Adding data onto a cloned drive

[thinksachi]

So I'm trying to clone the data from my hard drive to my new hybrid drive and have this replace the hard drive. Once I do this, is it safe to continually add new files and programs to the cloned drive? Or is the cloned drive only supposed to act as a backup to the original drive?

 

[spooky2th]

After the clone, install the new drive into the same port that the original drive was in and it should function just like the original drive. Add and/or delete as needed. Install the old drive into another sata port and you should have access to it to do anything you want with it.

 

[aldan]

like was said,clone your existing drive in its entirety to your new drive.then go into bios>boot order and make your new drive the first boot device.you can also do regular clones of your new drive to the old one for backups.then if the new drive goes down for any reason you have a backup.

 

[spooky2th]

If after the clone, you install the newly cloned disk into the original boot port, you won't have to change anything in BIOS.

 

[thinksachi]

I've tried both methods before asking here and for some reason, the computer still won't boot properly. Any suggestions as to why the computer won't boot?

 

[spooky2th]

Will the comp boot with the original disk in the original sata port?

 

[thinksachi]

Will the comp boot with the original disk in the original sata port?

If you're referring to the Windows bootable disc, then yes, it does boot with it.

 

[spooky2th]

What app are you using to clone with? Make a clone and not just a copy of the disk.

 

[thinksachi]

I think I see what I'm doing wrong. Seagate Techsupport wasn't clear with me on how this is done. So basically I made a disk and partition backup using the Seagate DiscWizard aka, I cloned an image. I'm then supposed to have this image file backed onto a hard drive. And then somehow unzip the file (probably not the right word) and then move all the data that was unzipped over to my new hybrid drive and then do a reboot. But instead, I cloned the image to my hybrid drive.

I've since then, moved the image file to an external backup drive. But how do I extract the image .tib file from there? Tech support said my Western Digital backup drive would have software showing me how but I don't think so.

 

[The Orig Ralph]

try using EaseUS ToDo Backup - there's a free version at their web site that i've used for 6 years - Seagate's, Acronis, Samsung migration are all slow and won't let you in to add files to the backup disk
EaseUS, i clone the drive i want to save (no scheduled incremental backups as i'm afraid a virus/malware will get in or onto the backup drive before i know it's there), but as a clone, i can open any file on the backup drive and add or drop in files or changes to files just like any other drive - no hassle, no risk

try easeus one time and you won't waste your time with the others - plus Acronis screwed up on me twice ( backup was corrupted) and cost me a helluva work - i've had to use EaseUS backup copy 3-4 times, usually to overwrite a virus that got into my main hard drive, and everytime works predictably

and speed? the others are all slow as crap on the first backup - on a 5 yr old sony with dual core E5200 pentium cpu and 4 GBs of ram, easeus clones 166 GBs (approx) in 1.5 to 1.75 hours, and re-installs slightly longer

on my new computer with i7 cpu, it's 12-16 minutes to clone and re-install

if you want a higher quality backup with EaseUS, you can select "sector by sector" - haven't done one on my new computer but on the old computer, time ran 4 - 4.5 hours
fwiw

 

[spooky2th]

Western Digital has a free app for cloning. You can use that and make a clone of the new drive in one step. Clone directly to the drive you want to clone. Then install the cloned drive in the original boot port. There are also several free apps you can download to do the same thing.