Hello dear readers of the blog www.site. Today we will deal with the program's capabilities. Clonezilla live clone hard drives. Along the way, let's pay attention to solid state drives - SSD(solid-state drive), which are gaining popularity among users lately.
Reason for popularity SSD understandable - the efficiency of upgrading a computer by replacing a mechanical disk with a solid-state one is extremely high. You can even say that after such a rearrangement, it turns out, as it were, a new, an order of magnitude faster, computer.
Due to the fact that not all happy owners of SSD want or have the opportunity to make a fresh installation of the operating system, the topic of cloning disks, or individual disk partitions, is very relevant today.
Questions related to installing an SSD in a computer were discussed on the blog pages in sufficient detail in a series of articles with the general title "Transferring Windows 7 to a small solid-state drive". At the current time, these articles are among the most popular.
They were written in hot pursuit with a strong emphasis on small SSD sizes. They cover almost all important points, such as reducing the space occupied by the operating system on the hard disk (), transferring Windows user profiles to the second disk (,), and, finally, setting up and optimizing the system on a solid-state drive ().
But the very process of cloning a hard drive in the process of transferring the operating system to a new hdd or ssd, as such, was in the shadows. This is completely unjustified, and today we will try to fill this gap with the help of the program, or rather, Live CD Clonezilla live.
The word “simple” in the title has the following meaning:
- cloning of disks or partitions will not be accompanied by any preliminary transfers of directories and files, be it user profiles or system folders, to unusual places, and other tricks in order to free up space on the system media;
- “simple” in the sense that it is not difficult to implement and not costly.
We need a boot device with Clonezilla live... How to make a bootable USB flash drive is described, again, in the previous article or you can see it.
If the transfer is carried out from a larger HDD to a smaller one, then it is very desirable, but not necessary, to have one more device to which you can make a backup of the original disk.
Let's look at the following possible cloning options:
- to a target disk of the same or larger size;
- to a destination disk that is smaller than the original.
If you read the previous article, you already know that Clonezilla does not know how to deploy its disk images to target disks with a smaller size. Direct cloning of a disk to a smaller disk is also not supported. But this, as we will see, is not such a serious problem.
Inside these two options:
- cloning the drive as a whole;
- cloning individual partitions.
For the sake of simplicity, let's assume that the source HDD has a capacity of 250 GB, the target, respectively, 250 GB, 350 GB and, for example, 120 GB (we will conditionally assume that this is an SSD).
Let's take the following configuration of partitions on the original drive with Windows, which is quite typical for a "store-bought" computer:
- System partition - "Reserved by the system", NTFS, 100MB (Windows 7) - 350MB (Windows 8);
- Boot partition C: \ - main operating system files + user profiles, NTFS, 125 GB;
- Additional partition (any letter) - a partition in the rest of the disk, 125 GB.
The configuration of partitions on a Linux computer might be like this:
- System partition mounted to Linux root “/”, Ext4, 15… 35GB;
- Partition for home directory “/ HOME”, Ext4, 205GB;
- Swap partition "SWAP", 10GB.
Cloning disks with Linux is still not as relevant as Windows, due to the fact that it is easier to install, and user data with all program settings is transferred once or twice.
If you are planning to install Linux before I finally publish my planned article on this topic, be sure to set aside a separate section under “/ HOME”.
In this article, we will deal with cloning the entire contents of a drive, that is, without allocating disk partitions, and in the next we will deal with cloning individual partitions.
Clone source disk to target disk
Clone a disk to a disk of equal size
This option can take place if the hard drive began to show the first signs of dying, if there are several identical computers and you need to quickly install the system on them, finally, if the SSD volume coincides with the original HDD volume (it is doubtful, of course, that the latter can happen).
We mount the target disk into the computer (in this case, you do not need to specially prepare it), install the boot device with Clonezilla live and boot the computer from it.
With your permission, I will not repeat the previous descriptions of all the loading steps. Except for the second screen - “ Choice language", In which you need to select the preferred interface language, all the rest are passed by simply pressing the" Enter "key.
1 – 4.
5. At the fifth step, you need to make a choice in favor of working directly from device to device:
We choose “ device-device work directly from disk to disk or from partition to partition”;
6. Agree with the level “ Beginner”(As we have already found out last time, there is nothing offensive in this definition);
7.
