Cloning software

Topic

New Reply

Has anyone used EaseUS free todo backup or the free Disk copy for home use? I want to clone my HDDs so that if something happens, I can just replace the OS drive with a cloned drive (HDD will go into a USB 3.0 enclosure to be cloned) and it boots up.
I used Casper, from Future Systems Solutions ( FSSdev.com) for years on my XP machines and it worked great (saved me a couple of times), but I went with Casper ver. 8 on all my win 7 Pro computers and my girlfriend got some malware so I thought I would just replace the HDD with the cloned HDD and it will not boot. According to casper support, casper 8 changed the boot drivers and they tried to fix it by me sending them the system file and they rebuilt it but that didn’t work.
So basically I am looking for a good cloning software now that I don’t trust casper anymore.

Any help/info would be appreciated. Thanks

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

Reply | Quote

Replies

Lumpy,

EaseUS ToDo Free will do what you want; however, I would uninstall any Nuance software (such as Dragon Naturally Speaking, etc.), Adobe Photoshop and perhaps Microsoft Office before cloning, lest you get a “too many installations” block upon switching to the clone (which will probably alter your hardware “footprint.”

Zig

Reply | Quote

Thanks Zig, for the “Heads-up”. I have photoshop and MS Office so I guess I better just forget about EaseUS.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

Reply | Quote

Lumpy,

My warnings about uninstalling programs before cloning apply to ALL cloning programs; the limitation is in the other software manufacturer’s policies.

Zig

Reply | Quote

Lumpy,

My warnings about uninstalling programs before cloning apply to ALL cloning programs; the limitation is in the other software manufacturer’s policies.

Zig

I’ve never run into this problem after restoring a clone or an image backup unless installing on different hardware than the original clone was taken on.

Jerry

Reply | Quote

Almost all the free backup products will clone disks, but I think you’d be better off buying one that does exactly what you want – after testing the free version. It’s very cheap insurance.
http://windowssecrets.com/forums/showthread//148152-What-s-the-best-free-backup-program

cheers, Paul

Reply | Quote

Thanks Paul T, Looks like I’m going to have to do a ton of research to find a good cloning program. I was hoping that someone would know of one that I could use so that I could get by without having to have a boot disk.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

Reply | Quote

A boot disk is always recommended for cloning. As always, Windows want to stamp all over your new disk so backup / clone programs must get around this and a boot disk is the best way.

cheers, Paul

Reply | Quote

Jerry,

Just my boot-and -suspenders approach – ESPECIALLY with Nuance products.

Zig

Reply | Quote

Nuance products are definitely an issue.

cheers, Paul

Reply | Quote

Well, I don’t have any NUANCE products. I like the idea of cloning so that I can just replace the drive and have had excellent luck with Casper in the past but as with all things I guess, stuff changes and not always for the better. I’m having a tough time trying to find a good, trustworthy cloning program. They all say that they are the best, LOL.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

Reply | Quote

If you perform a sector for sector clone which means only to another drive that is the same size or bigger so it’ll fit, they’re all pretty reliable; which is to say I have yet to have a failure or inoperable software on the clone due to it’s having been cloned. As mentioned earlier, it’s “smart” cloning to a smaller drive or for use on dissimilar hardware that can be problematic.

Reply | Quote

The source HDD (C) is identical (size, manufacturer, etc.) to the cloning HDD. The only difference is that the cloning HDD is in a USB 3.0 enclosure. So if I understand you right, the EaseUS free todo backup or the free Disk copy for home use should both work ok.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

Reply | Quote

I’ve used EaseUS ToDo for about 2 years or so now exclusively for more advanced dissimilar hardware restores, along with the occasional intelligent and sector by sector clone without any notable issues.

If you’re cloning a GPT type drive instead of a MBR drive, the free version may indicate it won’t work with that type of drive; depends on the limitations built into the free version of the program.

Reply | Quote

I assume that mine is MBR (Master Boot Record?), what is “GPT”?

