Cloning: brilliant solution when your computer runs out of space
Thread poster: Anne Lee
Anne Lee
Anne Lee  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:28
Member (2003)
Dutch to English
+ ...
Aug 3, 2016

The partitions on my desktop computer started to fill up very badly, which meant it was slowing down and every new piece of software that I wanted to install brought me closer to the extreme 90% limit when Windows Explorer shows the partition in red, because I no longer had the 10% memory required for programs to run well.
Buying a new computer can be extremely costly and time-consuming, when you have to reinstall so many programs. In addition, it would have been inconvenient to copy acro
... See more
The partitions on my desktop computer started to fill up very badly, which meant it was slowing down and every new piece of software that I wanted to install brought me closer to the extreme 90% limit when Windows Explorer shows the partition in red, because I no longer had the 10% memory required for programs to run well.
Buying a new computer can be extremely costly and time-consuming, when you have to reinstall so many programs. In addition, it would have been inconvenient to copy across all my vocabulary files and client folders. Having to use 2 computers alongside each other was not an option in my tiny office where my desktop is set up with two large monitors.

However, my local IT shop has really come to the rescue, at a fraction of the cost of a new computer. It has cloned my 2 drives onto a new super drive. All within one day. It means that I suddenly have almost 2 TB free space, with retention of all my programs and settings. I did not know that this was possible, which is why I want to share it with other translators with the same predicament. It seemed too good to be true when I took my computer in to be cloned, and I really had my heart in my mouth, despite backing up my files in anticipation. But it works - when left to the pros, of course, and I can warmly recommend it.
Previous discussions on proz.com have considered cloning as a method to create a good backup.
I want to point out that cloning can also be a fantastic way to create added space to your computer, when you switch to a far larger disk. According to my IT guy, this has added around 3 years to the life of my quad-core computer.
Disabling quite a few programs in the start menu, combined with this new oasis of space helped to make my computer just as swift and fabulous as when I first collected it three years ago. Just wanted to share this with you.

[Edited at 2016-08-03 20:51 GMT]
Collapse


 
CafeTran Training (X)
CafeTran Training (X)
Netherlands
Local time: 07:28
When you're on a Mac Aug 4, 2016

When you are using a Mac, the new OS will offer you these techniques to free up your disk space:

http://m.imore.com/what-optimized-storage-macos


 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:28
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Free Aug 4, 2016

Anne Lee wrote:

..... my local IT shop has really come to the rescue, at a fraction of the cost of a new computer. It has cloned my 2 drives onto a new super drive. All within one day.


You shouldn't be paying for this. I do it myself every day, in about 30 mins., for nothing, using Carbon Copy Cloner.

"Regular backup is one of the Buddha's Threefold Paths to Enlightenment"


 
John Fossey
John Fossey  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 02:28
Member (2008)
French to English
+ ...
Cloning a new drive, not backing up Aug 4, 2016

I think she is talking about installing a new, larger drive and cloning her old one onto it, not a backup.

A 64-bit computer can run a huge amount of memory - somewhere I read the largest drive a 64-bit computer can manage is a 1 petabyte, which is about 1,000 terabytes. I don't think they make a hard drive that large.

Thanks, Anne, for the suggestion, I will certainly bear it in mind.

I have replaced a hard drive using Macrium Reflect and a device that co
... See more
I think she is talking about installing a new, larger drive and cloning her old one onto it, not a backup.

A 64-bit computer can run a huge amount of memory - somewhere I read the largest drive a 64-bit computer can manage is a 1 petabyte, which is about 1,000 terabytes. I don't think they make a hard drive that large.

Thanks, Anne, for the suggestion, I will certainly bear it in mind.

I have replaced a hard drive using Macrium Reflect and a device that connects an internal hard drive to a USB port of another computer for the cloning operation. The cloned drive can then be popped in to replace the old one. The new drive can be larger than the old one, gaining additional space.

[Edited at 2016-08-04 14:27 GMT]
Collapse


 
Anne Lee
Anne Lee  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:28
Member (2003)
Dutch to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Yes: a new drive rather than a back-up. Aug 4, 2016

Yes, John is right. I had a new, larger drive installed, because my C drive (with programs alone) was almost full and the other drives were also filling up quickly. All I had to pay for was the new drive and a few hours' of work from the IT engineer, which is far cheaper than a new computer. The computer booted up with all programs intact and far more space on all drives.

 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:28
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Yes, that Aug 4, 2016

I'm talking about a complete *bootable* clone of a hard drive to an external drive.

Of course, you can always free up space on a drive by trashing stuff you don't really need.



[Edited at 2016-08-04 14:42 GMT]


 
CafeTran Training (X)
CafeTran Training (X)
Netherlands
Local time: 07:28
Like I said ... Aug 4, 2016

Tom in London wrote:

Of course, you can always free up space on a drive by trashing stuff you don't really need.



[Edited at 2016-08-04 14:42 GMT]


As of macOS Sierra, there will be a mechanism for deleting unused files.


 
RyanLI (X)
RyanLI (X)
United Kingdom
windows not worse Aug 5, 2016

CafeTran Training wrote:

Tom in London wrote:

Of course, you can always free up space on a drive by trashing stuff you don't really need.



[Edited at 2016-08-04 14:42 GMT]


As of macOS Sierra, there will be a mechanism for deleting unused files.


In windows also is the same mechanism


 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:


You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Cloning: brilliant solution when your computer runs out of space






TM-Town
Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business

Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.

More info »
Protemos translation business management system
Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!

The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.

More info »