Repairing disk errors. This might take over an hour to complete.

Marshall Hurtado · Aug 27, 2014

My primary hard drive in my system is around 6 years old, and I noticed signs of it dying recently. Usage at 100%, crashing, etc. picked up a new drive today to use a cloning software to transfer any and everything onto the new drive, but my current primary drive is so slow and dying that I can't even get into the desktop anymore in order to run the cloning program. Currently the old drive has to have disk error repair. It's been over 2 hours of " repairs" and I'm unsure of what to do. Hard drives/partitions and things of that nature isn't really my forte unfortunately. Any ideas?

ronintexas · Aug 27, 2014

I would suggest trying this - buy a USB drive enclosure or docking station, and install Windows on the new drive with the old drive disconnected. After finishing the installation and updates of Windows - plug your drive in and transfer the data (in the \USERS folders if you had VISTA/7/8 on the drive) to your new drive. Trying to transfer the operating system will probably result in a bad file being transferred and giving you problems in the future.

rdc85 · Aug 27, 2014

IMO, nothing much can do except waiting... restart/turn off will only damage the disk more

Disk repair is only for data retrieval, so after the repair done..

copy (don't move) your important data right away..
(before even trying clone the disk)..

note: also more bigger ram/memory u have will speed up the process more

Marshall Hurtado · Aug 27, 2014

UPDATE: it has finishing repairing! Currently on the desktop. It is oddly tactile although with delay. Usage is STRANGELY not at 100% but I'm not taking any chances. It's dumb question time. How do I QUICKLY prep a 2TB drive for just a generic transfer from one HD to the other, so I can quickly save essentials? Is the preparation the same as if I were to clone things over? Because that'll need to be done later on.

ronintexas · Aug 28, 2014

Through disk manager, you can create the partition and format the drive - however, it will be difficult to install Windows afterwards. I would suggest installing windows on the drive, then transferring the data.

Marshall Hurtado · Aug 28, 2014

The only issue with that is that I don't have a windows disc. I was originally an acer I bought from Walmart years ago and the only thing that's been in this long is the hard drive. I "upgraded" to windows 8 through microsofts promotion so I don't have a physicall disc. Just the key.

ronintexas · Aug 28, 2014

You should be able to download Windows 8 from the Windows store and install using the key you have now. You will probably need to do this on another computer, then either burn a DVD or use a USB flash drive to install on your computer.

Marshall Hurtado · Aug 28, 2014

Oh wow they make it that simple now? Times have changed. Yea I could easily download it onto my flash (32gb should be enough) and then instead of cloning everything onto my new drive I could just reinstall windows from the flash.

Couple questions:

Would I be able to technically have two windows installations? One on my failing drive and one on the new? Or would I have to uninstall windows from the older drive and then proceed to install?

Also, I have a ton of programs and little tweaks to windows. A sound amp program, Logitech shortcut tool, etc. how would those transfer over if at all?

Would it be better if I just clone everything over and THEN reinstall windows?

Obviously I'm looking for a method that I can have a fresh windows install on my new drive WITH all of my (C drive specific) programs.

I really appreciate the help by the way.

ronintexas · Aug 28, 2014

If you clone the drive, if all the program files and config files are not damaged, then you are good to go. I usually put a single drive in and install Windows fresh, then attach the old drive and transfer the data. You can't just copy the files - you need to install programs (they write to the registry file and create config files specific to your installation).

The cloning works on drives that are reliable - but with problems, one or more files can be corrupt, and trying to figure out which one is a major pain....it will take more time to install from scratch, but you will be glad you did in my opinion.

Marshall Hurtado · Aug 28, 2014

I've gone along with cloning. I had sector read errors but chose to ignore them (I understand that I'm blindly going through with this. Being a little dumb) but it's cloning currently and should be done in an hour. You're right I have no idea what sectors contained what files so it's stressful. I'm just worried about the old drive because it's on it's death bed basically. I want to worry about a fresh install later on when I get an ssd but. Decisions.

ronintexas · Aug 28, 2014

Hopefully everything goes well. Knocking on wood here for you.

Marshall Hurtado · Aug 28, 2014

Much appreciated, really. It was either do this or risk the drive failing while figuring out how to download 8.1 on my flash and then worry about a fresh install, remembering what to reinstall and download, and then finally hours or even a day or so later transferring the important things to the new drive. A fresh install can wait another day. Having the same experience of speed and general clutter on the new drive as the old is no problem to me.

ronintexas · Aug 28, 2014

I am the "perfectionist" - who goes absolutely crazy sometimes trying to make sure everything is setup exactly right. I keep one of these laying around to pull data off drives:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182221&cm_re=sata_hard_drive_dock-_-17-182-221-_-Product

They are fairly cheap ($20), and usually picks up almost any drive out there and allows me to copy data off it. It would be nice to have the USB-3 speeds....but I don't use it that often. The USB interface works better in my opinion for failing drives....and this works for laptop drives or regular drives.

Marshall Hurtado · Aug 29, 2014

ronintexas :

cloning complete however in "my computer" it shows a windows icon over the old drive still, which I'm prettyy sure means windows is still on the old drive and is booting from it OR I have it set so its boots windows from the old drive instead of the new.

ronintexas · Aug 29, 2014

try removing the cable from the old drive....and then boot.

Marshall Hurtado · Aug 29, 2014

ronintexas :

tried, straight to bios. I still cant tell if windows is on the new drive or not. its on the old one but I don't know about the new.

ronintexas · Aug 30, 2014

If the old drive has the power and sata cable removed, it "does not exist" to the computer. If it boots, then the new drive has windows on it.

Marshall Hurtado · Aug 30, 2014

ronintexas :

tried to no avail. it seems my only options are to either use a different cloning tool, or somehow re-download windows on my usb, use my product key from windows on the dying drive with the new install, and then somehow transfer or reinstall all my programs.

ronintexas · Aug 30, 2014

with all those sector read errors, you probably are not going to get a good cloning of the drive.

Marshall Hurtado · Aug 30, 2014

ronintexas :

i have to agree as well. I'm going to try acronis, i heard good things about it. if that doesnt work i have no choice but to reinstall windows, which can be nice now that I think about it. do you happen to know offhand if I can install a windows 8.1 installer onto my flash drive, and use my product key from windows on the DYING drive onto the new one?

ronintexas · Aug 30, 2014

the windows install should work. depending upon your product keys, you may have to install 8, then 8.1....

acronis is a good product, however, no software will work properly if you can't read from the source.

Marshall Hurtado · Aug 30, 2014

ronintexas :

very true. just wanted to try another cloning software just in case. installing 8 and then 8.1 wont be an issue, its just that i have no idea if I would have to like uninstall or un-register windows from the old drive, download the installer (somehow) on my usb so I can boot from the usb through the bios.

ronintexas · Aug 30, 2014

There shouldn't be an issue - worst case scenario is that Microsoft requires you to call the 800 number to register it.

Marshall Hurtado · Aug 30, 2014

ronintexas :

currently downloading windows 8 to my thumb drive. I keep remembering how theres just about no way to transfer all my programs to the new installation. regardless ill have to reinstall them.

ronintexas · Aug 30, 2014

You will have to reinstall them. In the long run, you will be better off this way - as you will be sure that all programs are installed properly - and you won't get the endless BSOD or other problems that can pop up.

Repairing disk errors. This might take over an hour to complete.

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