Should I clone a hard drive diagnosed by HP as reading failure....have replacement ready if yes

[hillbilly44]

HP Hardware Diagnostics shows "Disk Read Verify" failure.  I have a new replacement disk and proper cables and software ready to clone.  But, I do not wish to end up with corrupted information on new disc.... Should I clone it or just do ISO reinstall and reinstall programs, data, etc....

[Nal_NR]

Hi @hillbilly44,

Welcome to the HP Support Community. 

I'd be happy to help you! 

Given that the HP Hardware Diagnostics shows a "Disk Read Verify" failure on your HP Notebook - 15-bs015dx, there's a risk that the data on your current disk could be corrupted. Cloning a disk with errors might transfer those issues to the new disk, potentially causing problems with the new drive.

Considerations:

Cloning: If you clone the existing disk, any corrupted data or errors could be copied over to the new drive. Cloning is faster and ensures that your system, including all installed programs, settings, and files, remains intact. However, this is risky given the disk failure.

Clean Install (ISO Reinstall): This method is safer, as it ensures that the new disk will have a fresh, clean installation of Windows. You will need to reinstall your programs, transfer your data, and set up your system again, but you avoid the risk of transferring corrupted data.

Recommendation:

Given the disk failure, it's generally safer to perform a clean install (ISO Reinstall) on the new disk to avoid carrying over any corrupted data or disk errors. Here’s what you should do:

Back Up Important Data:

• Before doing anything, back up all your important files and data from the failing disk to an external drive or cloud storage. This ensures you don’t lose any critical data during the process.

Create a Windows Installation Media:

• Download the Windows 10/11 ISO from the Microsoft website and create a bootable USB drive.

Install the New Disk:

• Replace the old disk with the new one in your notebook.

Perform a Clean Installation:

• Boot from the USB installation media and install Windows on the new disk.
• During installation, make sure to select the new disk as the installation destination.

Reinstall Programs and Restore Data:

• After Windows is installed, reinstall your programs.
• Transfer your data back from your backup.

This approach takes more time but ensures that you start with a clean, error-free system on your new disk.

If you need further assistance, I recommend you contact phone support.

Hope this helps! Keep me posted for further assistance

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