New
#1
Applying a backup without an OS running
Hey all,
I have managed to run into a problem that I needed some help with addressing in order to not lose my data. To give a bit of background, my laptop has 2 internal hard drives, 1 is my main/primary drive which I used for day to day operation and the other was just a backup drive which has a system image of my system.
My main drive failed, and after many horrifying clicking, scratching and high pitch squeals coming from the drive, I can only assume it has failed mechanically and isn't some kind of virus. So now I'm currently left with only my internal backup drive with a system image on it.
I was hoping to use this backup drive as my new primary drive, however I want to keep the files on the backup drive. I checked with my Hirens Boot CD and saw that my backup drive contains everything my other hard drive had, including the operating system contained within the Windows backup folder.
Normally for this I would install windows on another hard drive and then restore my files with the system image. However my laptop doesn't have a system restore disc or a copy of windows, it instead came with partitions on the hard drive which requires erasing my backup and consequently losing all my data.
I finally ask the question, is it possible to use the files currently stored on the backup drive without having to resort to buying a new hard drive to copy the files across and then partitioning my backup drive?