In accordance with the task set in this case, we choose “ disk_to_local_disk clone local disk to local disk”;
8. In this step, select the source disk. We figured out their designation in the Linux operating system last time;
9. We select the target disk.
It would be nice not to confuse anything here.
I remember that once upon a time, late in the evening in one of the organizations I finished the installation of one new computer, and by the morning, as usual, several of them should have been working.
All that remained was to clone the finished hard disk onto the disks of other computers in the batch and ... I cheerfully rolled a clean hard drive onto the newly prepared one. I was already very tired by this moment. It was a shame ... There are no words. I still remember.
I never allowed myself to do that again. And it was definitely not Clonezilla - there was not even a trace of it then.
10 . We skip checking the integrity of the original disk. We make sure once again that everything was selected correctly and twice express the desire to start the cloning operation by pressing "y".
We answer in the affirmative to the question whether it is necessary clone bootloader to a new disk - otherwise, without additional manipulations, the system will not boot from the cloned drive.
Once again we confirm the seriousness of intentions and if everything is in order with the source and destination disks, the process begins. It remains to wait for it to complete, turn off the computer and remove the original drive from it.
It's that simple.
Clone a disk to a larger target disk
Cloning an entire disk to a larger target disk is no different in technology. As a result of such cloning, partitions will be created on the target medium in full accordance with the original, and at the end there will be unallocated space.
So if the original drive was 250 GB, then the target 350 GB will have an “extra” 100 GB. How to deal with them depends on the ultimate goal - you can create a new section, or increase the size of the latter.
You can increase the size of a partition using unallocated hard disk space as follows.
V Windows the easiest way for these purposes is to use the graphical interface of the program “ Advanced disk management” (“Computer management” –> “Disk management”).
Since the illustrations were done in a Windows 7 VirtualBox guest machine, the disk sizes are reduced by 10 times, compared to the conditional conventions at the beginning of the article (except for the first section of 100 MB).
All operations can be performed on a cloned system. In this case, the original “Disk 0” is left for clarity.
Suppose that we want to increase the DATA (H :) partition at the expense of the unallocated part of the drive. Through the menu “ Action"Or from the context menu (right-click on DATA (H :)) select" Expand volume”. The "Volume Expansion Wizard" will start, in which everything is quite obvious - you just need to choose how much to increase the partition. We increase the “Not allocated” volume for the entire volume.
This is what the target Disk 1 partitions will look like when you complete the wizard.
A similar result can be achieved in Windows command prompt using the utility Diskpart... It must be run on the command line as an administrator.
diskpart
list disk
- display a list of computer disks;
sel disk M - select the number of the new disk M (in our case, -1). If the disks are of different capacities, then it is not difficult to select the required disk;
list part - find the number of the section that needs to be expanded;
sel part N - select the number of the desired section (in our example - 3);
extend
After the message that the volume has been successfully expanded:
exit
To work with partitions in Linux environment there is a fairly advanced program Gparted.
Those who don't have a system installed Linux may nevertheless take advantage of Gparted from the Live CD Parted Magic I mentioned in.
This program can be indispensable if, for example, you need to set the correct offset for an existing Windows partition.
Working with sections in Gparted you need to start by choosing the desired drive (if there are several of them, as in our example).
Select the partition, the size of which is supposed to be resized due to free space (/ dev / sdb3), click “ Resize / Move”, Set the maximum possible value of“ New size (MiB) ”, respectively, the value of“ Free space following (MiB) ”should become equal to zero. Click “ Resize / Move"In this window and then" Apply" primarily.
After a while, the process will be completed and you can exit the program.
Cloning an entire drive to a smaller target drive
As you probably already guessed, cloning the entire source disk in this version to a smaller disk will not work. Clonezilla does not know how to change the size of partitions on the fly.
This is not a tragedy at all, “It is impossible” refers specifically to to such method of cloning, but no one bothers to achieve the set goal, I clone separate sections. Clone hard drives to smaller drives, which is typical for solid state drives, is devoted to the Clonezilla program.
Clone a disk over the network to a remote computer
In conclusion, it is necessary to briefly mention that Clonezilla Allows you to clone drives over the network.
I can't figure out right away who might need it, but in practice anything can happen. For example, you have a fast network and you need to clone a drive to a very remote computer.
To do this, you need to boot the source computer from the Live CD Clonezilla and select the option at the appropriate step:
« disk_to_remote_disk clone local disk to remote disk«.
