[niagarasystems]

I'm trying to boot HDClone into a virtual machine hosted with VMWare Workstation to clone from a complicated drive configuration into a VMWare disk. I realize that the software claims it has the functionality to do this but it doesn't work properly with dynamic drives.

The system hangs on 'Starting Miray Symobi" and it sits there, I tried both the BIOS boot option and the UEFI boot option.

Also, is version 8 now distributed as a standalone executable for install? Previous versions came as a package with additional components.

Thanks in advance.

[Adrian Decker]

Hello niagarasystems,

About the boot problem you observed I would like to ask you to clarify the following points points:

1.) Did you create you self booting medium with the HDClone Boot setup? At the following address is a short tutorial about how to create an HDClone 6 self booting USB drive (also applies to other versions): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHtrszugEW4

2.) Are you able to boot from your USB drive when you connect it to another USB port type (USB 2/3, or front/back)?
3.) Does it make a difference when you use a different USB drive (USB 2/3, larger/smaller than 4 GB)?
4.) Does the Windows tool CheckDisk (chkdsk) find file system problems, when you check this USB drive with it? In order to run CheckDisk it is necessary to open a Windows command line as administrator. For that search for "cmd" in the Windows Start menu, right click on the result and run it as administrator. With the command "chkdsk c:" you would diagnose your C: drive. Therefore it is necessary to replace the letter 'c' with the drive letter of the self booting USB drive.

5.) Are you able to start HDClone there with the start mode "Compatible" or "Safe", by opening the extended boot options with <M> (More Options), while Symobi/HDClone is initializing (5 second count down). Please note, that you're still able to use all functions of HDClone in Safe mode.
6.) Or in Linux mode, by pressing the <L> key, while Symobi/HDClone is initializing (5 second count down)? For the Linux mode it also is necessary that the self booting medium was created with the respective option (requires an installation of the HDClone 7 Professional Edition or newer).

7.) Are you able to start HDClone in the normal boot mode from a self booting CD/DVD instead?
8.) Or from a respective virtual image of your USB drive, included as IDE drive in your virtual machine?

Sincerely,
Adrian Decker

[niagarasystems]

My post was concerning HDClone 8 with ISO mode for a disc and I was able to get it to start with your suggestion using Safe in the extended boot options. Thank you!

But now it is asking me to scan a QR code to activate it on the system I'm using it with. Is this the new behaviour, it must be scanned on every computer we try to clone or is this related to safe mode? I cannot see me continuing with this product if every boot disc requires a mobile phone to scan an activation.

[Adrian Decker]

Hello niagarasystems,

Thank you for your feedback.

In case you have a Professional Edition Portable (Technician License) you can use HDClone on arbitrary systems or virtual machines by connecting the delivered hardware token (USB key):
https://www.miray-software.com/products ... -panel-908

With a Workplace or Volume License of the Professional Edition it is necessary to permanently activate HDClone each system once:
https://www.miray-software.com/products ... -panel-908

In order to use your HDClone self booting medium (USB drive or CD/DVD) on all PC systems, which are currently permanently activated, without the requirement of any further activation, it is necessary to proceed as following:
Permanently activate HDClone on all required PC systems first. Then download HDClone with your license key at https://www.nanoways.com/esd/ one more time and use this newly generated HDClone software package for creating a self booting medium. It will contain the hardware signature of all currently permanently activated PC systems.

Though, for using HDClone on virtual machines it is recommendable to use the Professional Edition Portable. If you are using a Workplace or Volume License and are interested in upgrading, you can use our Update and Upgrade Configurator by entering your license key:
https://www.miray-software.com/shop/updates/index.html

Also, regarding your question about whether HDClone is available as standalone executable for installing it I would like you to note, that you may either download a single "setup.exe" for installing HDClone on Windows, or a ZIP archive which contains besides this "setup.exe" all files, which are installed, for direct usage. Of course you also can download both.

Sincerely,
Adrian Decker