Moving Windows 7 Pro to a new, larger hard drive with a system image file

[csziggy]

I've got Windows 7 Pro 64 bit on a 128 GB SSD drive. Unfortunately, despite my efforts to keep programs and Windows from putting stuff onto the C: drive, Windows keeps filling it up and then complaining there is not enough room.

So after I saw a discussion of drives with a SSD buffer I ordered a 1 TB drive from NewEgg.com. I looked up how to clone Windows and found what sounded like good instructions for creating a system image with Windows Backup and then restoring that to the new, larger drive. I even checked several sources, compared the instructions and thought I was set.

I created a system image on one of the other hard drives (I have a 3 TB and a 4 TB drive, partitioned into 1 to 2 TB sectors), created a system recovery disc per the instructions, disconnected the SSD drive, connected the new drive, put the recovery CD in, and rebooted. No joy.

First problem - error message: "This very of System Recovery Options is not compatible with the version of Windows you are trying to repair. Try using a recovery disc that is compatible with this version of Windows." I tried booting with the Windows installation disc and selecting Repair Windows installation - same message.

So I hooked my SSD drive back up, booted back to Windows, did some internet research. Finally after going round and round, I realized that maybe it was that the SATA bus that the DVD/CD burner was on was set to IDE while the other SATA busses were set to AHCI (I think that's the scronym) - I reset all the SATA busses to IDE, rebooted, SUCCESS - the recovery disc let me get to the system image restore menu. I jumped through all the hoops, clicked on Finish to let it start restoring the image to the new drive. SHIT!

New error message: " The system image restore failed. Windows cannot restore an image to a computer that has different firmware. The system image was created on a computer using BIOS and this computer is using EFI."

OK - maybe I needed to create a new system image with the computer set to IDE for the SATA busses. So I re-connected the SSD drive, went through all the steps to create a new system image AND yet another system recovery disc, disconnected the SSD, reconnected the new drive, and tried again.

No joy. I am stuck.

Has anyone else tried to do this?

I have looked at using third party software - and there are several free versions I've seen recommended. But I don't understand why the Windows Backup system image will not restore. And the third party software most recommended - Macrium Reflect - seems to have some problems with Windows 7 Pro from my reading in their support forums.

[Fumesucker]

1. Try EaseUS Partition Master

I think it may have been my thread that got you off on this adventure.. Sorry about that.

I used the instructions at this link to clone my 160GB drive to a 500GB and it went easily, this does assume you can put both drives in the computer at the same time.

http://www.partition-tool.com/copy-wizard/migrate-os-to-ssd.htm

The software is free and seems to work quite well.

I haven't had any luck with Macrium Reflect either on Win 7.

[csziggy]

2. I've needed a larger drive for C: for months

Even though I installed almost everything to the D: drive (everything that would let, that is) the C: drive has been overfull since I started using this computer.

I'll try EasUS tomorrow. I messed around with this thing today until I couldn't make sense any more. Tomorrow I'm roasting my turkey and maybe making a few key lime pies - easy stuff. So I can try to work with the computer while the turkey is in the oven and before I can start on the pies.

I think I need to try their directions here: http://www.partition-tool.com/copy-wizard/upgrade-system-disk.htm
That deals with the need to format the new drive to be bootable.

Right now I have both in the computer, but only one is powered. I can use the power and data cables going to the other SSD drive I use for my PhotoShop scratch disc to power the new drive while I clone the old one, then move the cables back once I'm done.

I wish I had thought about getting an external enclosure for the SSD drive when I ordered the new hard drive. I think I will order one from NewEgg - it will make a convenient way to backup and/or transfer data.

[Mnpaul]

3. Did you get any software with the drive?

Migration software may be available at the manufacturer's site.

It sounds like you have switched the bios into UEFI mode. Your system recovery was done with the bios in conventional mode and it needs to be in that mode for the new drive to work. Same goes for AHCI mode, you probably need this for the SSD to work properly. Find out which channel the DVD is using and switch only that drive to IDE.

[csziggy]

4. No, but I've downloaded the Seagate drive software

But the SSD drives are Kingston and the other hard drives are WDC - and the Seagate software will not even run without having their drive connected. I really wanted a working backup BEFORE I commit to using the new drive.

I have not changed the settings on the BIOS at all other than to change the drives to IDE. I had to do that originally to get the DVD/CD burner to work but until today had not changed the hard drives. As I said in my OP I did that today in an effort to make the Windows software work - which it will not.

I'm not sure I CAN change the BIOS from UEFI - I've looked at the motherboard manual and see no options for doing that. And it doesn't seem to be the problem - I ran the Windows system image software and created the restore discs under both configurations today and got the same error messages. The only advance was once I changed all the drives to IDE I could get the installation DVD to let me see the restore system image choices - but still could not get the system image to restore.

