The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Transferring OS to another HDD

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by MotionPictures, Jul 19, 2015.

  1. MotionPictures

    MotionPictures Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    14
    Messages:
    130
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    31
    I have a new HDD that does not have an OS pre-installed. I was wondering if I can copy EXACTLY from my old HDD including the Windows 7 to the new HDD and then format the new HDD.

    Would the new HDD under perform compared to if I installed a new OS on it?

    Licensing wouldn't be an issue since I have the product key.
     
    MotionPictures, Jul 19, 2015
    #1
  2. ajkula66

    ajkula66 Courage and Consequence

    Reputations:
    3,018
    Messages:
    3,198
    Likes Received:
    2,318
    Trophy Points:
    231
    From what I'm to understand, you're interested in cloning the old drive onto the new one.

    Presuming that's indeed the case, my weapon of choice would be freeware known as Clonezilla that I've used on many occasions without any ill effects.
     
    ajkula66, Jul 19, 2015
    #2
  3. MotionPictures

    MotionPictures Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    14
    Messages:
    130
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    31
    After cloning and formatting, will the cloned HDD behave as if it installed a brand new OS? Because my old HDD runs slower in my new laptop than where it used to belong.
     
    MotionPictures, Jul 19, 2015
    #3
  4. ajkula66

    ajkula66 Courage and Consequence

    Reputations:
    3,018
    Messages:
    3,198
    Likes Received:
    2,318
    Trophy Points:
    231
    No.

    You should be looking into a fresh install then, not cloning. I know I would.
     
    ajkula66, Jul 19, 2015
    #4