The target computer also needs to be booted from the media Clonezilla live, but do not run the program on it, but go directly to command mode.
If the network connection is successful, you can start the remote cloning process. This cloning will take more time than operations with local media. It will depend entirely on the speed of your network connection. But, perhaps, in some cases it will be quite justified.
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In we will consider cloning individual hard disk partitions, including reducing their size, if necessary. This option in b O Best suited for transferring an operating system to a solid state drive, since the target SSD typically has less capacity than the original mechanical HDD.
Cloning a hard drive is an operation that eliminates the hassle of installing Windows and software when transferring data to a new drive (SSD or regular hard drive). As part of this operation, the entire structure of partitions of the first hard disk, all the data on them, as well as a workable activated Windows system with all settings and installed software is transferred to the second hard drive connected to the computer.
The function of cloning hard drives is offered, in particular, by the programs for backing up data Acronis True Image, and the disk manager Paragon Hard Disk Manager. All of them provide for separate processes to transfer only Windows itself to another disk while preserving its operability, cloning individual non-system partitions, as well as cloning the entire disk with the ability to make changes to the partition structure of the clone hard disk.
A distinctive feature of Acronis True Image is the hard disk cloning function with the ability to exclude certain unnecessary files. We will familiarize ourselves with this process in detail below - we will clone a hard disk using Acronis True Image, and during the cloning process we will exclude some data for transfer.
1. About Acronis True Image
True Image is a product from the master of the software market, the company Acronis, which offers, in particular, various solutions for disaster recovery of data at a professional level. True Image is not only a panacea for all problems with Windows in the form of restoring it to a state from a once saved backup. The software package also contains a lot of other useful functions such as:
- bootable media and a utility injected into the system preboot mode for cases when Windows does not start;
- restoring Windows on a computer with other components;
- storing backups in cloud storage by Acronis;
- system cleaning tool;
- trial mode of Windows with the ability to undo the changes made;
- other useful utilities.
The current version of Acronis True Image 2016 can be purchased on the developer's official website.
The program has a free 30-day trial version designed to familiarize users with most of the functionality of True Image. However, the function of cloning hard drives in the trial version is blocked. For these purposes, you need a fully-fledged activated Acronis True Image 2016. This is exactly what will be used in our case.
2. Source and destination hard drive
To define hard drives, we will use the terminology of Acronis True Image itself. The hard drive from where the data and partition structure will be copied is the original hard drive. The disk that will become a clone of the original is the target hard disk. The disk management utility, a standard Windows tool, will help to visualize the initial picture of disks in our case. Quick access to it in system versions 8.1 and 10 is implemented in the context menu on the "Start" button. The universal way to launch it is to call the Run function (+ R keys), enter the diskmgmt.msc command and press Enter.
In our case, two hard drives are connected to the computer. The original hard drive is marked as Disk 0 by the system. This is a working hard drive with Windows and data on non-system partitions. As Disk 1 in the utility displays the recently connected hard disk, it will be the target, that is, it will become a clone of Disk 0.
Destination Disk 1, as you can see, has a partition structure and some stored data. When cloning a hard disk, all information from the target disk, as well as its original partition structure, is destroyed. Therefore, if there is any important information on it, it must be transferred to the original hard drive or external media.
As a rule, the cloning process does not require even an approximate matching of disks in terms of size. The target hard disk can be of any size and can be as small as the original one, as long as there is enough space to accommodate the data that actually takes up space on the source disk. And in the case of Acronis True Image, this is not even necessary due to the ability to exclude individual folders and files.
3. Cloning process
After starting True Image 2016 will prompt you to log in to your Acronis cloud storage account. We can close the entrance window.
Directly in the program interface in the side ribbon of the menu on the left, select the "Tools" section-tab, and in it - the "Clone disk" item.
And follow the step-by-step disk cloning wizard. We need a preset automatic cloning mode. Click "Next".
The window for selecting the source hard disk: here we click with the mouse, respectively, on the disk from which the data will be transferred. The numbering of disks in True Image differs from the numbering of the standard Windows utility, therefore it is better to designate disks by their size or model. Click "Next".
Select target hard disk window: here we click on the disk to which we want to transfer the partition structure, Windows and other data. Click "Next".
Since in our case the target hard disk is not a new disk with unallocated space, but a disk with a structure and stored data, Acronis True Image efficiently warns us about the danger of data loss. Everything we need is saved, so we can safely press "OK".
