New laptop and want to make backup before setting up Win7 Ultimate
I just got a new Dell E6430u laptop and have not even started it yet. It has Win7 Ultimate on a 256GB SSD drive. What I want to do is make a backup (or clone) of this uninstalled version so that I can restore the laptop to a pristine uninstalled OS with all the drivers just like it was never used.
So, I have used TI to make HDD clones but am not sure this would work for this so my question is- should I use the "Recovering a disk with a hidden partition" method at http://www.acronis.com/support/documentation/ATIH2014/index.html#22719…
I would use the Bootable CD to do this and make the image or backup with the SSD in the machine to a HDD outside connected via a USB adapter. Then, when I wanted to restore the SSD, I would use the Bootable CD to move the image/backup from the external HDD to the internal SSD.
Questions:
1. use clone a drive or the hidden partition backup mentioned above?
2. IS there anything special about going from an SSD to a HDD then back again?
3. As I don't want to install the OS before making the image/backup, I don't know if there is a hidden partition on this SSD; any way to figure this out now?
Thanks for any help.
Steve
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Thanks Grover- What about making a disk clone- i.e.- just get a new mSATA of the same size and use the TI CD to make it - this is what I do normally so I can just plug-and-play if a HDD goes down.
Also, I download the Bootable .iso file of TI so I can just cut a CD and it use that instead of actually installing TI on the computer- any reason I can't just use this CD to make a clone and then keep that as the fresh, uninstalled SSD that could be popped into the machine or even used as the master to reimage the SDD in the machine?
Thanks
steve
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You could make a clone. If you change the connector (mSata vs SATA for example) make sure you test your clone. For a clone, boot on the recovery CD with the source and the destination connected. Make the clone. Before you reboot, make sure you disconnect one of the disk (the source or the destination). If you intend to replace the source by the destination, put the destination on the same connectors before you reboot to test it.
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Thanks. What I normally do is to clone by booting off the CD with the destination on a USB connector, then pull the source and replace with the clone. Always keep the same connector (i.e.- mSATA to mSATA or SATA to SATA; never change connector types). Never had a problem doing this. Then in about 3 months I do the same thing and replace the source (the original destination) with the new clone (the original clone) and by doing this I keep the clones relatively up to date.
Even though the Acronis instructions say to put the destination into the machine and have the source on the USB, I have never done it that way and it has always worked. I guess because I never change connector types. I even did this when I changed from a hybrid HDD to an SSD in one machine and it works like a charm.
All the best
steve
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Steve,
You can use your method on some but not on all.
The Lenova Think pad is one example where your method fails.
With that compuer, the target must be directly attached and read by the bios during the clone or restore.--
or at least this is what has been posted and successfully done.
Most likely, one reason why Acronis uses these instructions is that they work for the most users.
Theirs is their recommended method but as you have found out, theirs is not the only method--at least not for your specific computer.
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This is a common procedure, when I get a new PC for setup for my customer:
Unpack.
Do not power on.
Attach USB-Harddrive.
Boot into ATI Boot CD
Backup full drive in drive mode to .tib on external drive
Reboot to install original OS
- Now I have a copy of the original state as a .tib-file on my external drive which can be played back to any new drive.
This procedure has been proven valid, e.g. when installing SSD instead of HDD and often is more reliable when it comes to driver installation than cloning a GDD to SSD afterwards.
Also was already helpfull sometimes when I screwed up customers initial installation. In minutes I was back to factory reset.
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Rainer,
I could not agree more. Having the untouched original can be a real time saver.
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