Need help with trying to clone a failing internal Hard Drive

by haze54 Oct 24, 2012 2:44AM PDT

Once again my minimal PC knowledge has gotten me stuck. I am trying to clone my failing HDD and thought I had yesterday. BUT, I had mistakenly chosen my external hard drive (also 1TB). I put all of my stuff I'd hate to lose back on there late last night and I think the older stuff I lost would mainly be on CD-RW's still.

I can find hardly any YouTube videos, etc. that show how you physically hook up two SATA drives and then use EaseUS ToDo Backup Free. They usually are just showing the software procedure. I have VERY little experience messing with hard drives and BIOS.

I tried disconnecting the DVD drive and using those connectors for the new one to clone (as per two write-ups I found). BIOS sees the new drive, but what else do I do? It does not show up when I look in Explorer or with ToDo Backup.

I'm glad my first mistake wasn't disastrous. I'm 58 and not a whiz. My computer-savvy brother-in-law is VERY busy (and is two hours away) and I thought I could manage this.

I have an HP p6510f running WIN7. My new HDD is a WD Blue WD10EZEX 1TB and the failing one is a Seagate that's 750 MB.

No wonder after my initial attempt it wouldn't boot from the new HDD!!

Discussion is locked

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The Device Manager sees it and says it is working properly.

by haze54 Oct 24, 2012 3:12AM PDT

The Device Manager sees it and says it is working properly.

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Since that backup/clone software failed.

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Oct 24, 2012 3:15AM PDT

Did you try CLONEZILLA next?

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I think I am just missing some basic connection/recognition

by haze54 Oct 24, 2012 3:20AM PDT

ToDo Backup worked to my external hard drive. I just must not know how to get the PC to recognize the new drive. Do I need to change some setting or so something else? It may be something simple to anyone who works on computers more than I do.

When I first tried I did not have any power cable connected to the new hard drive!

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I need to get it to show up in START----COMPUTER

by haze54 Oct 24, 2012 3:26AM PDT

When I click START and then COMPUTER it does not show up there. How do I do that? If it will show up there it should work with this software. I guess I have not risen above my Newbie status.

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Do I need to initalize/format it?

by haze54 Oct 24, 2012 3:31AM PDT

Just did more searching. Do I go into Disk Management and initialize/format it? Do I need to worry about partitions?

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I can see it now!

by haze54 Oct 24, 2012 3:53AM PDT

I did that and I can see it now. I'll try cloning again and I unplugged my external hard drive FIRST this time. Don't want to make that mistake again.

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(NT) Persistance can pay off!

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Oct 24, 2012 5:42AM PDT

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Where did the new drive go?

by haze54 Oct 24, 2012 8:51AM PDT

OK, I made sure to double-check this time. It was supposed to be cloning to the new drive (it even identified it by Model # and name). After 4 hours I thought the progress seemed stuck.

I was getting a message that the HP Recovery 'drive' (on the original one) was getting full. For some reason it was cloning into it. It did not mess up the main part of the original drive (that partition). When I looked at "Computer" that new drive was not showing up!!!

I had initialized and formatted it. To boot up I had to disconnect that drive and after reconnecting now it still won't show up. What is going on? I checked the connections. I do NOT see it with Device Manager now. AAAAGGGHHHH!!!

I did not touch anything after I started cloning.

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Same thing started again

by haze54 Oct 24, 2012 9:17AM PDT

I connected to the other open SATA connector on the motherboard and got it recognized again. Started again and went to check "Computer" and the new drive was gone again, so I cancelled.

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Remember

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Oct 24, 2012 9:17AM PDT

I don't use apps that don't work. I've used Clonezilla and Acronis but when folk want me to help with an app that fails that I don't use, I repeat the titles I've used.
Bob

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Macrium Reflect Free and a how-to video on YT saved the day!

by haze54 Oct 24, 2012 3:44PM PDT

Well, I gave up on that program and researched some others. I was hoping to avoid having to burn a disc or discs since I was hooked up via the DVD connectors. I found a detailed how-to video on YouTube about Macrium Reflect Free.

I gave it a shot and once it started the new hard drive also stopped appearing on 'Computer.' But, it was not writing to the old drive, so I let it keep going. Looks like it did the trick. I don't know why the other one kept writing to the wrong drive or 'losing' it.

This software was also faster.

It cloned my drive and it booted to it after I removed the old one.

Here's that video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWM79HCzdDA

I was glad to find such a detailed explanation and I guess I didn't have anything hooked up wrong (but, don't hold me to that).

Need help with trying to clone a failing internal Hard Drive

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