Recovery method selection window: here you must leave the preset option of copying partitions unchanged. Click "Next".
Summary window: here you can already start the process of cloning a hard drive by clicking the "Start" button at the bottom, respectively, if the target disk has enough space and there is no need to exclude individual files. And, perhaps, there is enough space on the target disk, but you simply do not want to transfer unnecessary data from the source disk to it, thereby increasing the duration of this process in time. To clone a hard drive not in full, in the data summary window, click the "Exclude files" button.
In the file exclusion menu, we will see the tree structure of the contents of the source hard disk. Files and folders cannot be excluded from the system partition C, we will work only with non-system ones. For example, in our case, we will exclude several video files on the second partition of disk E. The process of excluding files requires the completion of data processing, this will be indicated in the information line at the bottom of the window.
Exclude the third partition of the original disk F from the cloning process entirely. After cloning as a partition, it will not cease to exist, but will be empty. After completing all operations to exclude folders and files from the hard disk cloning process, we can start launching it. We press "Proceed".
After the preparatory steps, Acronis True Image will ask you to reboot the system. The program will carry out the cloning process in the Windows preboot mode.
In preboot mode, in the Acronis True Image window, you will see the preset option to turn off the computer after the cloning operation is completed. You can leave it on in order to be distracted by your business, and then, when you turn on the computer, go directly to the BIOS and set the boot priority from the target hard disk.
The cloning is complete, we can boot from the target hard drive.
4. Working with target hard disk space after cloning
Having booted from the target hard drive and logged into Windows, the first step is to look at the partition structure. Launch the standard disk management utility. Since the target disk is now the first in the boot priority of the computer, Windows identifies it as Disk 0. The latter became a clone of Disk 1, once the original, with the same partition structure and proportionally allocated space according to the structure of the original hard disk.
When excluding files, we completely removed all data from the third partition of the original hard drive. This partition now appears as partition I on the original disk and still contains data. Its clone on the target disk - now partition F - is empty as expected.
You can use it to either store data or attach its space to any other partition. For these purposes, there are software disk managers Disk Director of the same company Acronis, no less effective Paragon Hard Disk Manager, free or their analogues. You can use them if you already have experience with this kind of software. Moreover, during the cloning process, True Image 2016 provides for the possibility of simultaneously redistributing the space of the target disk. To do this, at the first stage of the clone wizard, you must select not the automatic mode, but the manual one.
Naturally, such a move will complicate the operation and increase the chances of making mistakes for beginners. In our case, the operation was already burdened with the work of excluding individual files, so we will entrust some simple operations to form the partition structure of the hard disk-clone to the lite-version of the disk manager - a standard Windows utility.
The disk management utility has a minimum of functionality and does not provide for overwriting hard disk sectors in order to combine partitions or borrow from some part of their volume for others. However, operations to expand partitions at the expense of free space of neighboring partitions on the right can be performed without overwriting data.
Let's add, for example, the space of the empty third partition of the target hard disk to its neighbor, the second non-system partition. To do this, the third section F must be deleted. In the utility window, click on it, call the context menu and select "Delete volume". We confirm the action.
The third section is now displayed as unallocated space.
We call the context menu on the adjacent section E and select "Expand volume ...".
We follow the volume expansion wizard and give the second partition all the available space.
Now there are only two partitions on the target hard disk - the system partitions and the enlarged non-system partitions.
By the same scheme, you can do differently, leaving the third section for storing data. It is necessary to transfer the necessary files from the second section to it, and delete the second section. Its unallocated space can then expand the system partition C.
Have a great day!
With solid state hard drives (SSDs) being smaller then older mechanical hard drives (Hard Drive), it can be difficult to clone a drive. Especially with manufacturers having recovery partitions can make this more difficult. I came across software that can only clone hard drives of the same size or smaller. There are several software that can clone to smaller hard drives.
Important Note: If the size of your data on the old hard drive is larger than the total size of your new hard drive, then you will have to delete some data.
In order to clone a hard drive from a larger HDD to a smaller HDD (e.g. SSD), you need 2 Peices of software:
- Markup Software
- Cloning software (which supports cloning from a large hard drive to a small HDD).
