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New to disk imaging/cloning - need advices?
Windows 10 64-bit.
I've done some research myself and seem like people prefer disk imaging. So I want to ask if anyone can guide me into the right step of exploring backing up data - and not just copy and paste like I have been doing since middle school. Few topics I want to discuss:
- Is it true disk imaging require you to save the disk image of a source drive X into another drive Y, then restore it to a drive Z to have the exact same state of my system? Does drive Z has to be a fresh drive? Does it has to conform to any other requirement in order for the image to successfully copy to it (like hardware specifications)?
- Any good free options for software to handle disk imaging or cloning? I would like to keep my available options to the cheapest (free) if I could. On the same topic, is Macrium Reflect Free good enough for the job?
- How long would the process usually take? How large will the image file be? Same size as whatever GBs my source hard drive is holding?
- Any risk to the process? Any complications? I would imagine restoring the image can be quite troublesome. Even installing Windows 10 gave me some hiccups back when it was out.
- I am a complete novice in building PC and touching any hardware parts inside a PC. Is it easy and risk-free to replace a hardrive in a PC bought from a store? I want to self-learn this so any good guide/video will be appreciated.
Thank you for any inputs.
3 Answers
- DaveLv 71 year agoFavorite Answer
Imaging/cloning are the same thing. I use Clonezilla, it's a free utility. Boot off CD, clone your drive to an external hard drive that is as big or bigger then the drive you are cloning (you actually only need the size of the USED drive, but I always got one bigger just for future proofing). If/when you need the clone put back, you simply reverse the process. Time depends on how big the clone/image is and what type of USB connection you are using.
- ?Lv 71 year ago
Download free & use AOMEI backupper or Macrium Reflect. Cloning is normally the choice if you are changing your storage disk for a new one. An image backup takes me around 20 minutes.
- Anonymous1 year ago
First off before you even dream of making a system image make sure your computer is completely clean of viruses and malware and that it's defragmented to make a system image is so easy it's not even funny. You're going to need a CD not a DVD. You're going to need an external hard drive. after you know that your computer is clean of viruses and malware and that it's defragmented open up your control panel find backup and restore and with a hard drive that's large enough. Plug it into the USB port upper left you'll see where it says create a system image click on that let the software run until it finds the hard drive that you have plugged in and then make your system image when it asks you to make a disc make the disc. In the event of a disaster you plug the external hard drive in and you boot to the CD. And you select restore system image that you have created earlier you click on the system image you confirm it and your computer restore everything just like it was in about 20 minutes
