Cloning OS and BIOS - from a Newbie

[Opey]

I am a relative newbie who has never used imaging/cloning software before and am interested in imaging/cloning WinXP Home SP3 OS 80GB Seagate drive (with personal data already removed to a LaCie external drive). The total OS & programs data to be backed up amounts to approximately 14 GB. I acquired the computer with the OS (SP2) pre-installed, and with no accompanying disks whatsoever. I used a freeware program to ascertain the OS product key.


QUESTIONS:

1) What free programs besides PING are capable of creating an exact clone and restoring the BIOS also, and also able to create a bootable restoration disk? Are these three features in one program confined to Command Line programs (vs. Windows-based) such as PING?

2) Can the target back-up drive be a USB-connected external (NTFS-formatted) LaCie hard drive of 500 GB? (... a temporary, transitional back-up home). If so, must that external LaCie hard drive be empty? (which would not be a problem since I have two), or can I back up into a folder on an otherwise in-use 500 GB LaCie hard drive? (I hope to avoid partitioning the empty LaCie hard drive.)

3) Is it a given that a 'Restore' operation with any of the free imaging/cloning programs would not involve a request for the insertion of the OEM installation disks?

4) Is it a given that an OS restore procedure of a clone can be done via USB?

5) Is the creation and restoration of a cloned OS possible by way of CD-R disks instead of by way of a USB external hard drive?

Please be gentle and kind. I'm such a newbie.

[Anupam]

Welcome to the forum Opey ... and also thanks for complying with our request of posting your query on the forum. It can be better answered here.

I won't be able to answer all of your queries, but only some of the parts. Others will later chip in, who have more knowledge about drive imagine than I do.

If I understand correctly, you do not have any other CD/DVD of OS to install? If you do have, then you can format the drive, and start afresh, as you already have the important data backed up on external drive.

If however, you do not have any other OS at your disposal, then you are thinking in right direction of cloning the disk, or imaging it.

Originally Posted by Opey

1) What free programs besides PING are capable of creating an exact clone and restoring the BIOS also, and also able to create a bootable restoration disk? Are these three features in one program confined to Command Line programs (vs. Windows-based) such as PING?

You won't be able to clone the BIOS, because BIOS resides in the hardware on the motherboard, and not on the hard drive.

You can find drive imaging software on the article, where you had first posted the query, that is :

http://www.techsupportalert.com/best...ng-program.htm

Paragon Backup and Recovery free, and Macrium Reflect free are the two top choices, and should serve your purpose. Others might tell you more better though.

These two are Windows based with GUI(Graphical User Interface), and easy to operate. Both have the option to create bootable disks too.

Originally Posted by Opey

2) Can the target back-up drive be a USB-connected external (NTFS-formatted) LaCie hard drive of 500 GB? (... a temporary, transitional back-up home). If so, must that external LaCie hard drive be empty? (which would not be a problem since I have two), or can I back up into a folder on an otherwise in-use 500 GB LaCie hard drive? (I hope to avoid partitioning the empty LaCie hard drive.)

When you create an image of a hard drive, it will be like any other file, which can be stored anywhere. So, you can store it on your external hard drive. The external hard drive, or any other material need not be empty. You can keep that image in any folder too.

Originally Posted by Opey

Is it a given that a 'Restore' operation with any of the free imaging/cloning programs would not involve a request for the insertion of the OEM installation disks?

It won't. It will restore the hard drive to the state as it was when you took the image of it, without the need of an OS installation disk. That's why imaging is the best and quickest method of restoring.

Originally Posted by Opey

5) Is the creation and restoration of a cloned OS possible by way of CD-R disks instead of by way of a USB external hard drive?

Yes, it is. If you create a bootable CD from the drive imaging program. Its also possible, if you stored the image on the CD.


About other points, which I have not covered, someone else will answer.

Also, if I am incorrect anywhere, I request others to please correct me.

[crank]

Welcome newbie, you've come to the right place.

First off, Paragon does not offer a free bootable recovery medium. I think I will lower their rating a bit for that. I am trying to catch-up with all of the drive-imaging programs in this category, so I have not had the time to try all the various pieces yet. I do know that Macrium, Easus, and DriveXML offer good restore from a bootable medium supplied within the free package, and of course the 'off-line' Clonezilla will also do what you need. DriveXML works with BartsPE, a very handy tool and other apps require you to purchase the premium version to access a BartsPE option. These are GUI based, not command line.

PING suggests it can 'Backup and Restore the BIOS data as well', now I have yet to introduce myself to PING, so I am not sure what this does, but Anupam is correct, BIOS backing up is usually a Motherboard utility duty.

All should back-up to USB or CDR with no problems, and none should ask for an installation disk, though you may need the recovery environment from any system disk, not your 'official' system disk.

I hope this helps, if I missed anything, or you need clarification or any new questions pop up, please don't hesitate.

Good luck, and keep your images up to date!

[Sope]

Hi Opey.

What exactly are you aiming to achieve?

Do you want to :-

(A) create a backup image of your entire hard disk to external media so that in the event of a hard drive failure (or malware infection) you can restore your entire system to either the same, or a replacement hard drive.
Or,
(B) clone your current system to a new, larger replacement HDD to be used in place of the current one you are using?

An image can be stored on a USB stick or recordable CD's, or DVD's although IMO it's easier to store backup images on an external HDD due to their size.

An image of your entire HDD would also contain all your personal files so you would not have to deal with these separately from your system files. Having said that, it may be wise to store an extra backup of your valuable/irreplaceable personal files on CD/DVD.

