Cloning my HDD

Linux Support
1

Hi, everyone,

I would like to clone my current HDD in order to replace it with a larger one and save a lot of time and effort reinstalling programmes at the same time.

I’ve seen a programme called EZ gig iv which seems to make the job very simple and presumably that would have to be installed or run from a USB stick
or disk to work? This would be OK for my wife’s Windows laptop but is not suitable for use with Peppermint. ( I want to upgrade both machines
over time)

Also seen a product called All in 1 but also various comments from people saying they didn’t work very well and aren’t reliable.

I have done a search on the site for some advice but some basic simple instructions would be really useful.

Thanks.

2

Check this thread out - http://linuxforums.org.uk/index.php?topic=12011.msg96871#msg96871
:wink:

3

Hi,

Looking for something more basic than that thread which was over complicated by other factors so for my purpose like what kit do I need to buy and which is the most user friendly software to use.

Cheers.

4

Clonezilla (LiveCD) is about as easy as it gets … and the best tool for the job.

There are videos/tutorials available online for clonezilla.

What “kit” you require depends on your hardware …

on a desktop … probably no extra kit is required

on a laptop … some way of connecting the new HDD/SSD to a USB socket

5

Hi, guys

I could probably do it easily on my aged desktop but as it’s on my laptop I’ve never tried it before and will need a cable plus power supply etc. presumably.

I’ve seen one or two on Ebay but don’t know how good they areand it’s just a case of taking a chance on them being OK I suppose.

Will use Clonezilla as you both suggest it’s useful to know there is a tutorial on the site that might save me making a cock of it!!

Thanks to both of you for taking the trouble to respond very much appreciated.

As an aside Peppermint 5 is still working A1 with no issues and dead easy for mugs like me to use well done to everyone who contributed to creating it.

6

What you’re after is a 2.5" USB Enclosure (like this - Novatech 2.5inch Tool Free SATA HDD/SSD Enclosure USB 2.0 - Black - 2588US-BK | Novatech)

7

Hi, chemicalfan,

That looks like the very thing I need, is it a product you have used yourself?

Reading the review it seems you put the old HDD in the kit and clone the new one with it in the laptop. Do I have that right?

Thanks for the info.

8

Egg Zactly :slight_smile:

9

@Mark

If I remember correctly you used to be an advocate of Redo for cloning images. any particular reason for the change of view ?

Graeme

10

Redo is great at taking a disk image for backup purposes, then restoring that image to a drive (which can also be larger)

But it doesn’t do direct disk to disk cloning.

11

I’ve used a very similar product but I’m unsure of the make & model. I’d tend to use the duck method on this (Duck test - Wikipedia, just replace the word “duck” with “USB enclosure”)

12

Just thought I’d update this thread to a conclusion have now “cloned” my 160gig to a new 500gig disk using Acronis True image. (free copy from WD website)

Went without a hitch and now planning to update my wife’s laptop in similar fashion.

Thanks to everyone for the advice given on this topic.

13

Cool, didn’t realise WD were giving that away :slight_smile:

14

Hi, Mark

Don’t get too excited it’s a much reduced version of Acronis 2013 but it does clone a disk which is all I needed.

Also you have to have a WD HDD installed in order to download the file - which by chance I did.

I believe Seagate also offer a version of Acronis in the same way.

Regards,

Doug.

15

OK, I’ll try no to :slight_smile:

Personally I use Clonezilla or Redo Backup & Recovery depending on my needs anyway :slight_smile: