Basic cloning questions

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stevewestern

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My 250gb ssd has 2 partitions, not really sure why. One is for the OS and programs and is almost full, the other empty. Can I delete the empty one and add that space to the OS partition easily?
Should this be difficult I do have a spare new 250 gb ssd so can I clone the first OS partition and make it the full size? I plan to use the Samsung cloning cd and would like to keep the second ssd as a backup in case of a failure. Thanks for any help!
 
OK, part one solved after a while googling - I actually had 3 partitions so have deleted the middle one and was then able to expand my primary partition so now have lots of space on my C drive.
I am now hoping that cloning is a simple process..
 
With the right tools you shouldn't have to clone. I would focus on expanding the existing particion to make use of the empty space. Most Linux live cds can do that with the partition tool or find a gparted iso you can burn to disc or usb to boot from.

Don't forget to backup first :)
 
dejongj said:
With the right tools you shouldn't have to clone. I would focus on expanding the existing particion to make use of the empty space. Most Linux live cds can do that with the partition tool or find a gparted iso you can burn to disc or usb to boot from.

Don't forget to backup first :)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the help - my main reason for cloning is to have a backup of everything just in case my HD dies, and as I have a spare doing nothing it seems to make sense, and the hope is that being prepared will mean I'll never need the thing..!
I've managed to expand the partition so now seem to be all sorted barring the actual process of cloning.

I assume that when I have cloned I'll just be able to remove the original SSD, plug in the new one and adjust the BIOS to boot from the new one, leaving me with the original as my spare.

One last question - I only have programs on my boot drive and have never backed them up - is it just a case of copying to my NAS (the only form of backup I have ever done is to copy all my files to my NAS and a spare HD)
 
no if you copy the programs to nas they wont run if you hard drive becoems messed up because you wont be copying registry entries.
but then if you have created a mirrored image of your main hd onto the backup hard drive that should be an issue.
Also be very aware disc cloning is not actually very good when it comes to windows. windows boot disks have a seperate hidden partition and files that alot of cloning software wont pick up so when it comes to booting from your cloned disc you could end up with a failure.
you need to use disc imaging
easiest explained here
http://www.pagestart.com/win7bckuprstrnhd072610.html
 
dean messenger said:
no if you copy the programs to nas they wont run if you hard drive becoems messed up because you wont be copying registry entries.
but then if you have created a mirrored image of your main hd onto the backup hard drive that should be an issue.
Also be very aware disc cloning is not actually very good when it comes to windows. windows boot disks have a seperate hidden partition and files that alot of cloning software wont pick up so when it comes to booting from your cloned disc you could end up with a failure.
you need to use disc imaging
easiest explained here
http://www.pagestart.com/win7bckuprstrnhd072610.html
Click to expand...

Thanks for your help Dean - I had assumed that cloning was the solution.
I do have my W7 disc so could always use that but will read your link about disc imaging - I just want something simple that a simple person like me can use...
 
Steve - (as Dean says) it's easier to use imaging rather than cloning . You can make a full image of the 1st drive and store it (the image) on your 2nd drive - obviously both drives have to be connected to the machine. Macrium Reflect is very good for imaging - there's even a free version - http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx
 
whatever you do always back up first
 
Mr Bump said:
whatever you do always back up first
Click to expand...


OK, so this is really going to sound dumb, but hey, nothing new from me then..

What do you all do to back up ?
As I said a few posts ago I have only ever copied all my files to a NAS and again to an old HD that is kept away from the PC, but how and what do you all do ?
Are you just talking about files or programs as well ?
 
i only backup my images everything else i can get back from downloads or reinstalls from discs. Oh and my faves list of websites. id be lost without that.
as to where i back up, have external eSATA/ USB 3 case that has quick release to switch the hard drives and it can take both the OLD PATA ( IDE ) drives and newer SATA drives ( not so new now ) and i have 4 hard drives from 500gb to 2TB that can go in that.
also have a RAID 1 2 bay NAS with 2 x 2TB hard drives and then i have cloud storage.
also have secondary HDD in laptop ( 500GB )
RAW files go on oneexternal HDD, secondary HDD , and on the NAS, worked on TIFF images go on secondary HDD, external drive and NAS, completed Jpegs on secondary HDD, NAS and cloud storage. secondary HDD is synced with the NAS and manual backups from external HDD of RAW files to the NAS are done at teh time of import into LR from each shoot. that way im backing up as i go so at the worst i would only lose the days shoot and only if the SD card was corrupt.
 
I keep an image of C: drive (which only has Windows and programs on it) using a Macrium image.
All data and images (i.e. photos) are kept on their own separate drives which are backed up to identical drives in an external housing.
 
stevewestern said:
I assume that when I have cloned I'll just be able to remove the original SSD, plug in the new one and adjust the BIOS to boot from the new one, leaving me with the original as my spare.
Click to expand...

Your assumption is almost totally correct. However, if you make a proper clone then you only have to swap drives, no fiddling with BIOS should be required. This is part of my backup strategy. As well as backing up to my NAS, and to an external 3.5" drive, I also make a clone of my boot disk every month or two. That means, if I get a failure of my boot disk I only need to swap the broken one for the clone. Then I can reboot and do a restore from the NAS backup.
 
There IS a 'Try it now' link. Maybe on the purchase page
[Edit] Just checked and it's on the link I gave (at the bottom)
 
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Glyn Carnell said:
There IS a 'Try it now' link. Maybe on the purchase page
[Edit] Just checked and it's on the link I gave (at the bottom)
Click to expand...

You are right - I went straight to looking at the 'learn more' page so didn't see the 'try me' link...
Thanks Glyn - I'll give it a try !
 
there are loads of backup methods but just plain old windows backup will do a good job, on to a seperate external usb disk, you get the option to create a system repair disk as well but in reality putting that back is never straight forward. much as folk always say clone this and that for the layman its not that simple, windows backup is a microsoft product and you will find it in control panel on Windows 7.
 
Ozei said:
It seems the Casper trial is only free for 30 days, then you have to pay for a licence. https://www.fssdev.com/products/casper/trial/

The Macrium Reflect Free edition isn't a trial - it's permanently free, i.e. nothing to pay at all. The Home, Workstation and Server editions are the ones they charge for because they have more features (e.g. file & folder backup) http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx
Click to expand...

LOL.. What do ya expect? something for nothing? Sorry, not meaning to loose it here but I developed websites for muliti-million £ firms and I have put hours & hours into it.... AND THEN... The drive failed. Took me a long time to find one that 'just works' and I've been using it for years. Infact I swear by it. One click back-up to another dive.... and I have needed to fall back many times over the years and it work's a treat.

Sorry.... Just very passionate about this software.... worth every penny, in my book!
 
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I started with Macrium Free edition and was so impressed I bought the v5 Standard Edition (v6 is called Home). So by offering the Free version they gained a paying customer. Macrium has never failed me yet and I've used it to restore to an image of C: drive countless times.
 
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