Apologies for this question being asked again. I could not find it.

Raw Copy Tool says it cannot lock a drive and close any open programs.

How do I check for this since I do not see any open programs even in the tray?

windows has many "programs" open in the background. maybe try instantly after a reboot. Or use a cloning tool that boots from a USB, so there is no open programs at all

or try in safe mode

... or try LockHunter, to show you what's locking the drive and to unlock it easily (unless it's a Windows process that can't be ended without grief, in which case just restart Windows and try again).

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Sabo Computer Repairs & Data Recovery

One thing that the Raw Copy program told me on the detail screen was that there
is a password on there-- which would have had to be from a previous user.

The drive is not new nor bought new. It took a format and the OS ok.

I've read about password headaches on HDD Guru previous usually with the word help and an exclamation point.

Safe mode sounds like a good method to get around the problem.

I have not used a rescue program. The HD in question normally takes my backup from a program called Norton Ghost which I have used for a long time.

Ghost however does not recognize the HD when attached to a PCI SATA card. Raw Copy sees the drive but gives the error stated. I have exchanged one problem for another.

In truth I did not not try the start frrm Safe Mode yet. I loaded MHDD's text style screen but after not having used it for a long time it's like looking at something completely new again.

What commands get me going to find what's needed in MHDD?

I will check out the two alternatives you suggest.

Just now I went to Safe mode and once again attempted to load Raw Copy Tool from the CD. Again the lock error occured. Could this not be solved by having a bootable CD/ ISO image and can HDD Guru provide Raw Copy Tool as a bootable ISO for download?

I know of no other method to get rid of this locking error which, as stated, does not occur when using the old Norton Ghost. The only prep that is needed is to run chkdsk /f.

_Trying_ to run backups is a bad idea. I need something that is -- well I know the gang doesn't like this-- foolproof. That is what the old Ghost always has been.

I'm not a coder.

I don't speak Linux though for a period I tried to migrate to it. I think Clonezilla was one that loaded a CD version of Linux and ran but it must have failed because I have the Live CD but don't use it.

What remains is Hirens. I don't know the method that a Hirens ISO uses to get to the Raw Copy program.

Perhaps I should give Acronis another try.

The question remains: If loading Raw Copy from an HD where the program is on CD, why not have a RAW Copy bootable disk? And would that solve a problem that has not existed under Ghost until I began using the PCI board? The reason for this is I'm looking for a solution when my last IDE port motherboard and DVD drive go to their final reward.

The quick answer is an upgrade.

We may be just going on about something that is incompatible in the PCI device.
Still, the drive appears under the Raw Copy program. It just finds the device locked internally as if some programs were running.

I will load Acronis in this configuration I have and see what that reports.

I think I have a printout of MHDD instructions someplace yet.

Today I loaded my old (2013) Live CD of Clonezilla. I will get a newer one from Sourceforege.

The program is running, saw the two drives and is doing the transfer.

In all of these progs, the selectio of "image" vs direct transfer confuses me in using
something like Clonezilla and confounds me in Acronis Pro whose options I didn't understand.

Far as I can tell they are both Linux based and load a live cd-- one with a lot more 'screen handling' than the other.

This is a good discussion.
I will have larger HD's soon across my small homenet.

But if one selects image, then if you have 500Gb of data used, your target device has to have minimum of 1Tb. Yes or no? Or if you wanted to load up your computer,
put on a third HD just to store the image. I'm asking all this as a novice with these subjects.

I've had one successful clone using the older Clonezilla (2013) just now. I have not tested the target disk however.

That program seems to have some options to do repair on the fly or I'm reading it incorrectly?

There's a newer unstable version which I will experiment with using on some older sacrifice HD's.

Also will find what tutorials I can until it becomes familiar.

I have one pen drive 8gb I think-- an old one.

Has making one bootable ever gotten any easier? Or is there one brand more reliable than another? I tried some piece of software to make a bootable thumb drive that gave me fits. And there was one routine I had printed instructions for-- long ago misplaced. But I only give up on those things when problems develop.

I'm using Win7 now. But it's repair routine is nowhere as good as the old XP
repair disk to repair/rewrite and to refresh MBR when needed (which is usually the problem at a no boot.)

The tools in Hirens are old, DOS -based and flaky. Is there
any refresh MBR routine for Win7? I've seen the Fixmbr command and Fixboot command accessed through the Win7 repair disk.