Forum Discussion
Clone a Windows 2016 Server HDD to a bootable SSD for replacement/backup
Does Server 2016 have an easy way to clone the HDD to an SSD, including replicating the drive partitions so that the drive can be simply swapped out of the machine? And a way to save a backup clone in case of that drive's failure? I saw articles about using Sysprep to prepare an image but that doesnt provide for making sure the recovery partition is cloned, nor does it ensure that the machine will be bootable. Can it perhaps take a hardware fingerprint to make sure its being used for one particular machine?
If the solution is a 3rd party cloning tool, what is recommended?
Thanks!
5 Replies
Yes, Microsoft Server 2016 has a built-in tool called "Windows Server Backup" that can be used to clone the HDD to an SSD, including replicating the drive partitions. Here are the general steps to use this tool:
- Connect the SSD to the machine and make sure it is recognized by the operating system.
- Launch "Windows Server Backup" from the Administrative Tools menu.
- Select "Local Backup" and then "Backup Once" to create a one-time backup job.
- Choose the "Custom" option and then select the "Bare Metal Recovery" option to include all partitions in the backup.
- Specify the destination for the backup, which could be a network location or an external hard drive.
- Review the settings and start the backup job.
Once the backup is complete, you can swap out the HDD with the SSD and boot up the machine. If the machine does not boot up successfully, you may need to adjust the boot order in the BIOS settings.
As for saving a backup clone in case of the drive's failure, you can use the same "Windows Server Backup" tool to create periodic backups and store them in a safe location. You can also use a hardware fingerprint to ensure that the backup image can only be restored on the same machine. This can be done using tools like Windows Deployment Services or System Center Configuration Manager.
If you prefer a third-party cloning tool, there are many options available such as Acronis True Image, EaseUS Todo Backup, and Macrium Reflect. These tools offer more advanced features and can be more user-friendly than the built-in Windows tool.
Hope this helps!
Mark_Albin I followed your instructions and the 'bare metal backup' created a folder on the destination drive called WindowsImageBackup with a subfolder for the server and more sub-folders with vhdx drive images. It doesn't actually create a clone of the boot drive. I really want to move off my 10k SAS drives to a SSD of the same size. Is there a way of actually cloning the disk rather than creating backup files?
- Connect the SSD to the machine and make sure it is recognized by the operating system.
The recommended method would be a bare metal backup.
Windows Server Backup Feature Overview | Microsoft Learn
Dave Patrick Do you know if it would include the recovery & related partitions? Do you have to reenter licensing information if you restore this way? From what I was reading it seemed like you need to use sysprep to strip away licensing and other info before making the backup, then put re-enter everything when you restore to a new drive?
Do you know if it would include the recovery & related partitions?It depends on what you selected to include in the backup. Should be no need to sysprep. As far as activation it might trigger, but you can simply do
slmgr /ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx slmgr /ato