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

Reply | Quote

GUID Partition Table; allows for a great many more partitions per disk and native addressing above 2.2 terabytes, but, more importantly now,it is the standard disk type for all OEM systems carrying Windows 8, no matter what the size. I prefer the simpler MBR myself and let my NAS devices handle all the three and four TB GPT disks.

Reply | Quote

Ahhh, thanks for the explanation. I guess mine would be MBR then, 1 TB and just sys reserved and C on it. So EaseUS should work ok then.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

Reply | Quote

If one or both drives are either Maxtor or Seagate, you can get the free Seagate DiscWizard software:
http://www.seagate.com/support/internal-hard-drives/desktop-hard-drives/desktop-hdd/discwizard-master-dl/

That’s what I use. I have found it to be a solid, good product for cloning a disk.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

Reply | Quote

Thanks, yes both HDD’s are Seagate. I’ll check out your link.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

Reply | Quote

If one or both drives are either Maxtor or Seagate, you can get the free Seagate DiscWizard software:
http://www.seagate.com/support/internal-hard-drives/desktop-hard-drives/desktop-hdd/discwizard-master-dl/

That’s what I use. I have found it to be a solid, good product for cloning a disk.

It’s good, because it’s actually “Acronis True Image”….. or at least it was, the last time I used it.

Cheers!

Reply | Quote

One tool not many mention is the Backup and Restore tool found in the Control Panel of Windows 7 … It will create a system image for you … but it’s not a bit-for-bit copy … so needs the Rescue CD to allow booting , to restore it ….

Reply | Quote

Thanks, I prefer cloning a disk that boots up as a complete copy of when it was cloned.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

Reply | Quote

Best programme for cloning is undoubtedly Acronis True Image…. also allows you to clone directly to different sized HDD’s and to make images to restore from. I have used it in various versions since around 2006. Brilliant!
It may cost a little, but it works the best!

Reply | Quote

Thanks, I have heard of Acronis for many years but doesn’t it require a boot disk to work?

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

Reply | Quote

Acronis installs as a Windows programme. It can create an image whilst you continue working, but to clone a HDD to another, it requires a re-boot…. it re-boots itself, and the clone simply continues until complete, then the machine restarts (or shuts down as you prefer) leaving a perfect replica of your HDD on the second one.
You can create an image on any location you can access with windows (obviously cloud would be a problem because of the size of the data – but there is actually an option fo that, too!) HDD Clone can be to internal or USB Drive (or eSata or others which I have not tried).
Once you have created an image, it is quick to update as a backup, too…..

I Highly recommend!

Reply | Quote

http://www.xxclone.com/
i’ve used this free product for years, trouble free. I can’t recommend it high enough. unlike other programs, this one will let you reinstall individual files.

Reply | Quote

Oh yes – Acronis also allows you to create either a boot disk or flash drive to recover from total disaster…..

Reply | Quote

http://www.xxclone.com/
i’ve used this free product for years, trouble free. I can’t recommend it high enough. unlike other programs, this one will let you reinstall individual files.

Almost all imaging programs will allow you to restore individual files – Acronis, Macrium, and Easus To Do are examples.

Jerry

Reply | Quote

AOMEI is a great clone/backup or whatever. But must make and use a boot disk.
Acronis True image can work without a boot disk, but won’t work at all on some older CPU’s. You can get a free edition that works for 30 days.
I had 15 XP laptops to install win7 on. Converted one to 7 and then cloned from that disk to the rest with AOMEI

Reply | Quote

Well, after going back and forth with Casper support, it turns out that there is a setting in Casper options that has to be disabled to boot the USB drive internally. That means that I have to start from scratch and reclone. Hopefully this fixes the problem since I already paid for Casper. All I can do is try it and see.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

Reply | Quote

Well after 3 weeks of support back and forth with Casper, I finally found out what the fix is, so I will be staying with what I paid for. FYI, when you clone to a USB drive enclosure, Casper changes the driver load order and there is a setting that has to be unchecked to facilitate booting the drive internally on the computer. That setting is not mentioned ANYWHERE in their guide or literature.
Thanks to all who offered their help and opinions.:o

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

Reply | Quote