There are basically three good reasons to clone the computer's disk to another : create a backup, replace the current disk with a new one and the third reason is to recover the functioning of the computer if it no longer starts. Creating a backup using disk cloning is definitely an optimal way to prepare for disasters and find yourself immediately ready in case the disk used breaks, but for many it can be an excessive precaution because simply saving the most important folders can be enough.
Replacing the disk is perhaps the main reason for cloning the disk, so you don't have to reinstall the operating system and all programs.
Repairing your PC with disk cloning is a used measure, although in most cases there are easier and faster ways of solving problems, even when the computer won't boot.
In any case, whatever the purpose, we see here how to copy the PC disk to another using one of these free programs, which are the best of the kind.
To create a complete copy of the disk and then clone it, the only thing you need is another hard disk, which can be internal or external (or an internal one connected via adapter to the external USB socket)
Always remember that cloning can only be done on disks or partitions larger than the current one.
1) The first program that immediately comes to mind to clone the disk is the internal backup tool of Windows 7, which is also found in Windows 10.
To find this tool you can go to the Windows Control Panel and look for the file backup or restore function.
We have written a guide on how to use this tool to create an image of the system, which works well, works automatically and clones data in a programmed and incremental way .
Incremental means that, after the first time the whole copy of the disk is made, the other times only new and modified files are saved and (differential backup) those that have been deleted are deleted.
Although this tool may work well, there are more reliable and easier to use external programs.
2) Easus ToDo Backup is a program that can be downloaded for free to use to create an incremental copy of the system so that, in case of serious problems, the system can be restored to a new disk, without doing manual formatting, reinstallation and recovery. .
Todo supports sector-by-sector copying, compression and encryption.
The created image file can also be mounted and explored from within the application.
Easus Todo Backup provides a convenient tool to recover the use of the computer in case Windows no longer starts, thanks to the creation of a bootable WinPE CD, a reduced version of Windows to be used only to restore the system.
Following the easy step-by-step guide, Todo is able to restore disk images without any need to start Windows (which maybe no longer works).
Furthermore, if you want to replace the PC disk with a better one, an SSD or one with more space, you can use the ToDo Backup clone tool to migrate the system.
3) Macrium Reflect is another high-level program, considered one of the best ever to make full backups of the hard disk and clone the system.
You can also make scheduled incremental or differential backups: for example, you can set up the backup every week on Sunday, at night and tell the program to automatically shut down the computer when it ends.
This way you won't have to waste time following the copying procedure.
With Macrium you can easily create a backup image or simply copy the entire contents of the drive, partitions and everything, to a new location.
Macrium also helps create recovery media, a CD, a DVD or a USB drive, which you can use to start the application in the rare cases where the computer's Windows operating system does not start.
4) Aomei Backupper, to which I have dedicated a specific guide, is the third alternative and great value program that you can use to create a backup of your computer and make a quick recovery in case of need.
AOMEI programs are appreciated for being the simplest to use and for always being free for personal use, without limitations.
Although these three programs are practically equivalent, I personally used the Aomei program when I needed to clone Windows and move it to the SSD disk .
5) DriveImage XML is an ancient program, still good today for creating the disk image by cloning it identically.
This program, however, is only useful for making a recovery on the same hard disk used and not on another external one therefore it is only useful in case there was a problem on Windows.
This is because, if the disk was broken or if Windows did not start at all, DriveImageXML does not offer the possibility of creating a recovery disk that should be created by hand.
You should then have a Windows Live CD with WinPE ready to start your computer and run the DriveImage recovery program.
6) Clonezilla, finally, is the most technical cloning tool, which can be used to save the situation in case the PC no longer starts and no backups had previously been made.
CLoneZilla has been neglectful and you want to make a back - up backup to recover data after the computer no longer works, if the hard disk is damaged or if Windows has to be reinstalled,
Clonezilla is different from other programs, in fact it is a live cd, that is, a program that must be used by having the computer boot from CD-Rom or USB stick.
After downloading the ISO image, you must then burn it on a CD to be kept (or burn the ISO on a USB stick using Rufus)
It works as an emergency system to recover data from any computer, loading a special version of Linux from memory.
Two other programs to clone the PC disk that we have already described in other articles are:
- PartedMagic to clone the disk and make an exact copy
- Redo Backup for file recovery if the computer no longer starts.
In these cases, if you are good and very lucky, the problem could also be solved with the tools to restart a PC that does not start .
If all this were complicated to do, it is possible to copy a hard disk to another disk in a super simple way, as was done to copy the cassettes, using a disk copy device, like these for sale on Amazon for 30 Euros, which seem toasters, where you just have to insert the discs into the slots and press a button to make the copy.
