem. You will have all the partitions still there.

    I use Acronis recovery media to the imaging, cloning and resizing outside windows.

    I have personally done 1 and 2, it works fine. :)
     
    lundstrom.emil, Aug 15, 2010
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  7. Oscar2

    Oscar2 Notebook Deity

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    When you get the computer, one of the things it will ask you to do, right off the bat, is to burn the recovery disks.

    Those disks will then allow you to do a fresh install (including optionally installing the recovery partition) on any drive you subsequently stick in the machine.
     
    Oscar2, Aug 15, 2010
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