Partition Master Free
Partition Wizard Free CALM is a free partitioning utility. This program is easy to use and allows you to do most of the tasks required with the volumes of hard drives and partitions. Partion Wizard works for free with basic disks only. This allows you to resize, move, merge and subdivide the partitions. It supports MBR, GPT and RAID disks. The software can be installed on XP, 7, 8 and 8.1. It works on both 32 bit and 64 bit platforms. If you have a dynamic disk, then you will need to download a trial version of Partition Master Professional. Checking the disk type (basic or dynamic) can be done in Disk Management by running diskmgmt.msc from Windows Search.
Disk Copy Home
Disk Copy Home REST is a disk or partition cloning tool. This allows sector-level cloning which ensures that the destination hard drive is exactly the same as the original. Disk Copy Home only allows cloning of basic disks. Disk Copy Home starts at system boot and requires a USB drive. Disk Copy Home is free software. If you require cloning dynamic disks, then Todo Backup Workstation is. Todo Backup Workstation is not free, but there is a trial. Downloading Disk Copy at home or trial version of Todo Backup Workstation requires leaving your email and a link to download the file via email to you.
Steps to clone a larger hard drive onto a smaller hard drive
- Delete all unnessary data from the original hard drive
- Make sure the data of the original hard drive is smaller than the size of the target hard drive
- Use Partition Master Free or Professional. Shrink sections with desired dimensions. Also, any partitions you want to keep should be placed at the beginning of the disk by dragging and dropping parttions. When you are ready, click on Apply and the software will perform the tasks you just installed.
- You are now ready to clone. Use Disk Copy Home or Todo Backup Workstation. Please note the clone software will copy from the beginning of the disc. Otherwise, partitions at the end of the source disk that do not fit on the destination disk will be canceled.
Often, users of computers and laptops have a situation when an old hard drive must be replaced with a new one, faster or with a larger capacity. Therefore, it becomes necessary to copy the existing information from one disk to another. Then it becomes relevant to simply clone the old hard drive.
Computer hard drive
Cloning a hard drive
The process of cloning a hard drive is an operation in which all data from one hard drive is transferred to another. Since cloning a hard disk is a low-level sector-by-sector transfer of data from one medium to another storage medium, the clone hard drive will be completely identical to the original hard drive.
In this case, the transfer of all user files, personal photos, films, documents may take you a long time. It is also worth knowing that if you transfer the operating system files manually, then on the new hard drive it will be copied not in working order, that is, you will need to perform the installation process again. The cloning process allows you to copy the hard disk partition structure, a healthy active operating system, as well as installed programs and saved settings.
Cloning a hard drive
Hard disk cloning software
In order to quickly and efficiently copy all the data from one hard drive to another, while keeping the operating system in working order so that after copying it can be easily started, you should use special programs for cloning hard drives.
In order to create clone disks, quite a lot of programs, both free and paid, have been developed. Among this set of software, there are highly specialized programs that work only with hard drives of a certain brand, but there are also universal programs that allow you to clone any HDD and SSD drives.
Programs that include hard disk cloning include Paragon Hard Disk Manager, Acronis True Image, AOMEI Backupper, EASEUS Disk Copy, etc. But the most popular program among users is Acronis True Image.
Acronis True Image
Acronis True Image
True Image is a modern software product from Acronis. It is compatible not only with old versions of Windows such as Windows XP and 7, but also with the new Windows 8, 10. Acronis True Image can be called a panacea for all problems with Windows because in addition to the cloning function, the program has a lot of additional advantages such as:
- creating Windows backups;
- it acts as a system cleaning tool;
- allows you to test Windows in trial mode with the ability to undo the changes made;
- saves backups to cloud storage;
- disaster recovery of data.
In addition, when cloning a hard disk using Acronis True Image, you can exclude certain unnecessary files. At the request of the user, you can configure cloning not only of the whole disk, but also of individual files or partitions. Other programs do not offer this possibility. This program is not only multifunctional, it also has a high speed of operation, a user-friendly interface in Russian, automatic and manual operation.
Acronis True Image 2016 interface
The disadvantages of Acronis True Image include only a paid license. It can be purchased on the developer's official website. But, despite this, Acronis True Image remains the most popular program for cloning hard drives.
Features of Acronis True Image terminology
Before you start cloning disks, you should familiarize yourself with some of the features of the Acronis True Image software package. So in the process of preparing to clone a hard drive, you will come across the concepts of "source" and "target" disks. The source disk in Acronis True Image is considered to be the disk from which important data is transferred, that is, it is the disk from which the clone is created. The target disk in this program is considered to be a hard disk that will become a clone of the original disk, that is, the disk to which user data, system files and software are transferred.
