Thinkpads Forum

My backup x41 HD died. I want to clone my w510 HD...so I can restore the system in the event something similar happens to it. I want a backup hd that I can just swap out and keep going if the HD dies in my w510. What software will do the job without a hitch?

I use ACRONIS TRUE IMAGE= havent let me down in last 30+ tp - laptops...

Fyi = I TAKE OUT the factory Hard drive (without even boothing from factory)[/b]
and CLONE it .... to a 'spare drive'...... >> ok might be over kill .. and expensive way to do things...

but its 1000% virus - corrupt free SURE SHOT CLONE !!! and I get to load things like OFFICE etc = as 'complimentry for 90~120 DAYS ALL OVER AGAIN !!!

Hope this helps

Ok, I'm not sure what some of the stuff you wrote means:


No brainer: I use ACRONIS TRUE IMAGE= havent let me down in last 30+ tp - laptops...

OK: Fyi = I TAKE OUT the factory Hard drive


DUH?...boothing from the factory? (without even boothing from factory)

DOES THIS MEAN I CAN CLONE IT VIA A USB3 EXTERNAL HD? and CLONE it .... to a 'spare drive'...... >>


ok might be over kill .. and expensive way to do things...

DO YOU MEAN THIS COMES WITH ACRONIS? and I get to load things like OFFICE etc = as 'complimentry for 90~120 DAYS ALL OVER AGAIN !!!

Now...follow up question: In the past...lenovo machines have been famous for having some sort of invisible sector that resists cloning. Is this still a problem? If so, does ACRONIS defeat it?

I've used CloneZilla many times and it never failed me. Best thing about it is it's free and open source.
For your scenario, you can remove the original hard drive and put it in a USB enclosure, install the replacement HDD into the main drive bay of the W510, boot the computer via a CloneZilla media (can be a USB flash drive or CD), and clone the original HDD to the replacement HDD.
(The suggestion to put the replacement drive in the main drive bay and original drive in an external enclosure, instead of the other way around, come from many forum members.)

Or, equally easily, you can clone the original hard drive to an image file, and later restore this image file to any number of hard drives you wish.

.........PFFFFfffff.........