Help with drive cloning

ryemck93

Reputable
Nov 22, 2014
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4,510
Hi all

Like to to start off by saying I work in IT Support and I'm usually the one who answers these kind of questions but I'm genuinely stuck. Usually I manage to fix my problems eventually, but I can't seem to get around this one.

I have a crappy 500GB HDD which I have my main OS install (Windows 8) on, I want to clone everything on it, on to a nice 2TB HDD as I'm running out of space (and want to use the 500GB one as a backup).

The problem is, everything I use, doesn't work!

I can only use free software, I've tried various EaseUS softwares, the latest one, Partition Master Trial Edition for example, gets through the "setup" fine then it stays in "Pending Operations" with a yellow exclamation mark (I assume that means it failed!).

I've used many other things but they tell me that I need to upgrade to clone Dynamic disks. I try to change to dynamic but there's no software that does that without removing all data on it!

I have a copy of Paragon Partition Master from my workplace (legal) but for some reason when I boot into it, the keyboard/mouse don't work. I think it's because they're USB 3.0 only, I have no other keyboard/mouse (keep giving them away).

I know this is very basic but I really need help 🙁


EDIT

Downloading a trial of Macrium Reflect Professional, hopefully this will work..
 
I managed to copy it with Macrium but it is not appearing as a boot option? Forgot to mention this all works fine if I do a clean install

Here's a screenshot of my disk management: http://imgur.com/NZRQLQN

I want to boot off the "Boss Windows 8" which is a clone of "Crappy hard disk" but the option doesn't appear!

I just tried making the disk active through diskpart but I get "the selected disk is not a fixed mbr disk" lol :/

I don't see why this is so difficult, I literally just want to switch to another hard disk!!!

Switched it over to a basic disk but now I get some stupid error message when trying to boot, very annoying. Tried rebuilding the MBR as well as repairing with a Windows 8 USB to no avail

Going to make a system image file and restore it, hopefully that will work
 
I shouldn't have to, my other install shows fine..(see image)

This one shows as "Windows 8 pro"? and I can't boot into it

BdtLgPg
 
it wont boot with 2 drive having the same os on it then you have to format the crappy 500 hdd .i just made a drive switch and system will not boot with both drive on so i remove the old one and use the new one that was a exact copy of the old and the os should have been in the first part of the drive letter and not e you may have to redo the copy and made shure the os is in the first part of the hdd .
 
You have already done many things. Please be careful while experimenting new. I suppose suggesting you the software wont help much now(u have already used many) . Take consultation from the professionals may be you will get the right track.