Labeling hard drives in Acronis True Image
When cloning a hard disk with Acronis True Image, the disc size mismatch is not critical. By being able to exclude unnecessary files from the cloning process, the target disk can be much smaller than the original disk. In this case, the main thing is that there is enough free space for the necessary information from the source disk.
Cloning a hard disk with Acronis True Image
Let's take a look at the process of cloning a hard disk using the example of Acronis True Image 2016. To do this, follow the step-by-step instructions below.
Step 1. Launch the program, this version prompts you to log in to your account to use Acronis cloud storage, you can close the login window.
Logging into the cloud storage Labeling hard disks in Acronis
Step 2. In the side ribbon of the interface, select the "Tools" tab, then in the menu that opens, select the "Clone disk" item.
Acronis True Image interface
Step 3. Follow the prompts of the Disk Clone Wizard at the point where you need to select the cloning mode, click "Automatic". It is always selected by default as a preset mode, click on the "Next" button.
Selecting the clone mode in the Clone Disk Wizard
Step 4. After that, you will see a window for selecting the source hard drive. In this window, you need to left-click on the disk from which we will transfer data. The disk names in Acronis True Image are different from the disk names in the built-in Windows utility. In this case, it is better to navigate by the volume or model of the disk. Having selected a hard drive for data transfer, click the "Next" button.
Select source hard drive
Step 5. In the target disk selection window that opens, left-click on the name of the hard disk to which you want to transfer the data, Windows OS and partition structure. Click on the "Next" button.
Selecting the target hard drive
Step 6. Since in this case the target disk is not a new disk with unallocated space, with information stored on it, the program displays a warning window with information about the possible loss of important data. If all the most necessary files have been saved, then you can click on the "OK" button.
Acronis True Image Warning Window
Step 7. After that, a window for selecting a recovery method will open. In it, by default, there is a check mark on the item "Copy sections without changes", you do not need to change this setting, you just need to click "Next".
Choosing a recovery method
Step 8. The Clone Disk Wizard enters the final stage of the data transfer process and displays the Summary Data window. This window allows you to start cloning a hard drive by clicking the "Start" button, but this is relevant if there are no files that need to be excluded, so as not to take up space on the target disk with unnecessary data and increase the time spent on this procedure. If you have not selected the entire cloning method for the source disk, click on the "Exclude files" button.
Summary window in the Clone Disk Wizard
Step. 9. In the File exclusions menu that opens, we see a tree-like structure of the entire contents of the hard disk. Thanks to this structure, system files are immediately visible and cannot be excluded. In our example, we exclude non-system video files from section E by setting the corresponding checkboxes opposite their names. You need to wait a bit for the process of excluding these files to complete.
File exclusion window in the Clone Disk Wizard
Step 10. Section F of the original disk we exclude in full by installing a check mark next to its name, and all included files and folders are automatically selected after that. After the end of the cloning operation, this partition will be created on the target disk, but it will not contain any data. When all partitions and files that we do not need on the target disk are excluded from cloning, we can start the whole process by clicking on the "Start" button.
Exclude source hard drive partition when cloning
Step 11. After completing all the preparatory steps, Acronis True Image will ask you to reboot the system. And the cloning process itself is carried out in the preboot mode of the Windows operating system. In Acronis True Image preboot mode, you can see the default shutdown option to shutdown your computer immediately after the cloning process is complete.
Cloning is done in Windows preboot mode
The next time you turn on the computer, you will be taken directly to the BIOS menu, in which it is possible to set the priority for loading the operating system from the created clone disk. In addition, this window shows the remaining time until the end of cloning and the progress of the task.
Hard disk cloning progress window
Step 12. When the cloning is complete, you can boot from the target disk.
Choosing to boot from target disk
Moving the desktop to another drive in Windows 7, 8, 10
Copying the desktop along with shortcuts and files to a non-system drive is a very profitable solution from all sides. After all, this not only preserves the previous look of your desktop after reinstalling the operating system, but also allows you to save it in the event of a sudden system failure that caused your OS to become inoperable. In addition, there is much more free space on the system drive for your documents. When a computer is infected with malware, most often the harm is done to the system partition, and since the desktop directory will no longer be on the system drive, it will be completely protected from this kind of sabotage.
In order to copy the "Desktop" folder in such major operating systems as Windows 7, 8 and 10, there are two ways - through Windows Explorer and using the Windows Registry Editor.
