What is the difference between making a clone of a "partition" and the

[James T Kirk USS Enterprise]

Hi people,

I just recently used XP to do a fresh install. I had an external hd hooked up at the same time. I accidently deleted the partition in the Windows setup.

As far as I know, when you delete/create a partition, it only formats the hd.
But when I tried to recover the lost data with 3 recovery programs and 4 7 hour failed runs, I found that no lost data could be found.

Somehow the XP "delete partition" is the same as a killdisk COMPLETE wipe. I lost 20 Gigs of data. I was not able to recover ANY files!!!!

Now I want to figure out how to make a backup so that this doesn't happen again. I have made a clone, but it was the VERY first time that I have done so. I am not quite sure if I have done it correctly. AND, I have not restored a clone, even once, so I do not know this process.

What is the difference between making a clone of a "partition" and the "disk"?

 

[Hawkeye22]

A disk can contain more than one partition. In this case, cloning the partition will not clone the whole drive. if all you want to do is clone the OS partition then that's fine. If for some reason you need all partitions cloned, then clone the whole drive.

If a drive only has a single large partition that spans the entire drive, then a partition clone will be the same as the disk clone.

 

[James T Kirk USS Enterprise]

I "resized" my hd. I had "unallocated space", so I created this into a separate partition. I made a clone. But I do not know if this clone is a "partition clone" or a "disk clone".

QUESTION
Which type of clone do you think that it made?

Let's say that it was a "partition clone" for example. This clone has my OS on it; and it is saved onto a DVD. I have NEVER restored a clone so I am completely in the dark about how exactly to do this. And by the way, this is the FIRST time that I have made a program, so I am completely new to this whole process!

If:
1> I was to format my entire hd
2> Then resize it to the size that I made for the clone
3> Copy the clone from the DVD onto the hd
4> Resize my hd back to its original 20 Gig size

Then:
If I booted, would my OS boot up?
[Clone restore successful]

QUESTION
If the saved file was a "partition clone", would I still be able to "resize" this clone to the size of my 20 Gig hd?

 

[Hawkeye22]

A lot of these questions are dependent on the cloning software. I recommend you read their manuals. Most cloning software lets you resize the partition during the cloning process - again, read the manual.

As long as the clone is going into the same computer as the original with no hardware changes (other than replacing the boot drive with the clone), then yes it will boot just fine.

 

[James T Kirk USS Enterprise]

The program that I used to make a clone is called, "Active Partition Recovery Enterprise v6".

This is what I did:
> I created a raw disk image [of selected hd]

I read the manual, and could not figure it out.
I selected the source drive, then sellected, "restore partition info", and selected my saved raw disk image file. Then It said, "are you sure that you want to do this? You will overwrite the data on it?". I said, "yes". and the operation completed. However, as the manual said, it DID NOT go to another screen that it said it would go to in this process. I tried the operation 3 times, all with the same results.

I was NOT able to restore the disk image clone. I do not understand what is happening, or what is going wrong. I followed everything exactly as the manual said.

And by the way, does the Active Partition Recovery Enterprise v6 make a disk image clone with the created a raw disk image selection, or with any other option?

 

[Hawkeye22]

Seems easy enough to me.

Create image file:
http/www.partition-recovery.com/comquest_8.htm

Restore image file:
http/www.partition-recovery.com/comquest_5.htm

Where it says "To restore Disk Partitioning Info from the backup:"

I just hope there is more to the manual than this. It seems kind of vague.

http/www.partition-recovery.com/manual.htm

 

[MeneerWitte]

http/www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/242173-39-free-software-links-updated-2012

When you create a Live CD, use the system it's for. This for drivers and that kind of stuff.

 

[James T Kirk USS Enterprise]

hawkeye
you gave me some great links.

since I talked to you last, I have tried the process 4 more times, to no avail!!!
Here is the basic message that results from this process:
'process failed'

Here are some possible reasons why I have failed in this --
1> The disk image that I made was made on a different hd than I am putting it back onto
image of 40 gig hd
putting image onto a 120 gig hd

2> If I make the 120 gig into 3 partitions, can I put the 40 gig disk image onto 1 of the partitions?

3> After the first attempt to restore the disk image that I did, all other attempts afterwards have failed
--even with a fresh format! The information must be stored in the untouchable boot log or something...

4> When I put the 40 gig disk image onto the 120 gig, I first (in most of the attempts) resize the 120 gig
to 40 gigs so that the hd is the same size as the disk image.

5> The image that I made was of an installed windows.
The question is, if I was successful in restoring the disk image, will the computer boot [into windows]?

*The very first attempt of the 7 tries that I have done was sucessful. I realized later that if I would have
put in the windows cd, selected "repair", and done fixboot, that it would have worked [guess/untested]

meneerwitte
if you are referring to using the same restore program that I made the disk image with, then yes, I
am doing this.

anyways, thanks for the links to all that software -- much appreciated

cheers
Captain Kirk

 

[MeneerWitte]

1
I might depent, not that I know of.

2
The live CD/DVD might have the option, check the manual/help of the program and/or the providers website for more information.
Yes, you can do that (don't think you need to change the disk size, most use it for upgrading there HDD).

You could reinstall the OS and all the needed drivers, install a partition manager with the live CD/DVD .ISO (or just download one and burn it to a disk) if you want.
Never mind the size of connection the HDD has, it's all the same.
It might come in handy some day.

