Cloning to a second hard drive.

Computer Forum Storage Devices
1

Hello, everyone.

I’m due to install a second hard drive to my PC. Out of interest, can I clone the entire contents of my first (old hard drive – operating system included) using a disk-imaging program to the second hard drive, so that in the event of a crash on the first drive, I can, by selecting F8 on boot-up, boot into my operating system & have a fully-working copy of the contents contained on the old drive – just to test things out?

If that were to work, I could swap-out the first (crashed drive) for the fully-working second drive. Is this possible/feasible, or I have I got my logic wrong?

I’m not actually planning to do this at the moment, but just want to explore the possiblity to increase my PC knowledge

Many thanks for any help/ advice offered.

Dave.

2

If you do backup then you cant access it, you can use it for recovery. Lets make it easy, use windows backup tool, not for the whole computer. Suppose a zz folder. when your backup will finish then you will see a backup file not that folder…

If you want windows on both drives then install them by using CD.

3

[QUOTE=Karanislove]
If you do backup then you cant access it, you can use it for recovery. Lets make it easy, use windows backup tool, not for the whole computer. Suppose a zz folder. when your backup will finish then you will see a backup file not that folder…

If you want windows on both drives then install them by using CD.
[/QUOTE]

Understood - thanks.

Dave

4

I think Partition Magic has a tool for cloning a partition/drive onto another partition/drive.

5

Oops! I was just misunderstood…I started talking about data recovery. Sorry David, nd yea you can clone your drive, here is an example [link=http://www.bay-wolf.com/ghostclone.htm] GhostClone [/link]

6

Can’t go past Symantec’s Norton Ghost :cool:

7

[QUOTE=pelvis_3]
Can’t go past Symantec’s Norton Ghost :cool:
[/QUOTE]

Thanks, guys.

I’ve got Acronis True Image as a disk imaging tool, which has a disk clone option -so I might try that to see if it works.

Like I said, there is no real need for me to do this. Basically, if I want a copy of Windows on the second (new),drive all I need to do is load it on from the XP CD. I’m just ‘playing’ around, trying to see if thngs can be done, and to learn a bit more about PCs.

The disk cloning will probably end in disaster if I try it. The trouble with me is - I can never ‘leave well alone’ as they say. But how are you supposed to learn anything if you don’t experiment? Happy computing!

Dave. :wink:

8

Why not set up a RAID using two hard drives? I suggest you check out RAID Level 1 (Disk Mirroring/Duplexing).

RAID Level 1 writes data to both hard drives at the same time ‘on-the-fly’. If one disk fails, the computer can switch to the other hard disk

9

[QUOTE=megamaced]
Why not set up a RAID using two hard drives? I suggest you check out RAID Level 1 (Disk Mirroring/Duplexing).

RAID Level 1 writes data to both hard drives at the same time ‘on-the-fly’. If one disk fails, the computer can switch to the other hard disk
[/QUOTE]

Thanks, Megamaced.

That sounds like a brilliant idea! I will certainely check it out. By the way, I have just finished installing the second hard drive. I had asked in the forum, and the general consensus of opinion seemed to be that I could hook up the drive to an IDE that also served a DVD drive. However, I could not get XP to recognise the second drive whatever I did.

In the end, I hooked up the second drive as slave to the first drive on the same IDE cable - which was the IDE cable coming from the primary IDE controller slot on the motherboard. Hey presto - the drive showed up and I was able to format it and can now use it.

I would mention that when I tried hooking up the drive on the other IDE cable, it was the IDE cable from the secondary IDE controller on the motherboard. Do hard drives only work when connected from the primary IDE controller slot? Because I tried everything to get the drive to work on the secondary IDE cable and it would not. Sorry, I know nothing about HD installation - this is a first for me.

Cheers,

Dave

10

No it should work, did you make sure the jumpers were set correctly? Master drives go at the end of the IDE cable and slave drives in the middle. Make sure your jumpers on the drive(s) are set correctly.

11

The first hard drive should always be connected to the Primary IDE controller. It doesn’t matter where you install the second hard drive.

Do you want both hard drives on separate IDE controllers?
You can install the second hard disk alongside the DVD-ROM on the second IDE channel if you want to.

Make sure the hard disk is attached to the end of the IDE cable. The DVD-ROM drive must be attached to the middle of the cable. Set the jumpers to CS (cable select) on the hard drive and DVD-ROM

If both of your hard drives are sharing the same IDE controller (the same cable), then you need RAID 1 ‘Disk Mirroring’. If the hard drives are located on different IDE controllers then you need ‘Disk Duplexing’.

RAID 1 is implemented in Windows, so you don’t need to buy/install 3rd party software. I think you can set up RAID within Disk Management but I’ve never done it before! I know the theory but I’ve never put it into practice :smiley:

12

[QUOTE=Matt555]
No it should work, did you make sure the jumpers were set correctly? Master drives go at the end of the IDE cable and slave drives in the middle. Make sure your jumpers on the drive(s) are set correctly.
[/QUOTE]

Ah, I see, Matt.

No, the end of the IDE cable was already hooked to the DVD drive. I connected the new HD to the other end (nearest to the controller), which was only about 5-6 inches from the controller slot.

I must say, I found the ‘set up’ of the cable odd. I’m assuming that the end of an IDE cable that connects into the IDE controller slot is slightly different from the other 2 connections on the IDE and cannot be used to plug any actual devices into.

I say this because the The IDE cable from the primary IDE slot has a connector about 12-14 inches from the slot, then its end connector 5-6inches from that. So, can either end of an IDE cable slot into the controller socket?

The IDE cable on the secondary IDE slot was the complete opposite of the abovementioned.

