Post cloning question: I've successfully cloned my storage hdd to a bigger one, but now what do I do with the old hdd?

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jnewegger23

jnewegger23

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I want to reformat the old hdd but I'm currently afraid to reconnect it as my cpu is running fine. I've been searching through the forums and can't find anything with regard to this. I keep finding issues with cloning which I DON'T have and I don't want to create any by making a simple mistake by being impatient and not asking for help first.

Here's where I'm at. I have an SanDisk 120GB SSD with my OS, and now a HGST 7200rpm 4TB HDD 6gb/s 64mb cache(the successful clone!) storage drive for data, games, pics, vids, etc. This HGST is replacing what I want to reconnect which is my old Samsung 1TB 7200rpm 32mb cache storage drive as an internal backup but I'm not sure if reconnecting it and booting into windows is okay and I can just reformat from there, or if there's something I need to do with Acronis (software used for cloning) via cd, or if I have to go in the bios before reconnecting and make some manual adjustments there first (if so, what must I do?), or any other possibility I just haven't thought of. Any feedback would be much appreciated!

I'm thinking perhaps there's a way to connect it to my laptop first and reformat; that wold obviously work but there has to be an easier solution and I don't want to be impatient, just try reconnecting and finding out I've created a problem with having two E drives all of a sudden or some other "gotcha" issue post cloning.

To summarize: I've already cloned successfully, NOT looking for advice on that. I'm concerned simply about reconnecting my old drive and what "gotchas" I can avoid if any and how to!

Thanks,
 
Solution
popatim
Install the drive but make the the hitachi is the boot drive. then you can format the sammy.

What I would recommend is for you to wait a month. Right now the Sammy is a bootable backup drive and if a new drive is going to fail early its usually the first few weeks.

Lastly, while you're idea of using it as an internal back is good, i do the same thing, understand that this does not negate the need for external backups. Say a virus gets in and deletes/encyrpts all your files, it will easily find and do the same to the backup drive.
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joaompp

joaompp

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Personally what I've always done with old HDDs is throw them into external enclosure and used them as backup storage devices, just plug them in AFTER you've booted, just format after you're already in windows and you shouldn't have an issue, it's really the most fool proof way of not screwing up since you won't be able to format the drive that windows is working off of.
 
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notbysight

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If you plug in the hard drive and the boot is extremely slow, then there is a problem with the hard drive. If you already have a backup, then the question is weather or not anything on the hard drive is really needing security. If there is sensitive information of any sore, I am a big fan of the sledge hammer method when you don't have the ability to securely wipe it.

On the other hand, if there isn't any sensitive information on the drive, then you can toss it.

If you want to use the drive, you can try USB and see if you get a connection. If the hard drive is bad, there is not a good chance that you can use it for anything else.

SUMMARY
1. Is the information sensitive?

2. Does the drive work?

- secure wipe or sledge hammer

- USB is the safest - and slowest way to use a hard drive

 
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jnewegger23

jnewegger23

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So, would I have a problem if I simply connected internally via sata? It sounds like by your answer I wouldn't. I already have an external backup but it's slow and I was hoping to use this as a faster backup internal to my external if that makes sense; a backup for my backup! lol.
 
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jnewegger23

jnewegger23

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I'm a little confused by your response. Everything works fine and the old Samsung just needs to be reconnected and reformatted but I'm afraid of it causing signature problems etc. since it's a mirror of the new HGST which is working fine too. I guess the whole point of my question is I'm being precautious. Nothing bad has happened yet. What do I need to do to reconnect the old drive and not create any problems. USB route seems to require me using an external enclosure or sata to usb adapter at least of some sort which I guess is okay but in theory I don't see why there would be any problems going straight internally via sata to the mobo but I want to just be careful! Also, I'd prefer to keep the old samsung internally anyways for automatic backups which should be faster than my external that I already have. I hope my response doesn't add further confusion but I am being preemptive in avoiding any issues. No problems as of yet. Just want to know how to proceed albeit with caution.
 
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joaompp

joaompp

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I'm not that versed in SATA protocols, I'm not sure you can hotswap sata, and if they're both connected when you boot you'll have to guess blindly since both drives will be identical, it might take a few boots, but it will eventually work, just don't wipe the wrong drive or you'll be cloning again. try putting them on different controllers, that might help.
 
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popatim

popatim

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Install the drive but make the the hitachi is the boot drive. then you can format the sammy.

What I would recommend is for you to wait a month. Right now the Sammy is a bootable backup drive and if a new drive is going to fail early its usually the first few weeks.

Lastly, while you're idea of using it as an internal back is good, i do the same thing, understand that this does not negate the need for external backups. Say a virus gets in and deletes/encyrpts all your files, it will easily find and do the same to the backup drive.
 
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jnewegger23

jnewegger23

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Understood and much appreciated! I will wait a month and let you know how it all goes! However, the SanDisk 120GB SSD is my bootable drive. The 4TB Hitachi replaces the 1TB Samsung (the drive in question) as storage. Am I just over-thinking everything being that this is a nonbootable drive anyways? I'm mostly afraid of my system seeing 2 E Drives (One 4TB and one 1TB) and reverting to assigning to the old 1TB drive and causing problems with the new (4TB) one down the line (reassigned letters not matching, etc etc). It's simply not worth the headache if that's what will happen by just plugging it back in. I'm sure there's a simple sure fire way to do this and quite possibly I could plug and play and be fine as well but I NEVER underestimate how temperamental the smallest oversight can be! So, what I'm taking by your response is in a month I should be able to plug in (direct to mobo via internal sata) go to device manager and reformat there, no problems? I get I could do this now but we want to wait to make sure the clone continues to be a success past the usual suspect time. Again, I appreciate your feedback!

 
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