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Failing Hard Drive

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  • 22-03-2013 8:21pm
    #1
    SB2013
    Closed Accounts Posts: 805 ✭✭✭


    My primary hard drive has started to do that clicking thing that heralds a coming apocalypse. I have a couple of unused hard drives in the computer and was considering updating to SSD anyway. But I'm wondering what the best way to do this would be.

    Is there a good free program to back up all content to one of the spare drives?

    If i decide to install an SSD and put the operating sysyem on it how do i go about that? I can't just restore the backup to the SSD because it wouldn't be big enough.

    I'd appreciate any ideas on how I should proceed


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    #2
    Merl1n
    Registered Users Posts: 251 ✭✭Merl1n


    Use the ssd as your primary drive and install the os on that drive
    You will need an os cd to boot from to do this or a usb os drive

    Only have 1 drive in the system when you do the install

    Then install the failing drive and copy what you need from it and take it back out

    put whatever other drives back in the system then


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    #3
    SB2013
    Closed Accounts Posts: 805 ✭✭✭SB2013


    Actually i have a device that allows you to plug an internal drive in externally so I could use that. So that way I wouldn't have to install from a backup just transfer over everything. Only problem is with programs, drivers and codecs I'd be missing. Have to find all the installers again. I wouldn't remember half the stuff I've installed.


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    #4
    Merl1n
    Registered Users Posts: 251 ✭✭Merl1n


    you could clone the drive
    acronis is good for that and it lets you clone a larger drive to a smaller one
    as long as you using less space then the smaller drives total capacity


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    #5
    SB2013
    Closed Accounts Posts: 805 ✭✭✭SB2013


    I now think the drive that's clicking may be one of the spare ones. But I'd still like to back up the main one just in case. I managed to get the space usage down to a more manageable level. Found a whole load of old Fraps footage to delete. So I might clone a back up like you suggested.


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    #6
    Gone Drinking
    Registered Users Posts: 2,809 ✭✭✭Gone Drinking


    If you buy an SSD, most come with ghosting/imaging/cloning software that will allow you to basically clone your old harddrive exactly as it is to the SSD.


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    #7
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Clonezilla


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    #8
    RodgersLFC
    Closed Accounts Posts: 283 ✭✭RodgersLFC


    Check out a free Linux based program called Redo Backup.

    http://www.redobackuo.org

    Its great, has a drive cloning utility among other things. Best thing for you to do would be to do a disk image on your old HD and transfer everything to the new one. Other alternatives are Norton Ghost and Clonezilla.


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