When you know witch program is using the file format you wrote earlier (Acronis version ?), install it and create a live CD/DVD.
Let the live CD/DVD in the driver and reboot, the system will let you know what to do.
When the program starts, the program will guide you thrue it, choose restore (or whatever) and brows to the HDD (the HDD/CD-DVD has to be present, USB might be an option too) that contains the file for restoration. Press Start/next or whatever and the program will do the rest.

NOW YOUR DONE!

3
AUCH!

Sometimes there can be downloaded a fix program, I just don't know. Could be another failer of the system, you never know.
Try the providers website and/or ask them about it and/or take a look ad there FAQ's. Better ask, mostly they don't have it.

4
Normally not needed. When someone buys a new bigger capacity disk and/or faster one, or after a disk error you normally buy a bigger capacity disk for a fair price. Most people like to store whatever and/or game/program installations need more MB/GB these days and keep growing in installation size.
What about movies?

What you could do if you ad it and want your system to be a little faster, is getting a HDD with a fast access time (Hitachi 630/650GB is what I have, ask your retailer), I use this one for the OS installation.

Does your system have RAID?

Look for it. It will slow your system down a bit and you need a disk with the same size.

If you don't know what RAID all about is, look ad Wikipedia on the net.

A HDD clone or complete system backup might be the best option, but it's maintenance needed. Mostly the programs have options for automatically.
The clone or backup is compressed, you can choose too if I'm not mistaken. The higher the compression, the longer it will take, you will have the options for deleting the previous and/or save two and shutting down the system after finish.

5
Yes, if the HDD is the active one.

You can always put in the Windows disk and give it a go.
For 'How to' you can google and write/print out the commands you need to have to do so. Ad command prompt you can type help, but if you don't know what you're doing, it will be a bit of exploring.

Next time when the system starts acting wired, try chkdsk /f or /p.
Check it out on the net, it might depending of your OS and doing it from the DVD installation disk or the system. When doing it from the system, it will let you known that it will be taken care of at the next system start.
When checking the commands, you will find the options for marking bad sectors and that kind of stuff. Don't worry, write it down or print it, it might come in handy. I thing it should be on the installation disk, a complete help about it.
When you do the chkdsk, you will mostly find out if it's the HDD disk or not.

When it happens still with a new disk, try memory and power supply for errors.

When you had some good luck with fixboot or fixMBR and now not, you might consider that the files are way to corrupt or a bad sector ad the disk.

What you could do when you installed it all again and the old HDD disk is still working, test the disk with a HDD disk tester. Mostly free for download by firm name. When not, just look ad the specs of the software if it supports your disk.
If so, the program will tell you witch sectors are bad. Try to find out where these sectors are (in GB's). These programs come mostly in standalone versions, no need for installation and are free.
When you find out where the bad sectors are, you can shrink the disk by creating a new partition that is a little bit smaller (you know what I mean), delete the bad partition part and it will not be shown ad Windows.
More storage or whatever you wish it for.



I wish you all good luck with it and have lots of fun doing and learning it!

Hopefully I let you known enough!

 

[MeneerWitte]

1
It might depent, not that I know of.

2
Never mind the size of connection the HDD has, it's all the same.

 

[MeneerWitte]

2
Never mind the size or connection the HDD has, it's all the same.

 

[James T Kirk USS Enterprise]

Meneerwitte

No my system have does not have RAID. I have researched this a bit and found that I don't like the idea. Plus, the part about how it slows down the computer is not very appealing. Also, if all goes wrong and one of your Raid drives goes out, both of your HDD's are permanently shot, so might just have well thrown them off the cliff instead. And if you got bad sectors or a glitch... Speaking of bad sectors --

I didn't think about bad sectors causing a problem for my clone attempt. I don't think that that is what it is, but you never know. Its worth a try. 'Something' is causing the problem. But since I am so new to this, I assumed that 'I' was the problem, in that I 'had' to be doing it wrong. So, as a first time user to this process, this has been very difficult, and more so if there are other variables getting in the way of 'first' figuring out how to do it, and then being able to go from there and know what could be causing the descrepancy.

Anyways, I know that you put a lot of thought into this, so I wanted to reply back to you MeneerWitte.

Thanks for your input MeneerWitte -- it could potentially help me in the future.

Hawkeye

You have me the best links there is I'm sure, but I still was not able to figure it out.
Thanks for trying, you did your best.
For a first time user at this process, this is really complicated, especially if bad sectors or some other variables can get in the way of a successful run.

So since I've never successfully done it, I don't know how it should be done to eliminate the possiblity that there is something getting in the way of this process being done -- because I know that I am doing the process 'correctly'.

Thanks for you help Hawkeye once again!

--Captain Kirk

 

[James T Kirk USS Enterprise]

Best answer selected by James T Kirk USS Enterprise.

 

[James T Kirk USS Enterprise]

Hawkeye,
I selected you as the best answer.

Moderator,
I tried selecting Hawkeye's last reply as the best answer but was not able to.
I clicked the "select best answer" button 4 times, and was not successful.
When I clicked this button, a box appears with,
"Tomshardware says"
and then the rest of the box is blank and I can't read what it says because no words show up in it. However, there are two options that are available in this "dialogue box": 'OK' and 'Cancel'.

Moderator, can you tell me what is happening or can you change it yourself so that Hawkeye's last reply is selected as the best answer?

Thank You,
Sincerely,

Captain Kirk