Windows desktop
Copying the desktop in Windows 7, 8, 10 through the explorer
In order to copy the desktop with all the files and folders it contains to a non-system local drive, follow the step-by-step instructions below.
Step 1. Create a folder for storing data from the desktop on a local drive with user data (in our case, drive D).
Create a new folder on drive D to store desktop data
Step 2. Then open the user folder. In Windows 7, click on the "Start" button and select the username in the left column and click on it with the left mouse button. For Windows 7 users, follow the path Drive C: \ Users \ * username *. A pack opens with the following data.
Opening the folder of the user whose desktop you want to move to another drive
User folder on drive C
Step 3. Right-click on the "Desktop" folder and thereby open the folder properties.
Calling the context menu of the Desktop folder
Window View Folder Properties Desktop
Step 4. Left-click on the "Location" tab and then click on "Move" in this tab.
Folder Location Tab Desktop
Step 5. Find and select the "Desktop" folder that we created in step 1 and click on the "Select folder" button.
Selecting a folder to move your desktop
Application of the implemented changes
Step 7. In the dialog box that opens, we agree to transfer the "Desktop" folder to another local drive by clicking the "Yes" button. Next, a window appears with the progress of moving the desktop.
Dialog box that pops up when moving the desktop to another drive
The progress window of copying the desktop to disk D
Step 8. All files and folders have been successfully copied to the local drive D. For the changes to take effect, you need to perform a complete restart of the computer.
All desktop files and folders successfully migrated to local drive D
Video tutorial on transferring the desktop to another disk
Copying the desktop in Windows 7, 8, 10 using the registry editor
Moving your desktop using the Windows Registry Editor in any version of the operating system is much easier to accomplish than using File Explorer. For this purpose, we perform the following actions.
Step 1. To call the registry editor, simultaneously press the Win + R keys on the keyboard, in the window that appears in the command line, enter "regedit" without quotes. Then click "Ok".
Calling Registry Editor in Windows
Step 2. Go sequentially along the path HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Explorer \ Shell Folders. You need to find the Desktop parameter in the displayed list.
Registry editor window in Windows
Step 3. Double-click the left mouse button to open the parameter and change the path in the "Value" line, directing it to the folder in which we plan to save the desktop data. Click on the "Ok" button below.
Changing the desktop placement path
Step 4. Restart your computer or laptop for the changes to take effect.
This is how you can quite easily copy the desktop along with all the files stored on it to another partition on the hard drive.
Transferring operating system memory from HDD to SSD
Copying operating system memory from a hard drive to an SSD creates an exact image of the system partition on the SSD. This action is performed to increase the performance of the operating system.
After transferring memory from HDD to SSD, loading the operating system when you turn on your computer or laptop will take only 10-15 seconds.
SSD vs HDD
Benefits of rewriting OS memory to SSD
Moving operating system memory from a hard drive to solid-state drives has a number of benefits:
- from the system partition of the hard disk during operation, a lot of operations are performed to read information against the background of a small number of operations to write information to the disk, it is the SSD in this case that provides the fastest process of reading data from the disk;
- the amount of information stored on the system disk is usually small and rarely amenable to significant changes, therefore, for ordinary computer or laptop users, a solid-state drive with a volume of about 20 GB will be enough, and only in rather rare cases an SSD with a volume of more than 30-40 GB may be needed;
Internally SSD and HDD device
Copying operating system memory from HDD to SSD with third-party programs
In order to transfer OS memory to SSD, special programs are also used. These programs include Acronis True Image, Clonezilla Live, Paragon Migrate OS to SSD, Handy Backup Professional. They already have built-in functions for creating an image of the operating system and cloning it to another medium. It is worth remembering that the volume of the solid-state drive must be no less than the volume of the system partition on the hard drive.
Paragon Migrate OS to SSD
Conclusion
Above, we examined in detail how to clone a hard disk using Acronis True Image for Windows 7, 8, 10. We found out various ways to transfer your desktop to another local disk on your computer. Learned the options for transferring operating system memory from an HDD to an SSD.
In addition, we examined programs designed specifically for cloning hard drives and copying data from OS system files. Among the proposed methods, the choice of the best option remains with the user.
This is the transfer of all data from the old drive ("donor") to the new one ("recipient"). Everything is copied without exception: the operating system with drivers, installed programs, photos, music, and so on. After cloning and replacing the disk, you do not need to remember passwords, all files will be in their usual places.
