B
Bill in Co.
In addition to making image backups of my system, I've recently used ATI to
make a clone of my main drive to an external eSATA drive enclosure, and it
checks out fine. (I use the nice Vantec external HD enclosures, which have
their own power switch built-in). (and I have two types of these: SATA and
USB), and I use the SATA enclosure for the clone backup).
But what I don't understand is this:
Unless I reboot once, the eSATA external drive isn't apparently seen by
windows after just turning it on (either in Windows Explorer or in Disk
Management), however I know it is being "picked up" as I can see some disk
activity when I turn it on (on both my internal and external drives).
This behavior doesn't happen with the USB external enclosure drives; there,
if you turn on the external USB drive enclosure, it instantly is recognized.
Is this by design?
At any rate, it makes it a bit inconvenient to make a clone using eSATA,
since one always has to reboot first to get it recognized by windows, and
that process takes a bit of time before it settles down as it assigns drive
letters and all that. And I don't need that anyway since when the clone is
made, the first thing that happens is it deletes all the partitions on the
backup drive, as expected.
My solution to this mess has been as follows:
Before making a clone, boot up on BootITNG (outside of windows!) and delete
all partitions in the old clone drive (windows is NOT loaded at this time).
THEN boot up into windows with the clone drive connected, and proceed making
the clone.
make a clone of my main drive to an external eSATA drive enclosure, and it
checks out fine. (I use the nice Vantec external HD enclosures, which have
their own power switch built-in). (and I have two types of these: SATA and
USB), and I use the SATA enclosure for the clone backup).
But what I don't understand is this:
Unless I reboot once, the eSATA external drive isn't apparently seen by
windows after just turning it on (either in Windows Explorer or in Disk
Management), however I know it is being "picked up" as I can see some disk
activity when I turn it on (on both my internal and external drives).
This behavior doesn't happen with the USB external enclosure drives; there,
if you turn on the external USB drive enclosure, it instantly is recognized.
Is this by design?
At any rate, it makes it a bit inconvenient to make a clone using eSATA,
since one always has to reboot first to get it recognized by windows, and
that process takes a bit of time before it settles down as it assigns drive
letters and all that. And I don't need that anyway since when the clone is
made, the first thing that happens is it deletes all the partitions on the
backup drive, as expected.
My solution to this mess has been as follows:
Before making a clone, boot up on BootITNG (outside of windows!) and delete
all partitions in the old clone drive (windows is NOT loaded at this time).
THEN boot up into windows with the clone drive connected, and proceed making
the clone.