Best method to take a full system backup and restore it.

So guys, my Seagate HDD is dying, time to switch it with my WD Black as the primary hdd, so how can I do it? I had already taken a backup using windows backup system, now how can I restore it? Since its the OS restore can I restore it using windows recovery disc? Or do I need to install OS first to do so.

And any alternate software you can suggest for the migration? Free/paid doesn't matter, I need the software to take backup of my C drive along side the boot sector and restore it to another drive which will be formatted beforehand by Windows 7 OS install disc.

V

tkin said:
Since its the OS restore can I restore it using windows recovery disc? Or do I need to install OS first to do so.

No, you need to install the OS first. You can restore a system image using the recovery disc.

tkin said:
And any alternate software you can suggest for the migration? Free/paid doesn't matter, I need the software to take backup of my C drive along side the boot sector and restore it to another drive which will be formatted beforehand by Windows 7 OS install disc.

Infact Window's built in backup software is enough in your case. But if you want added features you can try out Macrium Reflect Free.
Other sound options are Cobian backup, DriveImage XML, Easeus Todo Backup, Paragon Backup & Recovery

Vignesh B said:
No, you need to install the OS first. You can restore a system image using the recovery disc.

Infact Window's built in backup software is enough in your case. But if you want added features you can try out Macrium Reflect Free.
Other sound options are Cobian backup, DriveImage XML, Easeus Todo Backup, Paragon Backup & Recovery

So I do this:
1. Take a backup of my system on my External HDD(WD 500GB), now there is an option that says create a system image, I do that.
2. I create a system recovery disc with windows.
3. Now, I format and partition my second drive(using win 7 install disc).
4. I boot up using the recovery disc, now I guess there will be an option that allows me to restore my system image to a drive, I connect my external HDD to PC and allow the recovery disk to restore the image to my second drive, then I boot up in windows and allow the backup and restore system to restore the rest of C drive.

Is this it?

W

i am not sure about windows backup & restore & i wouldn't suggest it anyway because of various issues when there are much better options like macrium free edition available.
v5: How to clone a disk (Clone Disk, v5)

If you do not mind paying for the software, why not try the best? Norton Ghost!

Its worth every penny.

Norton Ghost 15.0 | Symantec

W

^^not for average/home user.for such users macrium reflect free is more than enough.paragon backup restore free which is a bit slower even has differential backup option.ghost is better suited for deploying single image to multiple pc's from a central location using sysprep to customize that image to each pc.

rhitwick said:
If you do not mind paying for the software, why not try the best? Norton Ghost!

Its worth every penny.

Norton Ghost 15.0 | Symantec

Well this looks like overkill, its has network options etc etc, also I need a tutorial, I don't have much time left, the hdd is about to die any time, so please provide me a tutorial.

whitestar_999 said:
i am not sure about windows backup & restore & i wouldn't suggest it anyway because of various issues when there are much better options like macrium free edition available.
v5: How to clone a disk (Clone Disk, v5)

Well, after I follow these steps, I just have to remove the old drive and the system will boot up normally?

And also does macrium has the option to format a drive completely(target drive to be restored to)?

whitestar_999 said:
^^not for average/home user.for such users macrium reflect free is more than enough.paragon backup restore free which is a bit slower even has differential backup option.ghost is better suited for deploying single image to multiple pc's from a central location using sysprep to customize that image to each pc.

All it says is 30 day trial.

W

Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

from the earlier link:

9. The partitions selected will now be cloned and when complete, the old disk can be removed and replaced with the new disk is required.

whitestar_999 said:
Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

from the earlier link:

How do I erase my target disk from Macrium? I want to erase and format it and clone image from scratch.

W

no need to erase first.overwriting data is better than simply erasing anyway.after cloning C drive & system partition(like in images in link) whatever space left you can format from within windows after booting from the new hdd.

V

tkin said:
So I do this:
1. Take a backup of my system on my External HDD(WD 500GB), now there is an option that says create a system image, I do that.
2. I create a system recovery disc with windows.
3. Now, I format and partition my second drive(using win 7 install disc).
4. I boot up using the recovery disc, now I guess there will be an option that allows me to restore my system image to a drive, I connect my external HDD to PC and allow the recovery disk to restore the image to my second drive, then I boot up in windows and allow the backup and restore system to restore the rest of C drive.

Is this it?

Yes, exactly the same.
As I said earlier also you may go for third party solutions but since the built in solution is enough(at least in your case), then why not use it.

@tkin: use one of restore app from systweak its good

whitestar_999 said:
no need to erase first.overwriting data is better than simply erasing anyway.after cloning C drive & system partition(like in images in link) whatever space left you can format from within windows after booting from the new hdd.

Ok thanks.

Vignesh B said:
Yes, exactly the same.
As I said earlier also you may go for third party solutions but since the built in solution is enough(at least in your case), then why not use it.

Yeah, its fine, but I may go for direct cloning, so thinking of macrium.

Zangetsu said:
@tkin: use one of restore app from systweak its good

Okay, I'm exploring macrium now, will see to systweak.