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Switching to new HDD

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  • Windows 7
  • Storage
  • Hard Drives
  • Components
Last response: in Components
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January 22, 2014 1:54:02 PM

So I am buying a new HDD to replace a faulty one. The one I have currently has windows 7 and everything else on it, is there a way to transfer everything across hassle free and have windows 7 still working fine?

More about : switching hdd

a b $ Windows 7
a b G Storage
January 22, 2014 1:56:50 PM

Faulty as in completely dead, or failing? You can get HDD copiers that will make a complete copy of one hard drive to the other.
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a b $ Windows 7
a b G Storage
January 22, 2014 1:59:15 PM

Yes, maybe.
Google up hard drive imaging software, or my recommendation, Acronis True Image: http://www.acronis.com/
Acronis will allow you to both backup and restore your hard drive, or make a copy of it onto your new hard drive. Both are extremely easy processes in Acronis True Image.
The question is how bad damaged your HDD is and whether or not it's recoverable.
You might be able to image it onto the new HDD, and then do a Windows Repair & Recovery operation to fix Windows if it got corrupted, and hopefully save most/all of your important documents.
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a b $ Windows 7
a b G Storage
January 22, 2014 2:01:43 PM

If your old HDD is bad enough to replace it do you really trust it to copy properly. I wouldn't. Rather I would do a fresh install on the new HDD and after the OS is running well install the old HDD as a second drive. Then you can copy whatever you need to the new drive at your leisure. I've done this myself many times.
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January 22, 2014 2:02:53 PM

HiTechObsessed said:
Faulty as in completely dead, or failing? You can get HDD copiers that will make a complete copy of one hard drive to the other.


ram1009 said:
If your old HDD is bad enough to replace it do you really trust it to copy properly. I wouldn't. Rather I would do a fresh install on the new HDD and after the OS is running well install the old HDD as a second drive. Then you can copy whatever you need to the new drive at your leisure. I've done this myself many times.


I was considering this. Would I be able to use my windows 7 product key again though as I have already used it once??
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Best solution

a b $ Windows 7
a b G Storage
January 22, 2014 2:15:10 PM

SFullen said:
HiTechObsessed said:
Faulty as in completely dead, or failing? You can get HDD copiers that will make a complete copy of one hard drive to the other.


ram1009 said:
If your old HDD is bad enough to replace it do you really trust it to copy properly. I wouldn't. Rather I would do a fresh install on the new HDD and after the OS is running well install the old HDD as a second drive. Then you can copy whatever you need to the new drive at your leisure. I've done this myself many times.


I was considering this. Would I be able to use my windows 7 product key again though as I have already used it once??


When Windows detects it's in a new computer, it will say it is non-genuine, then you just have to re-enter the code and it will verify it that way. The same key will work :) 
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a b $ Windows 7
a b G Storage
January 22, 2014 7:18:12 PM

SFullen said:
HiTechObsessed said:
Faulty as in completely dead, or failing? You can get HDD copiers that will make a complete copy of one hard drive to the other.


ram1009 said:
If your old HDD is bad enough to replace it do you really trust it to copy properly. I wouldn't. Rather I would do a fresh install on the new HDD and after the OS is running well install the old HDD as a second drive. Then you can copy whatever you need to the new drive at your leisure. I've done this myself many times.


I was considering this. Would I be able to use my windows 7 product key again though as I have already used it once??



As long as it's the same MB.
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