It sounds like you've moved your personal data to an external HDD in order to make the system image smaller but please bear in mind that external HDD's are susceptible to damage and failure so it would be wise to maintain at least two separate copies of your important personal files, whether that is on DVD/CD, USB stick or another HDD (either internal or external).

Usually there is no need to routinely backup your BIOS so I would say don't worry about this.

Whichever imaging software you choose, it's important to check that you are able to successfully boot it's associated bootable recovery media on your computer, in order to be able to perform a successful system restoration if and when the time comes.

[26Dolphins]

Originally Posted by crank

...
First off, Paragon does not offer a free bootable recovery medium...

Hi crank,
Are you sure about this?
It's clearly stated on their site (under Restore Facilities):

Create bootable USB Flash drive, CD or DVD to recover your PC on demand

And I've succesfully used it (both CD and USB) on a Win7 Home Premium 64bit notebook.

Unless you mean something else?

[crank]

Originally Posted by 26Dolphins

Hi crank,
Are you sure about this?
It's clearly stated on their site (under Restore Facilities):

And I've succesfully used it (both CD and USB) on a Win7 Home Premium 64bit notebook.

Unless you mean something else?

Ooops, sorry about that, you are quite right, I think I got lost in the multiple versions of multiple software packages I have from them. I must have gone into 'partition mode' as opposed to my new 'drive image mode' responsibilities. I am as usual trying to do about 5 things at once when even on a good day I am more like a 1 over avogadro's number of simultaneous tasks.

Their partition freebie lacks recovery media support, but drive-imaging without recovery capability wouldn't make much sense. Must go and punish self now.

[syntax_error]

Whilst you are reviewing, I'm curious to know if I'm the only one with Macrium Reflect that can not create a Linux rescue CD. Apart from the obvious disadvantage of not having one, I've just realised that you can not restore an image of "C" drive/partition whilst running the installed version of Macrium Reflect i.e. from the "C" drive.

[crank]

Originally Posted by syntax_error

Whilst you are reviewing, I'm curious to know if I'm the only one with Macrium Reflect that can not create a Linux rescue CD. Apart from the obvious disadvantage of not having one, I've just realised that you can not restore an image of "C" drive/partition whilst running the installed version of Macrium Reflect i.e. from the "C" drive.

Sorry to take so long to get back to you.

I haven't done the array of testing I want to do yet, but I can tell you that I have used Reflect rescue disks in the past with no problem. I can also tell you that I have had problems with them. It's a funny world.

This highlights the need to check any rescue disk you may need to rely on, AND, I should point out the need to check the networking if such is offered and you store your images on another PC.

I did do one test I have meant to do for a while, after a fresh install of Macrium on both a laptop and a desktop, I compared the default rescue disks created, and they are identical. I was curious if the software made some kind of provisions for the particular system it found itself on. With this huge sample of '1', they do not appear to, but further testing is in the offing.

[Corsair]

Originally Posted by crank

I did do one test I have meant to do for a while, after a fresh install of Macrium on both a laptop and a desktop, I compared the default rescue disks created, and they are identical. I was curious if the software made some kind of provisions for the particular system it found itself on. With this huge sample of '1', they do not appear to, but further testing is in the offing.

Well - I use Macrium Reflect Free.

My notebook is a Dell Inspiron 8600 running Windows XP SP3. Images seem to be ok and the created rescue CD - one with compatibility mode on and one with it off - both work with my notebook.

I also use it on my fiancee's ACER Extensa 4210 running Windows 7 SP1. I also run Macrium reflect on her machine with images appearing to be ok.

Further from this - both rescue CDs which created with Macrium Reflect on my XP machine also work with my fiancee's Windows 7 machine.

This confirmed, in my eyes, that the rescue CD created is independent of the system its created on. Its generic.

Now - should I also be creating images with Paragon as well? Maybe - but I have much better things to do with my time than take double up my image regime.

Considering I started my backup regime like this (for my fiancees notebook and my own):

1. Take an image of both notebooks in their existing state. Also - backup personal data (documents, music, etc) of each machine separately.

2. Build the notebook from scratch. Install required applications (windows updates, etc). Restore personal data. DO NOT install security software (antivirus, etc). Take an image. This is my "Clean Image" which I have has a fallback incase I get major issues with security software or decide to change security software.

3. Install security software. Take an image. This is now my "Security Image".

4. Once a week - take an image of the machine.

5. Once a month - following a weekly image and a backup of personal data - restore each machine with their "Clean Image", run all necessary updates, synchronise personal data, and take an image. This keeps the "Clean Image" relatively fresh. Once this is done - restore each machine with their "Security Image".

Whilst this may seem a lot of work the process of backing up and restoring personal data is actually quite simple since I keep a checklist that I go through to ensure I don't miss anything. Anyway - the fact you can mount an image to get data off it works great as well (with Macrium Reflect Free anyway).

Yep. I'm nuts.

[syntax_error]

Originally Posted by crank

I did do one test I have meant to do for a while, after a fresh install of Macrium on both a laptop and a desktop, I compared the default rescue disks created, and they are identical.

That's interesting. Corsair also advised that it is Windows O/S independent. I assumed when making a rescue cd, it was allowing for different drivers O/S etc.

So if Macrium wanted to be helpful, they could make one and put the iso on their web site for downloading.

Each time there is an upgrade for Macrium Reflect Free, they advise to make a new rescue CD. I have not been able to make one that works for well over a year.

I have used an 8GB usb stick for a Linux LiveCD. I wonder if it's possible to put the rescue CD on it.