[Fumesucker]

5. If your computer has an external SATA connector you could go with an eSATA/USB enclosure

eSATA is much faster than USB 2.0 and your computer is probably old enough it doesn't have USB 3.0 but eSATA has been around longer. I have a Dell Optiplex that was originally built for Vista and it has eSATA on the back but only USB 2.0 .

http://www.amazon.com/Rosewill-3-5-Inch-External-Enclosure-Internal/dp/B004AA4E8K/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1416967630&sr=1-4&keywords=esata+enclosure&pebp=1416967637580

[csziggy]

6. I do have USB 3.0 - but the advantage with a USB enclosure is my husband's laptop

Does not have SATA at all. And he can use the USB even if his speed is only 2.0, it will still work.

In fact, I am considering getting a USB enclosure with external power since I am not sure if his USB ports have sufficient power for external devices.

Once my husband retires, he's supposed to help me with scanning old family documents so having a high capacity portable drive will help a lot. He can do the basic scanning, but he does not have the experience I do in editing, organizing and archiving so the images will need to come to my computer.

We could network the computers, but to be honest, I don't really want his stuff hooked up to mine. Plus his computer is upstairs in his lair, while mine is downstairs in mine.

[csziggy]

13. SUCCESS! EaseUS did it!

I tried the Seagate program and it wouldn't load even with the Seagate drive installed. I suspect that it needed to put something in one of the areas I had moved to the D: drive. And I had disconnected the other hard drives before I started to make sure I didn't lose any data.

So I used EaseUS and it made it easy. It completed all its tasks while I took some business calls. Then I disconnected the old C: drive, rebooted into Windows with the new Windows installation and resized the partition to take up the rest of the larger drive. All that was left was to turn off the computer, reconnect the other drives, and reboot!

It's so nice to be able to look at the drives in My Computer and not see that C: drive a lit up in red because it was running out of space.

Meanwhile, my turkey is ready to take out of the oven, the key lime pies are cooling in the fridge, and I'm getting ready to make batches of meringue cookies...

[Fumesucker]

18. I had been beating my head on the same problem as you when I found EaseUS

I think it was the fourth method I had tried to migrate Windows to a larger drive, the three previous had failed after considerable time spent fooling with them.

When you get a chance to use the computer for a while I'd be interested in in your thoughts on how the new hard drive performs in comparison to the previous setup as far as boot time, loading programs and so on.

Happy Thanksgiving!

[csziggy]

19. Thank you for passing along your experience

Without it I'd still be beating my head against a wall!

So far I don't see a lot of difference in performance - but yesterday and today were spent doing more cooking than computing.

Tomorrow I need to finish cleaning up a batch of scans for my archives so I'll be working with PhotoShop, though not doing anything very demanding. It's when I start scanning the next group that I might see some difference.

[hobbit709]

7. What all do you have installed on your C: drive? I'm using 7 Pro X64 too.

My 120 Gb SSD has 70.5 Gb free space and I have 70-odd programs installed. Of course I keep NO data files of any kind on the primary drive-Windows wants to put everything into My Documents, My Pictures, My etc. Windows also thinks TEMP means forever and never empties those folders either. I had a computer brought in once that had 25 Gb and 60,000+ files in the TEMP folder.
I've never used the Windows backup, if I want to do an image I use Acronis True Image. Never had a problem making an image or cloning a drive with it.

[csziggy]

8. On C? Windows, drivers for mobo, printers, scanners and other devices

Programs: Family Tree Maker 2014 (though the data files are supposed to be on another drive, it insists on putting copies on C - this may be a lot of my problem), Quicken, PhotoShop, MS Office, WordPerfect Office. Those last four should be moved off, but until this week my installation disks were where I couldn't reach them.

For some of the devices the program files will not install on a different drive than the drivers - and the drivers don't give an option other than C:.

I've tried moving all my data files onto a separate drive but some of the programs - like Family Tree Maker - insist on putting some parts onto C: even when I have gone through their Options and attempted to put everything elsewhere. Some of the other odds and ends have installed on C: even after I did custom installations and told them to put them on my D: drive. A very few of the smaller programs cannot be installed anywhere but C: - I've complained to their tech support but they won't take responsibility for what their programmers do and nothing changes.

Even my Temp folder is supposed to be on D:

That's why I finally have just thrown in the towel and decided to install a larger hard drive for C:. if nothing else, I can do a clean Windows installation on the new drive and re-install my programs. I've done it enough times it's just that it takes time. And for some things, like Family Tree Maker, when I do a new install I have to reload my data on Ancestry in order to link the tree on my computer to the tree online. Now THAT is a PITA! Right now I have things pretty well set like I prefer and hate to take the time to re-install if I can avoid it.