Why Clone Your Hard Drive?
This operation is carried out for the following purposes:
- To use a newer and faster drive. A typical case is replacing a slow HDD with a modern SSD. This will significantly speed up the responsiveness of Windows, and due to cloning, the upgrade of the computer will be as comfortable as possible for the user. All shortcuts and settings will remain unchanged, but the system will become faster.
- In order not to reinstall the operating system. For example, after buying a new computer, you want everything to be the same as on the old one and without reinstalling. This will happen when transferring information from the "donor" to the "recipient", and the procedure itself will require relatively little action and attention from the user.
- To synchronize work on different computers. Remote work is becoming more common. Cloning a hard disk will allow you to deploy a full-fledged workplace where it is convenient and there can be as many such places.
- To back up your data. You can lose information on the drive at any time - nothing lasts forever. Thanks to cloning in a few clicks, you can be secure and in the event of force majeure to have a fully working "cast" of all data.
It is important that there are no viruses on the "donor" - clone the drive only after a thorough check for malware.
Cloning utilities and programs
There are many cloning applications out there. Some, specially designed to perform such an operation, are suitable for inexperienced users who value the simplicity of the process. Other programs have broader functionality. In them, creating a clone of the disk is just one of the many options available.
Connect the new drive to your computer before using any application. It is convenient to use the external hard drive pocket for this.
Renee Becca
A simple utility that everyone can understand. With its help, you can clone a storage medium in a few clicks. The algorithm of actions consists of the following steps:
- download, install and run the application;
- select the item in the left pane "Clone"... With the help of "Renee Becca" you can also make a clone of only certain local disks or transfer only the operating system to a new drive. The corresponding items are located below in the initial window of the program;
- indicate "donor" and "recipient". To get a complete copy of the "donor", check the box "Make target disk bootable ..." at the bottom of the window. On the left, expand the "More" list and check the box next to "Clone all sectors ...". Then start the operation by clicking on "Clone";
A functional program that costs a lot, but the demo version is also suitable for cloning. To download it, follow the link and enter your e-mail. After starting the application, do the following:
- choose a "donor". It is important to specify not just the local drive, but the entire drive. To do this, right-click on the line with this drive and click on "Clone basic disk";
- specify "recipient". When choosing this disk, remember that the data on it will be overwritten, and its volume cannot be less than the size of the occupied information on the "donor";
- so that the “recipient” is exactly the same as the “donor”, check the box opposite the line “One to one” in the next window;
- In Acronis Disc Director, any manipulations with drives must always be confirmed separately. To do this, at the top of the window, click on "Apply pending operations" - only after that cloning will begin;
If you do not use the program for commercial purposes, then you do not need to pay for it. You just need to go to the developer's site, click on "Home Use", specify an e-mail and confirm it - you will receive a corresponding letter. After downloading, installing and launching "Macrium Reflect" follow these steps:
- on the initial screen, click on "Clone this disk";
- on the next window, check the box for all local disks on the "donor";
- at the bottom, click on "Select a disk to clone ..." - a selection window will appear, where select "donor";
- at the end of the operation, click on "Finish";
Paragon Drive Backup Personal
A free utility with enough capabilities for cloning. It is available for download on this page, and after downloading, installing and launching, do the following:
- create your own account in the app. This is done in a few clicks - you only need to specify your e-mail and personal data. After that, on the left, click on "My new backup". On the right, specify "donor" in the "Backup source" field and "recipient" in the "Destination" field;
- start cloning by clicking on "Back up now";
Simple and free application. To download, go to the developer's website and select the version with Russian localization.
After installation and launch, follow these steps in sequence:
- indicate "donor". If you need to clone not the entire drive, but only one of the local disks, then check the box "Show partitions" and select the required local disks. Then click on "Next";
- Specify the "recipient" and click on "Next" again.
- the settings window will appear. You can leave nothing and click on "Next";
- a window for setting the sizes of the "donor" and "recipient" will appear. It is enough to check the "Resize partitions proportionally" option and click on "Next";
- in the last window, confirm the start of the operation by clicking on "Start copying".
This is a good utility with a demo version, the capabilities of which will be enough for one-time disk cloning. After downloading, installing and launching the application, follow these steps:
- in the top panel, click on "Clone" - unfortunately, the program does not have a translation into Russian;