I might try to reconfigure the HD installation at a later date. My old setup on the primary IDE cable was: 1st HD set as master and CD-ROM set as slave to it. I now have the new HD as slave on that cable, so CD-ROM is of course inoperable now (no big deal actually - it was so noisy!). I have a DVD RW, so no problem, on the secondary IDE cable, the only device on this cable -this is the cable I really wanted to put the second HD on.

I think another problem seems to be that the cage slot where the new HD is installed is a fair distance from the bays where optical devices are. this would be fine if either of the ends of the IDE where interchangeable (being able to slot into the IDE controller slot). Hope this makes some sense - bit difficult for a rookie like me to explain.

Thanks and best wishes,

Dave.

13

[QUOTE=DavidNW]
Ah, I see, Matt.

No, the end of the IDE cable was already hooked to the DVD drive. I connected the new HD to the other end (nearest to the controller), which was only about 5-6 inches from the controller slot.

I must say, I found the ‘set up’ of the cable odd. I’m assuming that the end of an IDE cable that connects into the IDE controller slot is slightly different from the other 2 connections on the IDE and cannot be used to plug any actual devices into.

I say this because the The IDE cable from the primary IDE slot has a connector about 12-14 inches from the slot, then its end connector 5-6inches from that. So, can either end of an IDE cable slot into the controller socket?

The IDE cable on the secondary IDE slot was the complete opposite of the abovementioned.

I might try to reconfigure the HD installation at a later date. My old setup on the primary IDE cable was: 1st HD set as master and CD-ROM set as slave to it. I now have the new HD as slave on that cable, so CD-ROM is of course inoperable now (no big deal actually - it was so noisy!). I have a DVD RW, so no problem, on the secondary IDE cable, the only device on this cable -this is the cable I really wanted to put the second HD on.

I think another problem seems to be that the cage slot where the new HD is installed is a fair distance from the bays where optical devices are. this would be fine if either of the ends of the IDE where interchangeable (being able to slot into the IDE controller slot). Hope this makes some sense - bit difficult for a rookie like me to explain.

Thanks and best wishes,

Dave.
[/QUOTE]

I think I get what you’re saying you mean the cable is like this:

||====================||========||

(Where || is a connector and == is the cable)

If it is then connect it like this:

Motherboard =========DVD-ROM ====HDD
||====================||========||

And make sure the jumpers are set correctly (Cable Select like megamaced said)

14

Thanks, Megamaced.

Great advice all round! I’ll have a go at reconfiguring the HD set up in due course. Thanks for the info about RAID - sounds really good!

Cheers,

Dave

[QUOTE=megamaced]
The first hard drive should always be connected to the Primary IDE controller. It doesn’t matter where you install the second hard drive.

Do you want both hard drives on separate IDE controllers?
You can install the second hard disk alongside the DVD-ROM on the second IDE channel if you want to.

Make sure the hard disk is attached to the end of the IDE cable. The DVD-ROM drive must be attached to the middle of the cable. Set the jumpers to CS (cable select) on the hard drive and DVD-ROM

If both of your hard drives are sharing the same IDE controller (the same cable), then you need RAID 1 ‘Disk Mirroring’. If the hard drives are located on different IDE controllers then you need ‘Disk Duplexing’.

RAID 1 is implemented in Windows, so you don’t need to buy/install 3rd party software. I think you can set up RAID within Disk Management but I’ve never done it before! I know the theory but I’ve never put it into practice :smiley:
[/QUOTE]

15

[QUOTE=Matt555]

||====================||========||

(Where || is a connector and == is the cable)

If it is then connect it like this:

Motherboard =========DVD-ROM ====HDD
||====================||========||
[/QUOTE]

Hey Matt555, that’s a pretty good illustration :slight_smile:

16

[QUOTE=megamaced]
Hey Matt555, that’s a pretty good illustration :slight_smile:
[/QUOTE]

Yeah, it was a good illustration -I thought so too. By the way, new HD shows up in “My Computer” as have 74.1 or so MB free space. The HD has an 80GB capacity and has nothing stored on it as yet. Where’s the other space gone? I’m guess this is normal.

Cheers,

Dave

17

[QUOTE=megamaced]
Hey Matt555, that’s a pretty good illustration :slight_smile:
[/QUOTE]

I try my best :stuck_out_tongue:

Without making an actual picture it was the first thing that came to mind.

[QUOTE=DavidNW]
Yeah, it was a good illustration -I thought so too. By the way, new HD shows up in “My Computer” as have 74.1 or so MB free space. The HD has an 80GB capacity and has nothing stored on it as yet. Where’s the other space gone? I’m guess this is normal.

Cheers,

Dave
[/QUOTE]

Have you formatted it yet?

18

[QUOTE=Matt555]
I try my best :stuck_out_tongue:

Without making an actual picture it was the first thing that came to mind.

Have you formatted it yet?
[/QUOTE]

Yes, Matt.

Its formatted and working fine - just puzzles me that the 80GB drive has showed up as 74.1 or whatever of free space, with nothing stored on it as yet.

I think you normally lose some space with drives even though you might not have saved anything to them - perhaps this space is lost in installation. I also remember plugging in an external drive (20GB) and that showed up in “My Computer” as having less space than its original capacity - my 1st HD showed a similar loss space when it was installed.

By the way, I could run my DVD-RW,which is set to master, plugging the other connector into the CD-ROM drive (as slave). That would negate the need to reassign the new HD.

In short, what I’m asking is, will/should, either end of the IDE cable fit into my secondary IDE controller slot?

I was under the impression that the IDE connector end that actually goes into the IDE controller slot, is slightly difference from the connector ends that are used to connect HD, optical device, etc.

Cheers,

Dave

19

As for the specific level of RAID, you’ll want to use RAID 1, not 0, which is mirroing.

20

Is that 74.1 that you mentioned in GB? If so then that’s normal to lose a bit of space.