How do i copy my hidden recovery patition to a new hdd?

Hi.

I just ordered a WD 500gb Sata, now my current 320gb HDD has a 10gb hidden recovery partition.

How can i copy this to my new HDD?

Are there any free programs to help me do this?

Is it best just to clone the entire HDD and then resize the partitions later.

EDIT : I have tried a free program called "DriveImage XML" but it does not see my hidden partition.

Thanks for any help

John.

 

Try these apps mate

DriveImage XXL
XXclone
ShadowCopy
EasUS Disk Copy (CLI Based)

all of the them are free ....

 

Hi.

Thanks, I will try them when i get my new HD.

John.

 

hmm a Hidden Partition then Use Gparted to make it un-hidden then use the above tools to take a image mate

 

Hi.

"EASEUS Disk Copy" appears to see the hidden recover partition, so i will try that when my new hdd arrives.

Thanks for the help

John.

 

Acronis True Image Home will also be able to see (and clone) a "hidden" partition.

 

But they also want something called money!!

Thanks

John.

 

Just seeing and cloning the hidden partition may not be enough. Depending on how the BIOS attempts to interact with this partition, it MAY need to be in a particular location on the drive or at the very least the various partitions MIGHT need to be in a particular sequence.

Because of that, if I were you I would clone the hidden partition to the new drive and then IMMEDIATELY see if you can get the BIOS to use it. If that doesn't work then I would drop back to cloning the drive (not individual partitions). That should keep the required location or sequence in tact. What ever you do make sure you test it now before you need it latter!

Gary

 

Hi.

I am going to clone the entire drive, I normally have a C and D partition , so three partitions, I think the recovery is the first partition.

Once i get it working i will delete the C and D partitions and then recreate them to fill the full hdd

Regards

John.

 

True, but then again, you get what you pay for.

 

Yes, I think that is the SAFEST way to do this. Be sure you do test the BIOS ability to invoke the recovery partiton as soon as you complete the cloning process. Better safe than sorry.

Gary

 

I am doing the exact samething right now on my Toshiba M700. I'm using "Active@ Disk Image" to do it with it is a shareware with a 21 day free trial. It's half way done copying my Hard Drive. It uses a bit by bit copy and paste style program copying a partitions as they appear. (Mine has three) So for the most part it should work.

I put the 500GB in a EXT case connecting it though USB and used the Clone setting program. This program backs up a hard drive with a "back up image" or a clone (directly to the new hard drive.) The image can be restored at a later time. But I think you have to buy it to use that feature. Meaning back it up now pay for it later if you need it.

Plus restart your computer when you install this program. It doesn't tell you to and if you try to use it. It will crash.

I will let you know how it turns out.

Wish me luck!!!

 

Hi.

I received my 500gb this morning, I only ordered it yesterday at 10.30am from play.com , free delivery , totally amazing.

Anyway i currently have both drives connected to my desktop pc and it`s going to take 2H10M to clone 300gb , I am using the free "EASEUS Disk Copy" if it does not work, i will try the "Active@ Disk Image" you are using.

Thanks

John.

 

Yeah... It kinda work. I put my new hard drive in and it would n't load Vista it said a file was missing. But the recovery partition worked so I just did a restore.

I give it a 3 out of 5. may be 2.5.

Good Luck Man!!!

 

Hi.

All done everything worked perfectly no errors that "EASEUS Disk Copy" works great.

The birthday recovery partition worked flawlessly , after that i restored to a image i made this morning from my external 500gb usb, so i did not have to re-install a thing.

I did have to delete both C and D patition and re-size them but i expected that.

Great Stuff

John.