quick cloning question

I currently have my OS and applications on an SSD (mSATA) and all library folders and other data on a HDD, which I want to clone to another (new) HDD.


My question is how important is it to maintain the same volume label for the new drive? Will Windows freak out if I simply copy all the files to the new drive, install it, and then change the volume label to the same as the old drive? What I want to avoid is Windows no longer detecting a D: drive and recreating all the library folders on the SSD.

If I were to use something like Clonezilla instead of simply file transfer, would the new drive be given the same volume label as the cloned (old) drive?

 

I have a similar setup (OS on SSD, and personal folders relocated to HDD). I've used the cloning tool in Parted Magic. It's a bit for bit clone of the HDD, so takes a while, but the new HDD will be a true copy (bit for bit) of the original HDD. This means drive letter and everything.

I do not know about clonezilla or any other cloning tool. I've only got experience with Parted Magic.

 

You can do it via copy. Even it's not necessary to change the volume label. Windows(7 I assume) recognizes the new HDD and installs the driver for it. Maybe you have to reboot.
I assume after copying you install the new HDD at the same SATA port as the old HDD.

 

So long as the new (presumably larger) non OS hard drive has the same drive letter as the old non OS hard drive you will be fine.

Maximinimaus is right in that a simple copy and paste will work, but bear in mind that you must change the drive letter to match the original. This only applies if you have registry/saves/program files on the said drive.

If there are only pics/music/vids/docs then none of this matters. Just copy and paste, and you'll be ready to go. Hope this helps.

 

So if I have the old HDD (D in the normal drive bay and am copying to the new HDD (allocated drive letter) via eSATA port, how can I give the new HDD the same drive letter as the old HDD? I'm probably being slightly dumb here, but the more I think about it the more confusing it gets!

 

Not at the same time, but yes. You'll first need to either remove the old HDD or reallocate its drive letter in order for its current letter to be freed up for the new HDD.

 

OK. And for the short period when Windows does not detect a D: drive (before I re-label the newly-installed drive) it will not recreate the library folders?

 

It will not. Instead, you'll get an annoying Windows error ding/beep because the destination folders for the libraries cannot be found.

 

well that didn't work out quite as planned... had to reassign the drive letter of the old drive before the same drive letter could be used for the new drive, and in the intervening time Windows did freak out, recreating all the library folders, and other programs that had indexed files (Media Monkey, for example) recognized the drive as a new data source (despite same drive letter and label) and proceeded to re-index everything. So I then had to spend time cleaning that mess up.

I think cloning would have been slightly easier in hindsight

 

Sometimes I feel like I'm talking to a brick wall. It's not personal to you, just a common occurrence.

 

Rep +1 to make you feel better.

 

Why do you say that?

 

Because a bit-for-bit clone is what I advised in my very first reply to you. It would have not caused any of the issues you bumped into.

I'll be doing this very process on two HDD's this week. Once on my new 2ndary HDD and another to clone my friend's OS to my old HDD.

 

Heh... I totally forgot about your earlier reply! Luckily it was not a big deal to sort out the issues (esp. since my OS was not on the disk in question). In hindsight probably not much more hassle than installing and using cloning software.

 

download and burn a CD from PartedMagic:
start ? Parted Magic

It's got pretty much every tool that you need when you're in a pinch.

Or, you can get unetbootin and make a bootable USB flash drive:
UNetbootin - Homepage and Downloads

 

I feel like I'm to blame here! Copy all data over (including hidden and protected system files) from HDD1 to the new HDD2, then change HDD1 to a different letter (say from D: to X then reallocating HDD2 to the original drive letter (D . After this point removing or formatting HDD1 is OK. Performing this in safe mode is even better, since indexing won't take place. The process should take ~3minutes not including formatting. Sorry for any trouble I've caused you!