Complete Backup to Install Bigger Drive

[K]

If I do a complete backup on my Vista Ultimate laptop and do the restore to
a larger hard disk, will it work?

I have read differing reports of whether it will or not.

Thanks

 

[Patrick Keenan]

If I do a complete backup on my Vista Ultimate laptop and do the restore
to a larger hard disk, will it work?

I have read differing reports of whether it will or not.

Thanks

Depends on how you do the backup. Simple copy programs will not put boot
files where they need to be.

The easiest thing to do is to clone directly to the larger hard disk. For
this purpose, you can download the free trial of Acronis TrueImage. Reboot,
attach the target drive, clone in Manual mode so that you can choose
Proportional, which adjusts the partition to the full size of the target
drive. Let it go, you'll be done shortly, and the target drive will be
ready to use.

HTH
-pk

 

[K]

Depends on how you do the backup. Simple copy programs will not put boot
files where they need to be.

The easiest thing to do is to clone directly to the larger hard disk.
For this purpose, you can download the free trial of Acronis TrueImage.
Reboot, attach the target drive, clone in Manual mode so that you can
choose Proportional, which adjusts the partition to the full size of the
target drive. Let it go, you'll be done shortly, and the target drive
will be ready to use.

HTH
-pk

Sorry, I didn't write my post well. I meant using the Windows Backup in
Vista and selecting the Complete PC Backup option.

 

[Paul Smith]

If I do a complete backup on my Vista Ultimate laptop and do the restore
to a larger hard disk, will it work?

I have read differing reports of whether it will or not.

Yes Complete PC backup does an image of the system. You can then boot from
the Windows disc, select the repair option and one of the options will be
for restoring a Complete PC backup.

BUT the Home versions do not come with Complete PC backup.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Yes Complete PC backup does an image of the system. You can then boot
from the Windows disc, select the repair option and one of the options
will be for restoring a Complete PC backup.

BUT the Home versions do not come with Complete PC backup.

One might note that OEM-style restore disks may not have the repair option,
either. (this is the case with my Thinkpad running Vista Business).

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

If I do a complete backup on my Vista Ultimate laptop and do the restore to
a larger hard disk, will it work?

I have read differing reports of whether it will or not.

Assuming that you do the backup properly--by using cloning
software--yes, it will work

 

[Daze N. Knights]

If I do a complete backup on my Vista Ultimate laptop and do the restore
to a larger hard disk, will it work?

I have read differing reports of whether it will or not.

Thanks

All of my Complete PC Backup restorations thus far have been to the
original hard drive from DVDs, but it is my understanding that, when
restoring to a different hard drive, it must be either the same size or
larger, but not smaller. See what Al Degutis has to say in his article,
"Complete PC Backup/Restore Drive Requirements," which is a
"2007-March-34 Update" found at:

http://professionalinsight.net/VistaBackup.aspx