'Cloning' OS into another HDD - possible?

Hi folks

My laptop comes with the stock HDD with Vista Business. Is it possible to clone the pre-loaded OS and software into another HDD which I'm intending to swap with?

Please correct me if the below steps are wrong:
1. Burn the start recovery discs using the OS
2. Swap the HDD
3. Boot up using the start recovery discs (Disk 1)
4. Start the recovery process on the new HDD

Is it correct?

 

That will work but that is not what cloning is.
Sometimes it will restore to whatever size hard drive that model of laptop has, and in these cases you will need to stretch the partition to fill the unused space.

Cloning would be
1. Remove old HDD
2. Put old and new HDDs on the same system, either by installing the new in the laptop and using a USB dongle on the old, or by putting both on a desktop
3. Running software to "clone" one disk to another (old -> new)
4. Remove the old hard drive, and if needed install the new hard drive in the laptop.

 

Most likely what maumu is referring to is creating an image of the hard drive.

Yes, you can create an image of your hard drive and transfer it to another hard drive. You will need to stretch the partition to fill the unused space.

Most hard drive imaging programs have this option anyway.

 

Maumu, yes that's correct -- if you want to be able to continue to enter the RnR predesktop area using Thinkvantage/F11 when booting you need to use the recovery disks when upgrading to a new hard disk.

This is especially true for the newer T400/500 generation with Vista that in addition to MBR also uses track 0 that NO image copying program handles right.

If you want to also use an image copy correct procedure is:

Backup C: drive
Burn recovery disks
Restore to factory settings on new hard disk using the recovery disks
Restore image of C: drive onlly on new hard disk.

 

@zillal,
Are you saying that no imaging program can handle Track 0 properly? What does Image for Windows copy when it says it copies track 0 (sectors 0-63 on HDD)? Is it not copying what it should? Please explain and thanks.

Gary

 

I agree with the above poster, with the right software you can clone any disk. It's the same data on the disk in the end, no matter what that data is.

 

Self-Image (freeware) is a perfectly good cloning application. As long as you copy the whole drive (not just a partition) it will take the MBR and pre-desktop environment as well.

 

Anybody who has cloned a Vista (note NOT XP) T400/500 successfully so that the Thinkvantage/F11 access to the the predesktop RnR S: partition still works -- please post here.

Until otherwise proven I believe no program has successfully copied track 0 (as opposed to the MBR in earlier Thinkpads and XP versions of current generation.)

But it would be great if I was wrong

 

Yup, successfully done that before. using Paragon Disk Manager.

 

And when booting you push Thinkvantage/F11 you enter the Thinkvantage Rescue and Recovery area?

 

Yes. I specifically wanted to retain that stuffs.

 

Ok, assuming you cloned a Vista system i stand corrected.

I must investigate Paragon then, I know for instance Acronis doesn't take care of the track 0 following the MBR.