Clone a HD

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My old lap top (10 years, Dell Studio XPS, Windows 7) is only USB 2.0. Will the external approaches outline here work for it; ie. is being 2.0 a problem? I have several programs that will die with the laptop for lack of support that I'd like to limp along a while with if the laptop dies.

Hi Chris,

1. You will need something like this - USB 3.0 (will work with 2.0) to SATA IDE Adapter. Here's the one I got from Amazon

2. I did some research and can not give you a definitive answer at this time, although the consensus is that it should work.

3a. I use Acronis True Image [business pro], but you only need Personal; however, it is pricy ($50) for a one time clone.

3b. I have also used EaseUS with not so good results.

4. Important: I don't know of any cloning software that will clone easily if the destination drive is not EXACTLY the same as the source. Here's some info from Acronis on the subject.
Note: You can use a bigger drive, but in my experience, you must format it to match the smaller original drive size and forfip the remaining size. There are also partition managers that you can use after the fact to add the otherwise wasted space. Maybe there are free apps but I paid $99.00 for the one I use.​

That's all I have time to offer right now, but I suggest you go to Dell and search for the capabilities of your exact computer model.

Sorry I couldn't be more help.

Ed
 
Chris,

I have used Macrium to clone my drives for a couple of years now. I have been able to completely restore a backup from the clone. It works very well. Macrium is also free unless you need to run automated backups. The free version will run on-demand backups. I have my laptop connected to external USB drives (both 2.0 and 3.0 over the years) and it has worked fine.
 
I have used Macrium to clone my drives for a couple of years now. I have been able to completely restore a backup from the clone.

That's interesting. Can (or have you tried) to replace the internal drive with your clone and boot your computer as if nothing ever changed? I only tried it once with an SSD clone, and it would not boot. I later found out that I had to change the bios to be compatible with the SSD.
 
Thanks Fred. I have Marcrium but the tech of just how to make a bootable clone drive as a backup to swap into a new machine is what I am very fuzzy on understanding.
Chris,

I have used Macrium to clone my drives for a couple of years now. I have been able to completely restore a backup from the clone. It works very well. Macrium is also free unless you need to run automated backups. The free version will run on-demand backups. I have my laptop connected to external USB drives (both 2.0 and 3.0 over the years) and it has worked fine.
 
Oooh, I've done this a number of times recently. No smooth solution really. Tried both Easeus and Macrium. Both kept finding errors when trying to replicate. One solution is to clone your hard drive to an external HD using Carbon Copy Cloner. Then, use the cable that ed suggested; download CCC to your new computer and copy that way.
 
Oooh, I've done this a number of times recently. No smooth solution really.

The IS one solution. Get a Mac. I clone two separate drives daily, and they are always bootable, even without having to monkey with drive letters.
Why you can get a new iMac Pro for the entry-level price of an only $6,000, but it is easy to spend $12,000 too. :)
 
What a deal! :moneywings:Adobe stopped maintaining an Apple version of my indispensable program years ago, so I guess I'll have to pass and not give them money.
The IS one solution. Get a Mac. I clone two separate drives daily, and they are always bootable, even without having to monkey with drive letters.
Why you can get a new iMac Pro for the entry-level price of an only $6,000, but it is easy to spend $12,000 too. :)
 
The IS one solution. Get a Mac.

Hey Ed. I agree. Any Mac I work on is a breeze. Brainless! I had two PC's I was working on for a few people; replaced the HD's w/ SSD's, etc. It is always a chore when compared to the streamlined Mac process. :)
 
My old lap top (10 years, Dell Studio XPS, Windows 7) is only USB 2.0. Will the external approaches outline here work for it; ie. is being 2.0 a problem? I have several programs that will die with the laptop for lack of support that I'd like to limp along a while with if the laptop dies.
https://www.pcmag.com/feature/363387/how-to-clone-a-hard-drive

You can clone the hard drive with Clonezilla, which is free and has always worked for me; but what exactly are you trying to do? If you clone the drive and put it in a different laptop, it will probably not boot and if it does it will have drivers issues and it will not be activated,. A Windows activation only works with a specific motherboard. If you have the installation files for the programs that you want to keep you can install them on your new computer.

Anyway if you still want to clone the drive and need help let me know.
 
Thanks; I don't have disks that will work for my main software package. So basically all the clone would be good for is to install to replace the cloned drive if it fails in the same old computer.
You can clone the hard drive with Clonezilla, which is free and has always worked for me; but what exactly are you trying to do? If you clone the drive and put it in a different laptop, it will probably not boot and if it does it will have drivers issues and it will not be activated,. A Windows activation only works with a specific motherboard. If you have the installation files for the programs that you want to keep you can install them on your new computer.

Anyway if you still want to clone the drive and need help let me know.
 
Thanks; I don't have disks that will work for my main software package. So basically all the clone would be good for is to install to replace the cloned drive if it fails in the same old computer.
Yes. You may also clone your hard drive to an SSD, which can make you computer a little faster, but they are more expensive than hard drives. A clone from your hard drive to a hard drive the same size or larger using clonezilla is relatively easy. You can also clone your hard drive to an image, which is basically a file that you can store in a removable drive and if your hard drive fails you restore the image to a new hard drive.
 
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