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    Cloning the HDD

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by Razor2, Dec 25, 2009.

  1. Razor2

    Razor2 Notebook Deity

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    Is there any way to clone the complete HDD (all partitions) to a new larger one? Is it possible to clone the Media Direct 3 partition?
     
    Razor2, Dec 25, 2009
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  2. taj619

    taj619 Notebook Consultant

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    well u can do that using acronis
     
    taj619, Dec 25, 2009
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  3. gerryf19

    gerryf19 I am the walrus

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    I have found that Acronis does nto always properly clone Dell prepared disks, which is too bad since Acronis will close a disk to a larger drive and adjust the partition size's accordingly.

    What never fails me is clonezilla and then expanding the partition using either windows or some third party tool.
     
    gerryf19, Dec 26, 2009
    #3
  4. User Retired 2

    User Retired 2 Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

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    Can use Linux:

    Code: 
    # Block-for-block copy from /dev/sda to /dev/sdb
$ dd if=/dev/sda of=/dev/sdb bs=4k
    Since new HDD is bigger, it will just have unused space on the end of it which you can either use by extending the last partition created, or create further partitions.
     
    User Retired 2, Dec 26, 2009
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  5. Hiker

    Hiker Notebook Deity

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    I've used Seagate DiscWizard (free) which is a stripped down version of ATI and have successfully cloned two HDD's. Media Direct 3 should clone fine. I had an older version of Dell Media Direct with a hidden partition and needed to wiped it out before it cloned properly to the larger HDD.

    Default will adjust to the larger HDD accordingly but you can custom adjust the sizes of your partitions using Seagate or ATI.
     
    Hiker, Dec 26, 2009
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  6. Razor2

    Razor2 Notebook Deity

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    Thanks for the answers...WD had a version of ATI, it cloned the hdd flawlessly, but media direct seems to be somewhat broken.

    It works fine from vista, but can't boot.
     
    Razor2, Dec 26, 2009
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  7. Hiker

    Hiker Notebook Deity

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    I never used MD very much and just did away with it. You may want to read this article over.

    http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/mediadirect.htm
     
    Hiker, Dec 26, 2009
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  8. Razor2

    Razor2 Notebook Deity

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    Already read it, but its not MD2, its MD3, which is not HPA based, so it seems to be cloned sucessfully, but when the button is pressed it tries to boot and crashes with "ntlrd error", after this the whole MBR is messed up...but can be saved, so Vista works.
     
    Razor2, Dec 26, 2009
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  9. Hiker

    Hiker Notebook Deity

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    Hiker, Dec 26, 2009
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