Today I'll try using the Seagate Disc Wizard and if that doesn't work, I'll try EaseUS. Either of those should be able to clone the hard drive - a little more hassle than restoring a disc image, but if one or the other works, I'll be happy!

[gvstn]

9. You might give SpaceSniffer a quick run.

When you run it be sure to right-click it and run it as Administrator. Take a look and just verify that the biggest folders are indeed your PhotoShop, Quicken and Office. (The Winsxs folder has always been the largest for me and can't be safely reduced.) Just check that there is nothing unusual or some huge file you don't recognize or have forgotten about. http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/spacesniffer.html

On a side note, I've always used MacriumReflect with Win7 but don't have EUFI BIOS so don't know if that is a consideration. I wouldn't completely disregard that software because of forum posts. Easeus and Seagate's free version of Acronis should both be completely reliable software as well.

[ucrdem]

10. csziggy I'm pretty sure Windows back-up won't allow you to copy the OS...

Windows won't let you clone Windows in other words. Possibly you can reinstall your OS from the DVD if you have it, or if you don't, but still have your product key, download Windows from MS and reactivate it over the phone? If they ask how many drives I think you're allowed at least two, maybe more with Pro. But that would be much, much faster than cloning the OS which can take hours.


p.s. hobbit knows the MS link if you can't find it. . .

[csziggy]

11. I have the Windows key - but there are any number of tutorials on cloning

Windows or using a system image to restore to a new drive. IT people do it all the time - they image an installation and copy to other drives to reproduce the installation. It's much faster than repeatedly installing Windows and all the drivers and programs. IT people probably have expensive specialty programs to do it, though. I am not in the mood to spend money on a program I only need once so I'm trying free programs.

Microsoft has directions on how to upgrade your hard drive by making a system image with their Back Up program and restoring to the new drive - but that is where I am ending up with a problem. Something is stopping the Windows disc from seeing or using the system image. It should, by everything I can find on the internet. All I am doing is upgrading the hard drive. System images are SUPPOSED to work for changing a drive - after all, if the original drive had failed, I would need to restore a system image to a new drive

The system I am working with was assembled by a local computer builder from parts I purchased from NewEgg.com. I did the Windows installation and installed all the drivers and programs. The builder only had Windows 7 Home 32 bit which could not see all the RAM on the computer, so I had to order Windows 7 Pro 64 in order to use all of the 32 GB of RAM.

[ucrdem]

12. Could be.

The thing with cloning is that Windows will only let you copy itself under certain circumstances. XP was ridiculous that way, not sure about Vista or 7, though 8 seems less restrictive. But it's still a long process. Reinstalling from a DVD is relatively fast and if you have 7 Pro it should let you use several machines, maybe without having to call. Once you've got the OS working the programs you've already copied should work though you might have to reactivate MS Office. The files you've copied should be okay too as long as you don't let the installation reformat your drive. It should just overwrite the OS you already copied if you direct it to that folder.

[gvstn]

14. One thought on how much space you are using is related to your RAM.

I believe your pagefile.sys is created at the same size as your installed memory. So yours would be 32gb. My understanding is with modern computers such a large pagefile is not necessary since there is more than adequate memory.

Moving the pagefile to another drive when using an SSD is common but I haven't bothered to do so myself.
Others with very large amounts of RAM reduce the size of the pagefile manually since it is rarely if ever used.

I'm unsure if Photoshop because it is so memory hungry necessitates a large pagefile or not but it is something you might want to investigate for future reference.

[csziggy]

15. I have a 128 GB SSD drive dedicated for my PhotoShop scratch disc

I hadn't thought about the pagefile.sys - that could have been eating up space but too late now.

But the problem is solved! I used EaseUS as recommended above and it worked brilliantly! I disconnected the other drives, left the old C: drive and the new drive connected, initialized the new drive to a MBR disk, and installed EaseUS. Went through their Disk Clone Wizard, followed the directions, rebooted when they told me, then when it was finished, turned off the computer, disconnected the old C: drive.

When I rebooted I adjusted the partition size for the new C: drive, turned off the computer, reconnected my other hard drives, turned it back on and I'm in business!

The only annoyance was that since I had moved several things and all my data files over to the D: drive that was disconnected while I moved the OS, the computer kept complaining about missing stuff. With the last boot, it was happy since everything it was missing is back.

And in between taking care of the OS move, I got two key lime pies made, my turkey roasted, more turkey stock started, and cooked several dozen meringue cookies!

[gvstn]

16. Good work!

Thanks for the report on Easeus. I haven't used it in a while and am happy to know it is still reliable and intuitive.

Happy Thanksgiving.

[ucrdem]

17. Bon appétit

à tous!