New SSD - Re-installation of windows.

[morsey75]

Recently over the past few months my computer has been running extremely slow and eventually (this last 2 weeks) has intermittently started and when it eventually boots up, freezes and gives up.  I have put the computer back to factory settings and still the same.

After reading on a forum that i could perform a test in the BIOS for the HDD this gave me the following - 

DPS Self Test - Test Failed.  Drive replacement recommended.

I have recently purchased a 250gb SSD and I want to now reinstall windows on this and use this for my OS only problem is I have previusly created recovery media and I have no idea where this is now as it was created on 2016-07-02.  HP recovery manager says that you can only create one.

I am stuck now as to what to do and any help would be very much appreciated.

[mdklassen]

Is the current disk-drive a SEAGATE or a WESTERN DIGITAL product?

If so, there is free "disk-cloning" software from each manufacturer's web-site, to make an exact, block-for-block, copy of that disk-drive onto a new disk-drive.

The software is "free", but the SEAGATE version requires that a SEAGATE disk is connected.

The WESTERN DIGITAL version requires that a WESTERN DIGITAL disk is connected.

Note that the free software does *NOT* require that the manufacturer's disk-drive be either the "source" or "target" disk-drive; it just requires that this disk-drive be present.

Or, did the SSD that you just purchased come with its own "disk-cloning" software?

Either way, run the "disk-cloning" software to make a copy of your current disk-drive.

Boot from the SSD, and your programs and personal files will be available.

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[morsey75]

The current HDD s in fact a Western Digital drive.  My purchased SSD did not come with any software as i thought I was just abe to create media recovery (not knowing I had already) and reboot that way.

Can you copy an OS over to the new SSD using the cloning program that you mentioned ?

I also take it I will need to disconnect the CD drive and use that as a secondary connection for the SSD as the motherboard only has 2 sata connections. 

[morsey75]

Is it Acronis True Image WD edition?

[mdklassen]

>> Can you copy an OS over to the new SSD using the cloning program that you mentioned ?

I cannot reach your computer from my keyboard, but YOU can -- "disk-cloning" creates an EXACT copy.

>> I also take it I will need to disconnect the CD drive and use that as a secondary connection for the SSD as the motherboard only has 2 sata connections. 

Exactly correct.

> Is it Acronis True Image WD edition?

Yes.  Installing this software gives you the option of creating a "bootable" USB memory-stick that contains the disk-cloning software.  The process will delete ALL existing files from the USB memory-stick.

So, boot from USB, rather than from the now-offline CD/DVD device.

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[morsey75]

Thank you so much for your wise words.

I will give it a go. 

[REO51ST]

@morsey75  and   @mdklassen

If you clone a failing HDD you will make an exact copy of your HDD.

It will not repair any of your bad sectors.

If the cloning does complete the new HDD will do the same thing that the failing HDD is doing.

Try to save your files and do a clean install on the new HDD.

REO

[morsey75]

My HP system only has 2 sata connections on the motherboard and no actual PSU other than what is provided by the motherboard. 

When i took the PC apart and disconnected the DVD drive the connections are different anyway.

I tried t use the clone program on Acronis as I have a 128gb USB stick and I was going to then try cloning the USB drive t the new SSD.  It was having none of it and actually said that it had an error and for me t run CHKDSK and try and fix the drive first.

I have run tests on the disk but it is not showing any errors.  As for dong a clean install, windows was pre installed and  do not have any diks or anything to re install.

[mdklassen]

> If you clone a failing HDD you will make an exact copy of your HDD.

Not 100% -- any blocks that are not readable cannot be copied.

Note that if you have a few "bad" blocks, then 99.999% of the source disk-drive are "good" blocks.

Have a little "hope" that the files that are connected to those "bad" blocks are files that you don't need, e.g., Finnish keyboard layout, or that those "bad" blocks are part of the Windows "swap" file, or that the "bad" blocks are unallocated disk-blocks.

> It will not repair any of your bad sectors.

Correct.  Given that the disk-drive is in "imminent failure" status, you don't even want to try any "repair".

Note that the disk-cloning software will try to read the bad blocks, and that you can click "retry" when it does hit one of those bad blocks.

> If the cloning does complete the new HDD will do the same thing that the failing HDD is doing.

Yes, the clone will contain Windows, and your installed programs, and your personal files.

No, the clone will NOT have any "physical" problems, unlike the "source" disk-drive.

So, it will run at its full rated speed, because the cloned disk will not have any "bad" blocks.

(Yes, it will have a few "empty" blocks - all "zero" values.)

The final result is that the clone should work fine -- 99.999% of the time, meaning that you don't need to reinstall Windows, reinstall your programs, and reload your personal files from your backup.

Finally, if you do have problems, we can provide a hyperlink to a source for the factory-installed software.

Or, if you are running Windows 10, you have a "digital entitlement" to reinstall Windows 10, at any time, at no cost to you, onto the same hardware. (Note that changing from a "spinning" disk-drive to a SSD does not make the computer "un-same".)  Ask us for details, if you need them.

[mdklassen]

> As for dong [sic] a clean install, windows was pre installed and do not have

> any diks [sic] or anything to re install.

See: https://www.restoredisks.com/search/?q=slimline+411

to purchase a copy of the original factory-installed operating system.

Or, see: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

to download the "generic" Windows 10 (1709) software, for free.

If you use this software, you may need to access http://support.hp.com

to download HP-specific device-drivers for Windows 10.

Or, if you have booted from the "clone", Windows 10 has a "Reset My PC" option, to do a "fresh" install of Windows, while preserving your personal files.