# Clone Hard Disk for Windows 8.1 Installation



## Perseonn (Aug 27, 2011)

Hello!

I have performed disk cloning for OS several times, but it as during the era of WIndows XP, which Partition Magic still works. Now that PM does not under development anymore (to my knowledge - please prove me wrong, it will make me happy), I lost my only way to clone harddisks.

*Story:*
In a few days I'll have to perform an installation on 6 identical barebone PCs, each using a non-SSD SATA hard disks. Upon agreement, Windows 8.1 Pro Update 1 with all of available updates (updates are installed using "wsusoffline") will be used, along with additional softwares like Microsoft Office, Google Chrome, etc. All 6 PC will need to have the same softwares installed.

*Problem:*
I no longer possess the ability to clone without the Partition Magic. Installing one-by-one will take too much time, due to the weak processing power of the PCs.

*Question:*
I would like to know a recommended software for cloning Windows 8.1 partition. If no software is needed and Windows 8.1 can do this by default, I'll be super awesome if anyone can provide the step by steps.


Thank you in advance!


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## Madcatz (Apr 15, 2008)

You could try using imagex but that can get complex. You could also use Symantec Ghost which does hard drive images, but make sure you do sysprep also and its not free.

If you have a spare computer, I would recommend using MDT 2013. Its free, easy to setup and you can create images and task sequences with it and deploy those images anytime you want. There are also a lot of documentation and materials out there for MDT.

Also, with MDT, you can apply the image, install drivers, install windows updates, software, and settings with little or zero touch, you can make it all automated. It is a very nice tool to have if you do imaging often.


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

Partition Magic was bought out by Symantec/Norton and left to rot on the shelf and is no longer supported
The only two HDD manufacturers now are *W*estern *D*igital and *Seagate* (Toshiba is bit player) *WD* and *Segate* have a free version of *Acronis True image* that can be downloaded for free from their web sites, as long as at least one of those HDD is that brand. WD Support
DiscWizard | Seagate
You will not be able to do a Batch clone/image job, you will have to do each one separately, using the same source drive. You may have an issue with Activating them unless you do Sysprep first


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## Perseonn (Aug 27, 2011)

@Madcatz
Yes I have a spare PC(s). How does MDT works? Does it simply create image from one HDD and apply it to other HDD?

@spunk.funk
The damn barebone PCs uses Toshiba HDD. I'll look up Acronis, though.


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

> The damn barebone PCs uses Toshiba HDD. I'll look up Acronis, though.


 If both HDD's are Toshiba, then it won't work, but as long as at least one of the HDD's being cloned or being a source drive is one of those brands, it will work.


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## Perseonn (Aug 27, 2011)

Wow, that's actually very nice to know. And very helpful, since all of my home system are Seagate-based.

Big thanks!! Have a cake ( ^‐^)_血


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## Madcatz (Apr 15, 2008)

Perseonn, there are different ways to create an image with MDT. But, the main thing is, I would only recommend using MDT if you need to install it onto a lot of computers. Six drives only may not be worth the time setting up MDT, learning it and getting it to work. If you image drives a lot, like 50+ then MDT may be worth it. It sounded like you may do this which is why I am bringing it up.

To explain a bit more, MDT (Microsoft Deployment Toolkit), is OS deployment software that you install onto a server (you can install it on Windows but you loose some functionality). MDT 2013 is similar to SCCM or System Center Configuration Manager for OS deployment. Smaller companies use MDT to image their computers with, larger corporations will use SCCM or SCCM and MDT for client management and images. 

Here is a link you can go to and see screenshots and get an idea of what MDT can do.
Deployment Research > Research - The Hydration Kit for System Center 2012 R2 is available for download

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit - MDT, Free Tool, Windows, Server

Again, if you don't need to image a lot of drives then I would look at imagex or one of the free tools mentioned above.


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## Perseonn (Aug 27, 2011)

Madcatz said:


> Perseonn, there are different ways to create an image with MDT. But, the main thing is, I would only recommend using MDT if you need to install it onto a lot of computers. Six drives only may not be worth the time setting up MDT, learning it and getting it to work. If you image drives a lot, like 50+ then MDT may be worth it. It sounded like you may do this which is why I am bringing it up.


Err... thank you?

I prefer software that clones drives without hassle. Microsoft ADK already confused the hell out of me, and MDT requires a (Windows?) server.


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## Madcatz (Apr 15, 2008)

lol yeah, doesn't require Windows server OS but best used if it runs on one. 

I manage SCCM and MDT servers for work and I use MDT at home, but only since I image or reimage a lot of computers at home. Probably do 30-50 a year and using MDT makes it very easy. I know a few other people that don't work in IT but they do computer work for family and friends and they use MDT also. Its nice to boot a computer to a flash drive, do one click, walk away, and come back to it being completely setup and ready to go.

Definitely not for everyone though. Ghost and Acronis work great for small amounts and personal use and good for small businesses also as long as you sysprep.


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## WinOutreach2 (Jun 18, 2012)

Madcatz, I’m not sure that I agree with that MDT isn’t worth it in this scenario. There are many different ways to use MDT and I’ll agree that some of them do have a learning curve, but it can also quite easily apply to a basic imaging solution.

The process would be:
1. Install the Windows ADK on a technician computer
These are the tools used by MDT to perform tasks.
2. Install the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) on the technician computer
This is the GUI wrapper that sits over the Windows ADK tools.
3. Create a deployment share on the network
This is the network location where all of the deployment components are located.
4. Import the installation media for the operating system being used
These source files are used to provide instructions and components to task sequences and can also be used to deploy the unaltered install.wim image.
5. Create a capture task sequence
This is the instruction set to capture your reference system, the pre-configured source computer.
6. Generate boot media
This is the USB, optical, or if you have a PXE server like WDS, network boot media used to deploy to new systems. You may need to add network drivers to the deployment share for network connectivity.
7. Initiate the capture
Run the script litetouch.wsf from the deployment share to initiate the capture task sequence. This will also Sysprep the system and prepare it for deployment to other systems.
8. Import the captured image source files
Run the import an operating system process on the custom wim file to add the image to the deployment share.
9. Create a deployment task sequence
This is the process by which the image will be deployed to target computers.
10. Boot to the boot media and run the deployment task sequence
From the USB, optical, or network boot media you would initiate the deployment process on the target systems.

This process is largely the same as other imaging solutions. The major way in which it differs is that rather than just running a capture or deploy process, you create an automated task sequence which performs those tasks. Installing tools, generating boot media, capturing and deploying are all required with any solution.

The advantage is that although you haven’t made use of automated application installation or driver management for deployment to different makes and models of hardware, when you are finished with this basic deployment you are left with the tools to do those more complex tasks.

If you are interested in using MDT, here is a step by step for a relatively basic deployment using MDT. This will give you a rough idea of what you need to do. You can also check out the Windows 8.1 Deployment Jump Start which provides a much deeper look into MDT and what it is able to accomplish.

Brandon
Windows Outreach Team- IT Pro
Windows for IT Pros on TechNet


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## Ricky345 (Oct 22, 2014)

I used Acronis and EaseUS Todo Backup to clone HHD to the bigger one. Both of them work well and recommend:dance:.


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