Resolved To Clone Or Not To Clone

When installing a new laptop hard drive, is it possible to create an image to a USB drive, and write that image to the new hard drive using bootable media, or would cloning be better? I will be using Macrium Reflect (free) for this procedure.

 

Hi James, I've done this using an adapter USB to SATA to new larger drive as External drive.
I've also used the Macrium Reflect Cloning software. You just follow the instructions and then swap the drives.
I've done this with NVMe2 SSD's. I have an NVMe2 external unit and have used both USB "A" and USB "C" connector cables.
You don't say whether you are working with HDD, SSD or NVMe drives so I am assuming a newer Laptop may have 2.5" SSD or NVMe2 storage.

 

Hi Neil, long time, no see!

So, you think I need to buy a USB HD (SATA) enclosure and clone the new drive that way instead of imaging? I guess it would be quicker than installing the new drive (7200 RPM) and transferring the image from a USB drive?

I am not up to speed on the NVMe2 hardware. It's the first I've heard of it. Sounds promising though.

 

https://www.techbuyer.com/nz/blog/w...cRrOZjhF0--fKC_jnS34UYfWjnvkw9-RoCSREQAvD_BwE
A good explanation of NVMe M.2. Well worth a read.
My last 2 Desktop builds use NVMe M.2 SSD's (500GB & 1TB capacity) as the "C" Drive with OS.
I also use 2.5" SSD's as "D" Drive.
Most new Laptops have this setup but only using up to 500GB's on the NVMe M.2 card.

https://www.amazon.com/nvme-m-2-sata-adapter/s?k=nvme+m.2+to+sata+adapter
This gives you an idea of what is available these days.

It looks like you are using a HDD (7000 RPM).
If you have a spare drive slot in the Laptop, you can do it in place.
If you use an external adapter, you can "Clone" the new drive outside of the Laptop.
You will then only need to Disassemble your Laptop once.

What decision you make will depend on the age of your Laptop, whether it runs W11 with TPM 2.0 capability.
I personally have updated with the new Technology (as I can afford it) and enjoy the speed and so far reliability, and quietness.
Hope this gives you some ideas James.

 

I purchased a 2.5" (USB) HD enclosure, and I cloned C drive to the external drive via Macrium Reflect (free), but whenever I try to boot off the drive (via USB), I am getting a quick BSOD before the system reboots. Startup Repair also said the cloned drive OS may have a bad driver.

I take it that Windows does not like booting from an external USB drive? I've had this error with two different external (cloned) drives. Can I just create an image (Western Digital) and restore it to dissimilar hardware (Seagate) (assuming Macrium Reflect free allows this)?

 

For what it's worth, I cloned my Dell desktop hard drive onto an external drive (for practice) with a licensed copy of Acronis, and yet I am still getting a BSOD when trying to boot off the external cloned drive. Windows lists the external drive as a bootable option (dual boot). The OEM partition is present on the cloned drive too.

I've researched this issue for days, but to no avail so far.

Seems like it would easier just to restore an image to new hardware?

 

Hi James, Sorry I've been busy with other jobs and have just been checking emails only.
I recently purchased a new NVMe.M2 SSD. WD Black 2TB and mounted it in an external adapter.
I cloned the existing NVMe.M2 SSD (1TB) to the new one in the external adapter.
Then I opened Disc Management and Initialized the new SSD.
Shut down and swap the SSD's and then booted up the comp with the new 2TB NVMe.M2 SSD.
Worked like magic! I bought the Black SSD from Amazon as the price had been reduced ($139.00) too good to miss.

Is your new SSD recognized and Initialized?

 

Thanks all -- mission accomplished.

According to an Acronis video I stumbled into days ago, they recommend installing the replacement drive first, and cloning from the source drive via an external USB enclosure (in the case of laptop with only one drive bay). I had no problems booting off the new drive afterwards (no BSOD). I assume Macrium works the same way since I had the same BSOD issue trying to boot off an external cloned drive with their software too.

I also didn't know one could use licensed boot media (Acronis) to clone a drive to a machine with no license for said machine.

Neil, the newer drive came out of a broken laptop I no longer use. That drive is newer, and runs at 7200 RPM instead of 5400. I am intrigued about installing an SSD since prices have fallen so low.

 

James, Nice to see you are all sorted and working OK.
A side benefit of SSD's is a considerable weight saving!