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Question

Problem with cloning

Oct 2, 2011 9:07AM PDT

I attempted to clone my hard drive - to go from 80 Gb to 120 Gb. Followed all instructions but it did not work. Laptop threw off an error message before booting saying that the cloned drive is corrupt or something. I replaced the original drive and computer works. Examined properties of the apparent faulty disk. Its size had been reduced to 93 Gb. Warned me that it was not formatted, so I formatted it. But size is still 93 GB.
Tried to clone again, but source and destination drives were each identified as 93 Gb drives. So I stopped. Looks like my "80Gb" drive is really larger. But why is the 120 Gb drive now smaller?

Any ideas what has occurred?

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Some clone softwares do that.
Oct 2, 2011 9:29AM PDT

To be a clone it even makes the drive look to be the same size. Wouldn't that define a good clone software?

Next time try CLONEZILLA and of course Acronis.
Bob

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Problem with cloning
Oct 2, 2011 9:49PM PDT

The objective was to obtain a larger HD. Is there a way to reverse this? Does the new 120Gb drive no longer have 120 Gb of capacity?

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Here's how I've done this
Oct 2, 2011 10:13PM PDT

Rather than cloning directly, I'd use the software to create a compressed image of the source drive on such as an external USB drive. I remove the old drive and replace it with the larger drive. Then I boot from the image/cloning software with the external drive attached that contains the image. I restore the image to the new drive once it's already in the machine. I have that software expand the partition to the full drive space. If there are multiple partitions, these can be scaled at the same time.

I have had issues cloning to an external drive and then trying to place it a PC or laptop. I've found it better to use the above sequence. I can't explain why other methods don't always work. BTW, I use Acronis True Image these days but have used other software in the past. Good luck.

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Cloning
Oct 3, 2011 12:13AM PDT

Thank you, Steve. I now have a new problem. I was attempting to clone a blank 120 Gb external hard drive to to the new internal drive I have to see if its properties could be changed back to the 120 Gb. I stopped the process before it could be completed and now my new disk is non-formattable. Any thoughts on how to restore it?

I'm using Apricorn software for the cloning, BTW.

Rich

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Sounds like you need to wipe the drive and return it
Oct 3, 2011 1:41AM PDT

to how it came from the manufacturer. I generally use the manufacturer's utility to do this. For Seagate, it's SeaTools, for WD, it's WD diagnostics, etc. You use the function to write zeros to all locations. Another frequently recommended here is Dban but I've no personal experience with it. I think one mistake you might have made when attempting to clone was in formatting the drive. You want bare drive space when using these utilities. BTW, I don't know why you'd try to clone a blank drive to an internal. I also don't know if you meant an unpartitioned/formatted drive without data or a bare drive. I can't come up with a good reason for doing that.

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Non-formatable drive
Oct 3, 2011 2:18AM PDT

Steve-

Thank you for the feedback. Could you resend the first part of your last message?

Just to explain further -- I did not format the drive initially. I cloned the operating hard drive (1) per instructions. But the cloned drive (2) would not work. Could not get Windows to boot. So I replaced the original hard drive and then looked at properties of the cloned version (2). I was prompted by an error of sorts that said the disk was not formatted. and its volume was the exact volume as my origianl drive (1). So I formatted it but the cloned drive still was not the 120 Gb I wanted. I thought that if I were to clone a blank 120 Gb drive onto (2) the new drive might restore tself to 120 Gb.

I guess I'm in way over my head, but the CNET video made it seem so easy!

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You have so many responding that it can be more
Oct 3, 2011 4:27AM PDT

confusing than helpful. All I initially recommended was a method I've used successfully. You didn't give any details about how you attempted to clone the drive initially. By this I mean we don't know if you put the larger drive in an external enclosure or had another bay in the laptop available. If you tried to clone to an external drive, I can tell you that I've had that to fail. For that reason, I create the image from and restore the image to a drive that's in the machine. For a laptop, I create an image on a separate USB external drive. I then put the new drive in place of the old one and reverse the process. I boot from the cloning software and restore the image from the external device to the drive that's now in the laptop. With what I use, I can alter the partition size if I wish if going to a drive of a different capacity.

I suggested wiping the drive as you said you'd done a format of it after receiving a message that it needed such. This was not going to help you but it's not a fatal error. Wiping the drive would remove partitions and formatting and that's what the cloning software works with best.

There is also another possible variable here. You said your original drive is 80 gb. Does that mean your C: partition shows as 80 gb or are you sure that's the actual capacity of the drive? Laptops will most often have a second (but hidden) partition that contains the files needed to do a full system recovery. If your HD is 80 gb, your C: partition will be smaller than that. But it's possible that your drive is larger than 80 gb if all you are looking at is the C: partition. That could account for the 93 gb you noted in your first post. A 100 gb disk might format to about 93 gb of usable space.

In any event, given the lack of specifics about the drive manufacturer and model #s, no one can be sure what you have. I'm just offering what I've found to work when other methods fail...and that is to use the 2 step process I outlined. It will require the availability of a 3rd drive to create the image. Good luck.

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As long as you don't tell the details.
Oct 3, 2011 2:57AM PDT

I can't offer exact answers. For example if this was a Seagate xxnnww drive I would check for a drive size tool from Seagate. But your post omits drive make and model as well as the title of the cloning software.
Bob

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Answer
OK, stop . . .
Oct 3, 2011 3:33AM PDT

Go to the drive's web site and download their cloning software. I use Seagate exclusively and have cloned uncounted drives using the Seagate Disk Wizard from the site. Never, nada, zero problems ever. It will clone to a smaller HD or to a larger HD. The Seagate software will examine the drive and partition it if needed, format the partition, and make an exact clone. I'm sure most other brand name drive's software will do the same. But we still don't know who made the drive to be of any more help.

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Clone pronlem
Oct 3, 2011 4:14AM PDT

New drive is by SanDisk - new solid state type.

Cloning software is by Apricorn. Hope this helps in any other guidane you guys can offer. I really appreciate it.

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I see they have a Live Chat at link.
Oct 3, 2011 4:21AM PDT