Question How to clone a PC with two drives

[DR. OF TAW]

Hello, I have a PC with two drives, one with OS and programs and another which is just for storage. I want to clone my entire computer but I'm unsure how that would work. Do I clone both drives to one new drive and if so, how will they end up working once I install that new drive. I'm a bit confused and a bit desperate to resolve this. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[USAFRet]

Hello, I have a PC with two drives, one with OS and programs and another which is just for storage. I want to clone my entire computer but I'm unsure how that would work. Do I clone both drives to one new drive and if so, how will they end up working once I install that new drive. I'm a bit confused and a bit desperate to resolve this. Thanks in advance for any help.

What is the reason behind this operation?

Give us a detailed before and after.

 

[DR. OF TAW]

What is the reason behind this operation?

Give us a detailed before and after.

The reason for this operation is that my computer is about 16yrs old, running on Windows XP and has started to run a bit slow and struggling to process things as well as it once did. I love XP and also the programs that are on there but I fear the physical life of the drives is coming to an end. I just want to save my set up before it's too late. Thanks

 

[USAFRet]

The reason for this operation is that my computer is about 16yrs old, running on Windows XP and has started to run a bit slow and struggling to process things as well as it once did. I love XP and also the programs that are on there but I fear the physical life of the drives is coming to an end. I just want to save my set up before it's too late. Thanks

For this, you create Images.
Store and regularly update until the drives DO die.

But, is this XP 32bit? If so, finding a good compatible tool may be an issue.

Have you thought about moving on from XP?
That is seriously out of date and totally unsupported.

 

[USAFRet]

What specific drives are in this system?

Assuming 2x physical drives, you would just clone them to two newer drives.
CloneZilla would probably work for this.

But any 'slowness' you're seeing probably isn't an issue of the physical drives.

 

[DR. OF TAW]

For this, you create Images.
Store and regularly update until the drives DO die.

But, is this XP 32bit? If so, finding a good compatible tool may be an issue.

Have you thought about moving on from XP?
That is seriously out of date and totally unsupported.

This is an offline computer, so the support thing isn't really an issue. I know it's very out of date to be using XP but I've tried other OS and I don't like them, plus I really don't want to lose the programs I'm running on there either. I'm hoping that EaseUS will do the job but like I said at the top, I'm just not sure how to copy (clone) both drives. Can you explain what you mean by ' Create images ' ? Thanks

 

[USAFRet]

This is an offline computer, so the support thing isn't really an issue. I know it's very out of date to be using XP but I've tried other OS and I don't like them, plus I really don't want to lose the programs I'm running on there either. I'm hoping that EaseUS will do the job but like I said at the top, I'm just not sure how to copy (clone) both drives.

Does EaseUS come in a 32bit version?

Either EaseUS, Macrium Reflect, or CloneZilla....clone these to two other drives individually.

 

[DR. OF TAW]

Does EaseUS come in a 32bit version?

Either EaseUS, Macrium Reflect, or CloneZilla....clone these to two other drives individually.

I'm not 100% certain about EaseUS being 32bit - it just says for use with windows ! ? - I typed in 'cloning from Windows XP 32bit' and it took me to their FREE DOWNLOAD so I can only hope so. Thanks for the other names and also your advice re: cloning individually. That does seem logical. Also, sorry to be a bit dim but what did you mean by ' create images' ?

 

[USAFRet]

I'm not 100% certain about EaseUS being 32bit - it just says for use with windows ! ? - I typed in 'cloning from Windows XP 32bit' and it took me to their FREE DOWNLOAD so I can only hope so. Thanks for the other names and also your advice re: cloning individually. That does seem logical. Also, sorry to be a bit dim but what did you mean by ' create images' ?

For EaseUS and a 32bit system, here:
https://www.easeus.com/disk-copy/clone-resource/windows-xp-cloning-software.html

 

[USAFRet]

Also, sorry to be a bit dim but what did you mean by ' create images' ?

Clone vs Image:

A clone is (usually) for changing drives right now.
A full copy of the selected drive to another drive.

An Image is for backup purposes.
The whole drive or partition, encapsulated in a single file.

 

[DR. OF TAW]

What specific drives are in this system?

Assuming 2x physical drives, you would just clone them to two newer drives.
CloneZilla would probably work for this.

But any 'slowness' you're seeing probably isn't an issue of the physical drives.

Sorry, this question has only just shown up my end. The drives are :- Samsung SP2504C (x2). What do you think the likely cause of slowness is, if not physical ? Thanks very much

 

[USAFRet]

Sorry, this question has only just shown up my end. The drives are :- Samsung SP2504C (x2). What do you think the likely cause of slowness is, if not physical ? Thanks very much

Software.

When was the last time you did a full wipe and reinstall?

Another possibility, fragmentation.

 

[DR. OF TAW]

Clone vs Image:

A clone is (usually) for changing drives right now.
A full copy of the selected drive to another drive.

An Image is for backup purposes.
The whole drive or partition, encapsulated in a single file.

That's the first I've heard about that so I'll get busy and read up about it. At this point I have no clue how that would help me but it sounds interesting.

 

[USAFRet]

That's the first I've heard about that so I'll get busy and read up about it. At this point I have no clue how that would help me but it sounds interesting.

My backup routine, across multiple systems, is a nightly or weekly Image.
All saved to my central NAS box.

3 main systems, 9 physical drives.
Half dozen other systems and their drives.

All saved in a single folder tree on my NAS box.

Clones would consume another physical drive for each of the ones we actually use.
Images can be stored anywhere, many on a single drive.

 

[DR. OF TAW]

Software.

When was the last time you did a full wipe and reinstall?

Another possibility, fragmentation.

I have never done a full wipe and reinstall. I regularly defrag and run disk check but I've a feeling that you're probably laughing at me now and that I should have been doing something else a little bit more serious. How do I do a full wipe and reinstall?

 

[USAFRet]

I have never done a full wipe and reinstall. I regularly defrag and run disk check but I've a feeling that you're probably laughing at me now and that I should have been doing something else a little bit more serious. How do I do a full wipe and reinstall?

Given XP and whatever old software you use, that whole reinstall will be problematic.

You'd have to find the install files for all your software.
A real XP ISO.

And then, your new XP install almost certainly won't activate itself. Giving you 30 days of use before it shut off.
MS turned the XP activation servers off long ago.

 

[DR. OF TAW]

I

Given XP and whatever old software you use, that whole reinstall will be problematic.

You'd have to find the install files for all your software.
A real XP ISO.

And then, your new XP install almost certainly won't activate itself. Giving you 30 days of use before it shut off.
MS turned the XP activation servers off long ago.

Yeah, that's really the whole problem I'm facing. I have hardly any install files for the software on there so I can't even build a new PC and start again with my programs. My only hope was that cloning it all onto new drives would give me a longer life with this set up. Thanks very much for all your help and advice. I have to head to bed now but maybe we'll chat again at some point. Cheers.

 

[USAFRet]

I

Yeah, that's really the whole problem I'm facing. I have hardly any install files for the software on there so I can't even build a new PC and start again with my programs. My only hope was that cloning it all onto new drives would give me a longer life with this set up. Thanks very much for all your help and advice. I have to head to bed now but maybe we'll chat again at some point. Cheers.

Good luck.