Which Clonezilla Version To Download

Hello,

I'm looking to make an image backup of a Windows 7 64-bit machine. The plan is to save the image to an external USB hard drive. The computer is an Intel Core i7-950 CPU with 12 Gb of RAM and a solid state drive for the C:\ drive.

When you go to download Clonezilla, it asks you some questions that I don't understand. Which version and CPU architecture should I choose? And, if I want to boot from a CD, should I choose file type of zip or iso?

Thanks.

 

You need the iso file.
Read more over here.
http://clonezilla.org/liveusb.php

 

Of course you know that Clonezilla is Linux based, not Windows based, right?

 

Well, that link looks like the USB drive way of doing this. But I'd like to use a CD.

 

Oh, does that mean it won't work on Windows?

 

You're right. Eldon linked you to the USB. But, in one of your screenshots, I see the drop-down option for selecting the ISO to burn to CD.

No, it doesn't mean it won't work to clone a Windows drive. But, Linux uses different nomenclature for drives, etc. and I don't know how familiar you are with Linux. There are various Windows based backup/cloning utilities such as Macrium Reflect, AOMEI Backupper, EaseUS todo Backup, etc.

 

Yeah, I know nothing about Linux. Honestly, I hate the whole Linux thing cos there's so much of it online but I can never understand any of it. Are those other programs you mentioned freewares?

 

Paragon Backup & Recovery 16 is free until the 1st of November 2016.
https://www.paragon-software.com/home/brh/index.html

 

The one Eldon mentions is good as well but, yes the ones I mention have freeware versions available here at Major Geek's. Just go to MG's Home Page and enter the software title in the Search Box in the upper right.

My personal favorite is AOMEI Backupper — simpler interface, highest compression level, decent speed (depending on compression level).

 

Understood, thanks for the help. Scrapping the Clonezilla.

 

Also http://redobackup.org/ very easy and free.

 

Well, it looks like none of the free versions willl restore to dissimilar hardware. So if the hard drive or SSD craps out AND something else (like the motherboard) also goes haywire, you won't be able to recover Windows on a newly built PC with new and different hardware.

 

Making an image is copying the drive bit by bit, so you could restore it to the same size or larger drive, but when it boots and Windows starts detecting the changes is where the trouble begins. In most cases if you make an image and try to recover to a larger drive it will recreate the same size partition, then you have to resize it. Nothing will make a full working image that you can copy to different hardware, Windows will deactivate when this happens & possibly other software that uses a hardware "key". Not to mention the blue screens for drivers that are different. If that is what you are preparing for, maybe you need to study Sysprep or how to make a WIM file that you can inject new drivers into if this happens.
Or better yet, load a VM and install all your stuff there. That way you can boot off any hardware & copy your VM over and the hardware will be the same. To back up the VM just make copies of the vhd file & etc... no imaging.

 

What is a "VM" and a "vhd" file?

 

Virtual machine, its a computer that runs in a "window" per se. VHD is a virtual hard drive - the file the virtual machine uses as storage.
Just an FYI, VMs are not for gaming, their virtual hardware is not that powerful, they have worked on it a little bit, but you are not going to really game on a VM.

 

It sounds like the best I can do is just go ahead and make the image file and to also do a plain raw copy-and-paste of all the files and folders. This may seem like a duplication, but if I need to restore to new hardware, at least I'll have all the original files.

Otherwise, at least I can restore to the same machine if nothing is fried like the motherboard or CPU.

 

I used AOMEI products to resize partitions on my hard drive and clone that hard drive to an SSD. It's in my laptop now and I'm posting with it.

 

I use backups -SyncBackFree- - Aomei BackUpper- and images and real copies. All in case of a real failure. If the backup won't restore or an image goes sour the straight copy has all my content in a directory structure that I'm familiar with since I've been seeing it for so long. Documents, music, photos, downloads, zips and programs that install to or are placed in a local folder are all carried over by the straight copy.

I picked up a 1tb WD Passport for $55. My hard drive for the OS is only 500gb so after a straight copy I still have ~500gb for other use. Maybe a high compression backup.

I plugged in the Passport, opened 'this pc' , 'select all' and 'send to' the Passport.

The copy takes a while but can still use the pc for other while it's being done. It's worth the knowing that if something goes wrong I do still have all I've collected.

All steps to prepare are good and no one knows what your data means to you - except you!

 

Imandi,

Have you tried booting from that "copy all" you create? I've never been able to even with show hidden files and folders and show Protected Operating System. I've had to clone or restore from image.

 

I don't want to boot from it. I just want a good open copy of everything. If I have to reinstall because of a unforeseen problem (using my windows created rescue environment) I can find the content I've saved.

 

So, you only save data files not the OS.

 

I save the complete drive. I'm just not trying or even interested in booting it. It's another backup copy. And in a directory structure I'm used to seeing so I know where everything is. But if I need a driver for a pe environment it might be found there though I haven't tried it.

 

I'm pretty sure, though, that if you try to use that backup copy to restore your main drive, and then expect to be able to boot from that restored backup, it won't work. It will lack the information needed. Your best bet is cloning.

 

You don't get that I have no intention of booting from this. This is to get back my data after I ever lose it. If I have to reinstall, I could lose everything I've saved and built. This is just more insurance.

""OP said -
It sounds like the best I can do is just go ahead and make the image file and to also do a plain raw copy-and-paste of all the files and folders. This may seem like a duplication, but if I need to restore to new hardware, at least I'll have all the original files.""


I'm doing what he says he's deciding to do. I'm agreeing with him and was showing that he's not the only one to think that way.

I have heard and learned that the best backup plan is more than one backup in more than one place and this is just another.

 

Off topic kinda/ sorta-

I just loaded a win 10 pe. It doesn't load up with my -Ethernet Controller- PCI Encryption/Decryption Controller-SM Bus Controller-USB 2.0 CRW or Linksys AE2500 devices working in Control Panel. In each case I selected 'update driver' and pointed it to my D:\Windows folder (on the Passport). Each loaded successfully and and is working now.

The conversation piqued my interest so I had to try it.

So this is basically a 'mirror' done with nothing 'cept Window's own tools.