Category: Geeks r Us
Hi, all.
Was wondering if there is an accessible drive cloneing software to clone a Windows installation onto a second drive?
Thanks.
up! I want to know too.
Hi,
I think I have solved my delimma. I had no idea that some solid state drives have cloning software that comes with them. I purchased a Samsung 250.00 GB for $159.00; it was more expensive, but I had a gift card left over from selling old college textbooks. Apparently it comes with all the software that is needed. Also purchased a Sata to USB enclosure to transfer data. Bought Windows 8.1 with a student discount for $62.00 instead of $199.00, or whatever it costs. My plan is simple and hopefully straight forward. Put the drive into the enclosure, clone the drive, if not accessible, ask for sighted help, migrate data from old drive to new SSD (everything should fit from my laptop.) Then, put the drive into my computer, boot up the computer into Windows 7, install Windows 8.1, and hopefully, all the drivers will be preserved. Does anyone know if the sound drivers are automatically grabbed from the web along with the video ones? Hopefully, this is a straight forward installation. Got good ratings on drive from amazon.
Thanks.
All drivers are installed and updated.
I'm going to check something else before I post it.
No need to worry about drivers though. Windows will find them for you. If it can't it will tell you how.
You are running Windows 7, so you won't have drivers that can't be found, so that situation doesn't apply.
Good to know.
Windows 7 has easy transfer as well. I don't know how accessible it is, but it is in the OS, so won't hurt to try it.
Update:
Well, I got the drive safely in my computer; however, the cloning software, which I was hoping would be accessible wasn't. I had to have sighted help with this portion and the removal of the screws and ensuring the drive was inserted in the computer correctly. When I powered the computer back on, I was amazed first that all my data was preserved, and second how much faster it is! All that's left to do is install Windows 8. Does anyone know if Jaws will be preserved, at least the demo part? Thanks.
i'd uninstall jaws and the auth for it.
put it on when you get Windows 8 installed.
Okay guys...
Got Windows 8 installed and it is nice! Less cluttered. My questionhow do I get to the All Programs folder?
Did you update to Windows 8.1 yet?
If not, do so.
It is not an all program folder. That has left you. Smile.
on that start screen press control tab and you'll hear apps, arrow down.
Good stuff dude. I'm glad you got it going.
Oh, okay. Yes, I have Windows 8.1 (although, for some reason, I had to buy it twice). Not sure why. I bought the student discount one from my school, but when I tried to load it, it kept giving me an error. When I tried opening it on my Mac, it was fine. Guess I can just save this installation for another computer, because that key should be good.
Also discovered that none of the programs are preserved during the upgrade process; you can choose to keep personal files and stuff, and it will create a windows.ol folder. It was like 131 GB on my hard disk. It was useless though, as I couldn't use any of my programs; subsequently, I deleted everything I could (it won't let me delete some things, help please!.) Then, are there any tutorials with using Jaws with Windows 8?
Thanks.
Okay, regarding the Windows.old folder, I figured out how to delete all of that. It was under Disc Cleanup.
Yes.
Now on the buying of two copies, call Microsoft and get a refund.
You should have called when you were having problems with the key, you are instructed to do this, but if you did not and you have one installed, and don't need the other, you can get the money returned.
No, programs don't follow. The reason for this, is programs may be purchased and need keys. If you own them, reinstalling them shouldn't be a problem right? Smile.
Oh, and I forgot. On programs, you'd want the correct instillation for Windows 8.1, because that sometimes is different from Windows 7. Reinstalling them is the cleanest approach.
so, still no accessible cloning software?
Yes, I have the keys. The software that I used wasn't accessible at all. I didn't purchase both copies from Microsoft. I got one from my school, and for some reason, it says "No refunds."
Talk to the book store. If a product doesn't work, a product doesn't work.
Even if you receive store credit, you have a bum product, so need something that works.
Sure, it works on your Mac, but you don't need it on that.
I'd take it up. $40 is $40. Lol
Hi,
Here are some ways of cloning a drive if you're totally blind:
1. Remove source drive from system, connect to another working computer using a USB adaptor or directly to the motherboard then do the same for the destination drive. You are then able to use something like Drive Image XML (freeware) to clone the drive. This is the method I use.
Pros: perfectly accessible and will take the least amount of time to complete assuming you have connected both drives to your motherboard.
Cons: you will need to part dismantle the system with the source drive installed in it in order to remove it.
2. On the computer that contains the source drive, boot into Vinux or any Linux distribution that has speech then connect the destination drive to the computer either through USB or directly to the motherboard. Then, use DD to clone the source to the destinations. If you are unsure as to how DD works there are many tutorials available - have a Google.
Pros: know hardware knolige required and this approach is fully legal (see below).
Cons: BIOS may not be set to boot from cd in which case sighted help will most likely be required. Also assumes the user is comfortable working in the Linux terminal.
3. Connect the drives as per the second approach but use Bryan Smarts talking Windows PE disk available at bryansmart.com. Because you'll be booting into Windows, you can use Drive Image XML as per the first approach.
Pros: uses Windows and NVDA so the learning curve should be minimal.
Cons: BIOS may not be set to boot from cd in which case sighted help will most likely be required. His project has legal issues so probably not the best approach if you're reading this & are thinking of using this approach in the workplace.
Hope this is of help.
Cheers.
@ b3n, thank-you, I learn a lot from your post. and I think the first method is the most doable. because accessing bios can be hard specially when the sighted assistance have no clue on what to read in there.
still, I wish that we can access bios with out assistance. maybe they could invent a hardware base screen-reader in the future.
Thanks, this information was helpful. I did get the drive cloned with some sighted help.
I figure you might be able to invent some sort of Braille-based interface for accessing the Bios.
that could work, but a brail display cost an arm and a leg.
The problem you'll have is that there just isn't the driver support for anything like a braille display at such a low level. There is a device called a pc wezal that partially solves the problem, but it requires a PCI card be installed and in the coming years it will become obsolete.
I was hoping that UEFI would solve some BIOS related accessibility problems, but it's made them worse instead. Such is life I guess.