Help Failing HDD & Imaging Software

[Noc0de]

The HDD in my mums laptop is on its last legs. I'm planning to get a replacement drive but need some help/advice on how to copy everything on her existing drive and put it on the new one.

I assume taking an image of the existing drive is the way to go, but no idea on what software to go for? Are there any recommendations (if free, even better)? Or an alternative suggestions?

 

[Yaka]

if its on its lag legs ie you use it a bit it starts making loud clicky/grinding noises andpc is constantly freezing then power down. best way i have found is to freeze the drives in sealable freezer bags. then when you are ready remove from the freezer plug it in and start copying stuff over to the new drive.

if its making the odd click or noise but is not on its last legs then use acronis true image. most drive makers offer a lite version for free with thier drives.

 

[TdC]

dude, check out this thread: https://forums.freddyshouse.com/threads/aaaargh.247943/

or, in case of tldr; just go here and give this a go: http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx


I used it, and while I have not yet dared to go "all the way" and do a system restore with it, I am happy.

 

[Bahumat]

My friends laptop had the same thing happen. I made several images using different methods and I think the dell backup software was the only one which worked for me.

When I tried system restore from the cd's it would never recognise the second disk so I used the image from an external drive. Use an external drive to store the image if possible

 

[Noc0de]

Thanks guys, I will take a look over the above in more detail soon and see what I can do.

Re: clicking noises etc, it's not quite that bad - it's at the point though where lots of applications are crashing randomly, and sometimes it crashes when getting into windows. I ran Seagates 'Seatools' about 3 months ago and it found lots of dodgy sectors (sorry, can't remember the specifics!) but fixed them up. The laptop went back to being stable again, but the problems have now returned - leading me to think it's probably best I just replace the drive to save my mum (and I) her sanity.

 

[Yaka]

man you shoulda switched to a new hdd back then. and used this as temp drive for not very important stuff.

 

[Deebs]

I use Acronis for cloning harddrives.

 

[Zenith.UK]

dude, check out this thread: https://forums.freddyshouse.com/threads/aaaargh.247943/

or, in case of tldr; just go here and give this a go: http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx


I used it, and while I have not yet dared to go "all the way" and do a system restore with it, I am happy.

I have.
The nice thing is that Macrium Reflect is free to use to create the image, as long as Windows is still working. It uses Volume Shadow Copy to create the image and you can save it to a USB drive or other storage.

The smart bit is Macrium Reflect is part of Hiren's Boot CD. I've got a USB version of Hiren 14 and use it like a PC swiss army knife. You plug in the Hiren USB, choose WinPE, choose Macrium Reflect, connect the device with the stored image, and let it rip. It restored to the point when I took the image, including the Macrium Reflect icon on the desktop.

 

[Yaka]

i know lots of peeps rave about macrium who had problems with acronis. also know but its never worked for me while acronis had.

either way nocode has left it a bit late. if your datas valuable and you run into hdd problems best to act fast/. hope it works out for him