HD Clone

Discussion in 'Software' started by TimW, Mar 26, 2013.

  1. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Just got a USB enclosured hard drive and want to clone my laptops HD> suggestions on best software to use and any hints or instructions for said use.
     
    TimW, Mar 26, 2013
    #1
  2. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    I'm a huge fan of Acronis.

    I simply boot to the DVD, backup my partition to an image file. Then you can restore it where you need to.
     
    Adrynalyne, Mar 26, 2013
    #2
  3. Earthling

    Earthling Interplanetary Geek

    I believe Acronis is THE cloning/imaging product too, but I wanted to ask what purpose you have in mind for this clone? If it is purely as a backup then as Adrynalyne says, imaging is the way to go, not cloning.
     
    Earthling, Mar 26, 2013
    #3
  4. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    I want to be able to replace the drive if mine fails. Want a bootable drive that I only have to either boot to USB or actually physically replace with the cloned drive if my hard drive dies.
     
    TimW, Mar 26, 2013
    #4
  5. Earthling

    Earthling Interplanetary Geek

    Then I would still go for regular imaging, not cloning. It would only take less than half an hour to restore a recent image to a new drive but an older clone could be a right pita, what with all those MS updates and reinstalling/updating/configuring other software. And there is also any personal data on the drive to consider too. But imaging does require its own drive, in addition to the drive you would use as a replacement.
     
    Earthling, Mar 26, 2013
    #5
  6. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    I am not worried about future updates. Personal info is already backed up to thumb drives. I think cloning would be adequate as long as it is bootable. Doesn't a clone give you an exact image of your drive?
     
    TimW, Mar 26, 2013
    #6
  7. Earthling

    Earthling Interplanetary Geek

    Yep, sure does, and simply in terms of getting the beast running again it is the quickest and simplest. It's only that I wouldn't choose it ;)
     
    Earthling, Mar 26, 2013
    #7
  8. the mekanic

    the mekanic Major Mekanical Geek

    Well, I've had an Apricorn DriveWire tool for a LONG time. As far as I know the original software which works with XP, and the lifetime upgrades I receive for newer operating systems are based on Acronis and I'm quite content with it.

    I have also used Easesus' freeware and have no gripes with it either.

    :major
     
    the mekanic, Mar 26, 2013
    #8
  9. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Both drives are Hitachi's, so I decided to use HD Clone. ;)
     
    TimW, Mar 27, 2013
    #9
  10. theefool

    theefool Geekified

    As long as you are not on a AD domain, you should be fine. If at home, you may have an issue with new hardware.
     
    theefool, Mar 27, 2013
    #10
  11. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Shouldn't be a problem as it is only incase my hard drive fails on this laptop. No new hardware will be added in the meantime. ;)
     
    TimW, Mar 28, 2013
    #11

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