So my hard drive started making some strange noises. I’d like to back it up. Not just the data though, I’d like to back it up so that I could just swap the backed up drive into the computer and start using it again without having to do anything. Can anyone tell me the procedure for that? Is there any special software I would need to make such a backup?
Re: Backing up the hard drive
There are a few programs you can use. Either drive partitioning or drive imaging programs will do. Look for ‘Hirens boot cd’, its a compilation of many useful programs and utilities.
There are many versions of hirens boot cd but the newer versions don’t have norton ghost on it anymore, but I think they still have acronis true image program.
Anyhow, I think version 10.6 still has ghost on it, before you download a particular version check the contents file to determine if it has ghost or not.
Once you download the file, burn it on a cd and the boot from it and select either ghost or acronis boot image from the selection menu at boot up and follow the prompts.
Be careful when you’re imaging, you don’t want to overwrite your orginal drive so make sure your source drive is your original drive and the destination is the new drive.
I can help you through it but start by downloading the iso for hirens boot cd
Re: Backing up the hard drive
Thanks for the response. If I just get Norton Ghost, that should be able to do the job, right?
Re: Backing up the hard drive
^ yes…but make sure to acquaint yourself with how it works…it could potentially destroy your data…
my advice would be to first get the really important data off…to a secondary storage…like DVD-R or portable hadr drive etc…and then proceed with backing up the whole drive…
Re: Backing up the hard drive
Yes, it will work, it may be a Windows based program though, which mean you set the parameters in Windows then on the next reboot, Ghost takes over before Windows is loaded and completes the transfer process.
I just prefer to be completely outside of Windows when doing such things, thus the recommendation for Hiren’s Boot CD.
Also, in Ghost, go to preferences and select the option to ‘ignore crc errors’; otherwise Ghost will get stuck on every bad sector it reads.
Re: Backing up the hard drive
So what I’ll do is that I’ll backup some of the data first. Though my main purpose here is to be able to use everything without having to reinstall and reconfigure a bunch of programs. Another problem that I’ve encountered recently is that the computer just restarts itself without any request to do so. From what I’ve read, that could also be because of the computer getting too hot. I have also heard the hard drive making louder noise than before as well, though it hasn’t done it since about 3 days now. Anyhow, if I were to attempt to backup the hard drive, I’m worried that this might become an issue in between. Any recommendations on how to deal with this?
Re: Backing up the hard drive
Ghost has a bootable CD with which you can backup entire system outside windows…its specifically for the task..and will be easier to manage…Hiren Boot CD has a whole lot of other stuff…which might be tough to navigate…
Do the backup ASAP…i once delayed it…and my drive got corrupted…had to use data recovery software to get it all back…
Let me find links…
Re: Backing up the hard drive
if you’re computer is randomly restarting then it’s probably not from heat. An overheated system shuts down completely (similar to an engine).
But back to the hard drive; I guess you can download Norton Ghost, create the bootable cd and then image the drive over, do it soon though, like NomiCA said, if your drive is starting to fail it will fail very soon.
Re: Backing up the hard drive
So is the restarting a sign that it’s failing? Though it’s not restarting as such (doesn’t close down the programs and all). What happens is that it just shuts off but then starts up again, and without going through the whole checkdisk procedure.
Re: Backing up the hard drive
check PM…but run SMART test on your drive…Western Digital and Seagate both have drive diagnostic softwares…they will let u know whether ur hard drive is failing or not…
Re: Backing up the hard drive
I mean shut down as in it doesn’t power up on its’ own again unless you press the power button.
Re: Backing up the hard drive
Well, I just found Ghost 15 at a nearby store. I need to get a HDD too. So my current disc is 1TB. Would it have issues backing up everything to a smaller or larger drive, or does it require a drive of the exact same size as the original? So the plan is to get a USB HDD and then make the backup, take it out of the enclosure and put it in my PC. I have an extended warranty on the PC too, so for now the plan is to backup the drive, then give the PC in to the store for repairs. I’ll check with them today if they can also backup the HDD as well, but having dealt with them before, I doubt that is part of the regular service package.
Re: Backing up the hard drive
Hey,
Sorry couldn’t reply further during the day. I’m home now… post here if you need help or PM whatever works…
Re: Backing up the hard drive
The reboot happens when you get BSOD (blue screen of death). The newer Windows version doesn’t stay on the the blue screen but reboots the OS.
New versions of Ghost doesn’t need to reboot into anything and it doesn’t really require a boot CD to create an image. Boot CD comes in handy when you have to reimage the hard drive during recovery.
Just install the software and let it stay resident in the OS. You can set it to do a main backup and then incremental backups to your external drive.
No, you don’t need identical drive for the clone/backup. Your internal 1 TB drive is probably not full. If its using 300 GB of the 1 TB then you basically need a drive that is more than 300 GB and you should be all set.
I think i dissipated all the myths in this thread. Stay away from Hiren’s CD. If you don’t know how to work Norton Ghost you shouldn’t be playing with Hiren. 
Re: Backing up the hard drive
Always use external hard drive or NAS to store your files, pictures and documents and not the disk where OS is installed. I would consider buying something like the Buffalo Technology LinkStation Pro Duo 2 TB (2 x 1 TB) RAID Network Attached Storage LS-WV2.0TL/R1 (Black)
You can get expensive with NAS setup but that would be a starting point for those looking for some protection and piece of mind.
Re: Backing up the hard drive
But make sure its your Harddrive thats causing the BSOD…and not some other problem…
So run diagnostics on HDD to see if its damaged…u don’t want to go for upgrade of HDD just because some other issue caused ur OS to crash
Re: Backing up the hard drive
That’s the thing, there’s no BSOD (at least not long enough for me to actually see it or even get any kind of hint of it). Ironically, the last time I remember it happening (in front of me) was when I was about to click on a link of how to backup the hard drive. What has me convinced that it’s a failing HDD is the sounds the drive makes at time.
It first started Saturday night, after I downloaded a game and played it for a few hours. It just restarted in the middle of the game, then wouldn’t start up again until after I turned it off and did a system restore. It’s starting up now, but restarts at random, and then doesn’t even go into the checkdisk process, which otherwise starts up when I turn off the computer without going through the shutdown process.
Re: Backing up the hard drive
Thanks for the info. I know about backing up files and documents. I’ve already started that. What I’m more interested in here is to have the computer running again as is without having to install and configure everything again.
Can you provide me a link to see how to carry out the test? Do I need to download something? Or can I go to some website to perform the test? Right now, I’m trying to use that computer as little as possible, to extend the life of the drive so I can make a backup.
Re: Backing up the hard drive
Seagate utility
WD utitily
Download n install…
Re: Backing up the hard drive
I’ve never used Ghost before. I just picked up Ghost 15.0 yesterday. So here’s the plan–
- Get an external USB hard drive
- Make an image of my currently (possibly failing HDD) on the said external HDD.
- Send computer in for repairs. If the HDD was failing, copy the image from the USB drive to the new internal HDD.
- Have my PC running after copying the image from the USB to the internal HDD, without having to reinstalled anything already on my current HDD.
Is it as simple as it sounds? Any other tips/suggestions?