First time cloning & Target disk
This is the first time using Acronis and it is a critical time: my HD is failing and I need to replace it ASAP, without loosing anything.
Here are the details:
- Laptop running Win 7 Ultimate
- Acronis 2012 has been installed and registered but never used.
- I need to ghost/image/clone my HD to physically replace it and restore my entire system (O/S, application S/W, data). I am away on a trip for another month and need my laptop for work with all its specialized applications already installed and data.
- I have an external HDD with enough space to add the “clone” copy in a separate Dir without deleting the data already in other Dir’s on the HDD.
- I need to install on my laptop a new HD, possibly bigger.
- I need to restore my O/S, all my application S/W, all the different settings, and my data exactly as it is now.
I am trying to read the Acronis User Manual, but it is long and confusing (backup of disk/partitions, images, cloning, rescue media, different H/W, etc).
What do I really need to do (general steps/actions)?
Can I clone into a separate directory of my external HDD without affecting what is already in the other directories, or do I need a dedicated external drive for that purpose only?
Thanks

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Thanks. My "emergency" has been resolved. But as soon as I have a chance, I will do your recommendation.
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Ricka B,
For future,
When a disk is failing, I would suggest backing up as much data as possible without restarting. Start up and shut down puts the most stress on a drive. Once you have your data backed up (or as much as you can get), you can attempt more extensive recovery. Disk image, clone, etc. Cloning the disk is not always the best way to go since cloning a failing disk can bring existing problems forward to the new drive (data corruption, example). Obviously the type and extent of the failure can influence the steps you take out of the gate, but minimizing stress on the drive should be the first priority. Hope this is helpful.
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