Backup: Image Vs. Clone

Cloned = An exact copy of your system drive on another drive. This is a direct-swap replacement.

Imaged = A data copy of your system drive, sorta like a ZIPed version of your setup. You have to use the imaging program's Restore option to put it on another drive.

Here's a more detailed explanation:

Difference Between Disk Cloning & Disk Imaging
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/difference-between-disk-cloning-disk-imaging-68100.html

 

That depends on the nature of the updates. If you need to add/replace/remove a few data files on the cloned drive, no problem; just copy/paste or delete. But if you need to update Windows itself or add newly installed apps, then you'll have to re-clone.

Imaging doesn't care about any of this; it just makes a fresh snapshot of the entire drive.

 

Whether you decide to clone or to image it's best first to spend a little time moving all your personal stuff to either a second drive or to a separate partition on your main drive. Depending on how much personal data you have this all adds to the time it takes to image or reclone and can be considerable. Worse, if you revert to your image or clone, all your personal stuff will also revert, losing any recent stuff or recent versions. This won't happen if your own data isn't included in the clone or image. I favour imaging as you can create very small and quick backups which only contain the changes from the last backup - called incremental images. You are much more likely to stick to your backup routine if it only takes a few minutes. If it typically takes an hour or more you probably won't do it.

Imaging or cloning isn't a suitable way of backing up your personal stuff. I use a simple sync program that just keeps a second copy of your files somewhere else and keeps it up to date

Imaging/cloning makes your system bombproof.

 

Then my vote would be imaging with Macrium Reflect free version. Don't recommend cloning.

 

Macrium Reflect is one good choice for making drive clones:

How to clone your PC hard drive using Macrium Reflect
https://www.windowscentral.com/how-clone-your-pcs-hard-drive-macrium-reflect​

AOMEI Backupper Standard is another good choice:

Clone a Hard Drive or SSD with Free Disk Cloning Software
https://www.ubackup.com/features/disk-clone.html​

With either program, you can simply replace your system drive with the cloned copy, and you're off and running.

 

If the HDD really has died then yes, that is what to do, but HDD failures are rather rare. Much more common are booting or other problems caused by either Windows or your software or by some nasty that has somehow got on board. In that situation I'd rather spend 15 minutes restoring a recent image than finding a screwdriver.

 

Sounds like you're set on cloning. That's your choice to decide. What I suggest is if you make a clone, hook it up and boot from it before you think all is done. I've had some images and clones that didn't boot at first. Most of these softwares have a 'fix boot problems' button for that situation. Sometimes I've had to use 2 softwares to get it completed. The programs are free on MGs. Get a 3-pak of thumb drives (cheap). Make the boot drive from each, Macrium, Amoei, Paragon.

You can clone or image from any of these so good to have which ever way you decide. Boot with the recover usbs to find what each can do and to get familiar.

 

Just follow @Mister Krinkle's link to Macruim. It's a MG link, so no problem. Install the prog. Run it to see what it looks like and ask any questions. 1st step! Easy!

 

And are you sure your 2nd drive is good?

 

... and the target drive is at least as big as the source drive?

It isn't is it - see your pic

 

Image with high compression might fit.

I saw some large ssd's at Office Depot with a good price. Could just transfer the system over and save the drive you have now. I recently transferred a small Win 7 over to a 240g ssd and saved my drive. The 240g was 37$. Double the size I think was 67$.

 

If you really need and want to retain all those separate partitions then imo your best solution would be cloning the entire drive to a new 500Gb or 1Tb drive in an external enclosure - a caddy - and subsequently imaging your important partitions occasionally.

 

Until you attach another large enough drive the system has nowhere to copy or image to.

EDIT

Not true as there is a 220GB unused partition on the second drive, but the second drive is an old style MBR disk and the lappie's drive is a new style GPT disk. They aren't compatible as things stand. Still recommend a new drive.

 

I always use Partition Wizard -the free version
What I like about it is that it will clone a hard drive,BUT, it will also clone to a different size hard drive. It does not need any other software.
It does this by shrinking all partitions to suit/same ratio. I have a hard drive docking unit that came with its own software- never used the software, as it had to be identical hard drives to work.
I have cloned a 2 tb hard drive on a 1.5 tb hard drive-- A 160 gb on to a120 gb hard drive.
As suggested,it is worth trying them out before putting into storage (swap, in and out)
By doing this with Partition Wizard, the recovery drive is also retained.
You can just clone the Cartition to another hard drive.
As Earthling says, gpt, and mbr will not read each other -

This is why I clone mine with Partition Wizard-- just my choice .
It is possible to convert mbr to gpt, if there are no partitions on it

 

https://www.partitionwizard.com/clone-disk/clone-mbr-to-gpt.html- Unfortunately, you have to pay for the version of Partition Wizard

 

Possibly the last (mechanical) hard drive you'll ever have to buy.

https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=wd+gold

Sorry I was late to the party...

 

You said it in one - Your understanding with malware leaves me in awe - Some things we all try to be good at, and might get close,but, there is always that obvious one that eludes me, (as a tinkerer), and probably other real experts at majorgeeks . I have learnt so much from majorgeeks ,over the years,and continue to do so - Hats off to you , mate.

 

I have learned a lot from helping, or trying to help, others.