Millismote Loc: Massachusetts

I have two dell desktop computers with one terabyte hard drives both running Windows7. I have purchased a 3 terabyte usb drive and I want to make two 1.5 terabyte partitions. I want to clone (bit copy) each desktops hard drive into a separate partition, Has anyone done something like this and if so what software did you use.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

When it comes time to duplicate a drive, I prefer to move one folder at a time. I just drag and drop - copying, rather than moving. There is probably junk on the original drive that I don't want to carry over, so this is a good time to make sure of what I am copying.

I'll be doing this tomorrow when my warranty-replacement WD MyBook arrives. I use two externals for backup, and I occasionally look at what I'm backing up and realize some of it isn't necessary, so I delete it.

EDIT: I use SyncBack SE to back up my computer to externals.

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

I ran out of room on a HD once and the replacement drive came with a software disk that cloned the old drive to the larger , don't remember the brand though , seem to remember booting from the CD/DVD that came with the drive. Perhaps the drive makers site could help.

old man 88 Loc: Palmview, TX when not on road

After you make two 1.5 terabyte partitions.

You can use EaseUS Todo Backup Free 6.5

To do what you want to do.

Clone both of the old drives

Then place one of the clone on each partition

Picdude Loc: Ohio

I would recommend you get a copy of Acronis backup software. We used to use Ghost at work for computer back-ups and switched to Acronis several years ago. It's very easy to use, and you will not have to partition your external drive unless you are really set on that course. Does a full image back-up of your hard drives, you can then name the image whatever you want for future reference. We frequently have images of multiple computers on the same drive without partitioning.

zigipha Loc: north nj

you said you want to make a bit copy - do you mean you want to image the desktop drive onto the external drive (i.e. to backup in case of desktop hdd crash)? if so, the dragging folders won't do it. I believe windows 7 lets you create a system image. If you don't trust that then look for 3rd party sw that does disk image, or supports bare metal restore.

if you just want to do file backup, then that's a bit simpler

Kuzano

I would look at one of the Acronis stable of utility software. Normally I would say their TruImage product, which I have used for years, but you may have to look at another of their products to do the convoluted process you perceive.

Also, personally I do not trust any cloning product that supposedly works across any USB or Firewire connection. I prefer to clone hard drives across and internal bus interface.

dpswbab

If you clone a drive with Windows on it, I don't believe you will be able to use it as an external drive. At least that was my experience when I tried it. The cloning went fine and Windows disk manager could see it, but the File Manager would not show it. You might want to look at the MiniTool Partition Wizard and Backupper products, both free for personal use, to set up your partitions and copy your data.

Zonker Loc: Leesburg, FL

You cannot "clone" to a flash drive, it has to be another HD installed in your machine. You can save an image to an external HD via Win 7s Backup and Restore then transfer that image to a flash drive, but that takes a bit of work to get it back to a HD in your machine.

Using Win 7s B & R to an external HD is the easiest.

If you put a second HD in your machine, just us Acronis to clone from one to the other. If one drive fails you just switch boot drives (switch SATA cables) and you're back in business.

Worst case, just make sure you have ALL the original disks to reinstall.

Kuzano

This is how I have been using Acronis TruImage for years now.

The clone is a master drive and will run the computer by simply switching it into the master position (those are old terms but the one's I am most familiar with). I often clone a drive to have on the shelf for an immediate running replacement.

I simply re-clone the shelf drive as my OS-Programs and Data get updated.

I WILL REPEAT....I only trust internal interface cloning from like hard drive to hard drive. I would never clone a drive over USB and I would not use flash memory. That also means at this point, with the unique problems with SSD read/writes and fragmentation, I WOULD NEVER CLONE AN SSD DRIVE.

Frankly, I am not sure how I would do the two partition clone of two different computers, since it would not fit my pattern of using the "cloned" drive back up and instantly running.

I'm sure there may be a way to do what you want to do, but I doubt the necessity to use "cloning" as a method. I would more likely partition the drive and then just copy the data of each drive (not the running OS and Programs) into the two distinct partitions. Frankly I see some problems with your "bit" clone idea. It has always been easier to copy/backup data and reinstall OS and Programs on a new drive. It only takes about a weekend and two weeks of bringing updates current... That's a simple Sheldon Cooper Fun Weekend!

:idea:

Zonker Loc: Leesburg, FL

I have cloned my SSDs without a problem.

Did you have a problem when you tried it?

Kuzano

I've had 3 SSD drive failures. I've done my homework and will only run 128 GB SSD's ... OS and Programs only. Turn Off File indexing on the OS for the SSD drives, and not data stored on SSD. No Defrag, and a few other concerns.

Turns out SSD drive should not have been ported to SATA interface.

Picdude Loc: Ohio

I guess I don't understand your trust issues with cloning over USB, but we have been backing up and restoring computers to and from an external drive via USB for almost 10 years that I'm aware of and it was going on before I started working for my current employer. New drive in the computer, boot off the Acronis CD, format the new drive and restore the image. No problem.

Kuzano

I do not have issues with general use of USB interface, but have had problems with CLONING over USB, which was what I said in my comments. Therefore, my preference for cloning, and only cloning, is for an internal interface. Since I have discovered a means for installing an internal interface now in laptops, I can use internal interfaces on laptops, as well as desktop machines.

Internal interfaces are better at transfer rate and less risk than USB, which as a seemingly technical person, you would certainly know.

I do use USB for copying, and writing backups to external devices, but not to clone a drive. Just my own particular anal retentive behavioral problem. YMMV.

:-D

mysery126

I have done this before. You can not do disk clone directly, because it will delete all the data on the destination disk before cloning. what I did is partition clone with AOMEI Backupper, a freeware, I select all the partitions on the disk at one time to perform clone. before run the clone process, you can edit the partitions on the destination disk. so you don't need any other partition software to do this.
another way to complete this is to backup your both disk and restore it to the destination disk.