9 replies to this topic

[Jonny Wright]

My current boot drive is on its way out and I have ordered a new one but due to the festive holidays / delivery delays I am not expecting it before Chirstmas.

Is it possible to create a VHD in a VM and transfer all the data from the VHD onto the new drive when it arrives to save mucking about when it eventually turns up?

As stated, I am intending on it being my Windows boot drive.

Thanks

[Tech Greek]

I generally will do the image or initial OS in a VM then transfer it over (for things like servers and workstations, desktops/laptops are a little less time consuming)

[Gnome]

I usually use TrueImage or something similar to clone or backup boot drives. It works as a bootable recovery CD so you don't have to install it. It uses .tib format for the backups, but might still work for your purposes.

[lcg]

You can use Acronis True Image to convert the VHD to .tib (True Image backup format) and then restore the image to your boot drive. There's a trial version available.

[Tech Greek]

lcg, on 22 December 2012 - 15:51, said:

You can use Acronis True Image to convert the VHD to .tib (True Image backup format) and then restore the image to your boot drive. There's a trial version available.

Keep in mind, the trials will not do dissimilar hardware.

[manroweb]

Ease US Partition tool will clone it from disk to disk directly or disk to image, and then you can run image to disk onto the new drive.

[sagum]

Tech Greek, on 29 December 2012 - 09:29, said:

Keep in mind, the trials will not do dissimilar hardware.

sysprep, and imagex


C:\windows\system32\sysprep\sysprep /generalize /shutdown

imagex /apply d:\install.wim 4 x:\


Should get you started in the right direction.

[TheLegendOfMart]

Macrium Reflect has a free full featured version, I use it every time I need to swap out a drive.

[Tech Greek]

sagum, on 29 December 2012 - 09:46, said:

sysprep, and imagex


C:\windows\system32\sysprep\sysprep /generalize /shutdown

imagex /apply d:\install.wim 4 x:\


Should get you started in the right direction.

That will transfer most things but you lose the User Data and settings.

[Riva]

Do P2V to put the system in the vhd
Then do v2p to reverse
Alternatively boot from the vhd and you could dual boot

If you want to use imagex and sysprep you can also use USMT to migrate users