Imaging vs cloning vs backup

[bigcuedaddy]

After reading this post, I am sadly even more confused than I was before:

http://www.technibble.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18986

Here's my question: Is there really a difference between imaging software vs cloning software vs backup software? I haven't come upon a need to do any of this yet (other than simple folder backups), but the time will certainly come. I guess I don't see why people are so delighted with Acronis @ $69 a shot when something like Klonezilla or Easeus-todo will accomplish basically the same thing, or will they? I assume with each of these programs I could clone a drive partition and move it to another disk and have the O/S operational on the new disk.

I admit I've only had 3 cups of coffee this morning, not fully functional yet

thanks

 

[muncherw]

I would call imaging and cloning the same thing. Backing up is different in that you aren't making an exact copy though you could. I guess if there is a difference between cloning and imaging I don't know what it is. I think it's just a matter of terminology.

 

[ATTech]

Cloning is the process of taking an image from one drive and applying it to another.

Imaging is the process of
(1) taking an image from one drive and saving the image in a recognizable format.
(2) taking an image from one drive and applying the image to the other drive (aka cloning)
(3) Applying a saved image to hard drive.

Backup can involve cloning a drive, or transferring information to a recognizable format for the purpose of redundancy.

 

[iisjman07]

My understanding (stunted definitions):

-Backup: Copy files from one location to another
-Image: Consolidate a partition or disk into a file(s). Does not copy free space; only actual files
-Clone: Copies a disk sector-by-sector to another disk or file

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

Cloning is the process of taking an image from one drive and applying it to another.

Imaging is the process of
(1) taking an image from one drive and saving the image in a recognizable format.
(2) taking an image from one drive and applying the image to the other drive (aka cloning)
(3) Applying a saved image to hard drive.

Backup can involve cloning a drive, or transferring information to a recognizable format for the purpose of redundancy.

As good an explanation as any. When you clone you are essentially doing a block level most likely bootable (if the source volume is bootable) copy of one source volume to a destination volume. When imaging you are creating an image file of a source volume to later restore to a destination volume or multiple volumes. Backup is rather broad in spectrum, but not so much a way associated with imaging or cloning because backups need to be incremental to go along with changes in data where most images are read only.

 

[bigcuedaddy]

hehe. My journey in this topic continues.

So I use Easeus todoBackup and do the disk clone function, to see if I could copy/cline (whatever term) a c: drive to an external USB drive, then copy/clone the external USB drive to a new HDD drive. After 3 hours of copying an 80 gig drive to an external USB drive, my bench PC wouldnt recognize the file format of the external USB. So I look it up on the Easeus site, and apparently I needed to use Easeus Disk Copy program, not the disc backup program clone function. So I am trying it with the disk copy program, its currently in work right now, will see what happens.

My goal is to learn to figure out how to copy a drive to a new drive and have it boot up just like it was the original drive. I know this is a pretty common thing to do, I need to learn how to do it. I was initially seeing if it would copy(clone?) a drive to an external USB drive, then copy the USB drive to a new drive. Maybe I was getting too fancy in my operations? Maybe HDD disk to (slaved) HDD disk only?

 

[Crgky127]

My goal is to learn to figure out how to copy a drive to a new drive and have it boot up just like it was the original drive. I know this is a pretty common thing to do, I need to learn how to do it. I was initially seeing if it would copy(clone?) a drive to an external USB drive, then copy the USB drive to a new drive. Maybe I was getting too fancy in my operations? Maybe HDD disk to (slaved) HDD disk only?

Use clonezilla livecd. When you get to this screen:
http://clonezilla.org/screenshots.p...illa/07_clonezilla-live-image-or-onthefly.png
go with device-device if you have both drives hooked up, or device-image if you want to use USB as a middle step. Target drive must be equal or greater. Triple check what you select as target drive.

 

[bigcuedaddy]

"device-image if you want to use USB as a middle step"

I think that's the key. I was going device>device>device. I tried Clonezilla before and didnt care for it, but I'll try it again. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[meanderer]

clone and image is so closely related that I think they are used very interchangeably.

Backup would be just that, any data file you like to keep around past disaster is backup. Imaging and cloning is a backup scheme. Backup doesn't always involve cloning, however.

 

[bigcuedaddy]

I got Easeus Disk Copy to work perfectly. Even though, by our definitions, I didn't want to copy as much as I wanted to clone or image . Anyway, I copied my laptop C: to USB drive, then copied USB drive to another HDD. Stuck it in my laptop, and it booted normally.

This is good, as I can upgrade the drives in customers computers, and do all sorts of other work on the file system on the bench, whilst minimizing their downtime. This works well for those power-customers who cant be without their beloved laptop for more than an hour or two at the most.

I likey.

On to my next challenge: how to create a recovery partition and stick the proper files in there.

 

[fixitdaz]

I got Easeus Disk Copy to work perfectly. Even though, by our definitions, I didn't want to copy as much as I wanted to clone or image . Anyway, I copied my laptop C: to USB drive, then copied USB drive to another HDD. Stuck it in my laptop, and it booted normally.

This is good, as I can upgrade the drives in customers computers, and do all sorts of other work on the file system on the bench, whilst minimizing their downtime. This works well for those power-customers who cant be without their beloved laptop for more than an hour or two at the most.

I likey.

On to my next challenge: how to create a recovery partition and stick the proper files in there.

You might fined this a useful read

 

[bigcuedaddy]

yes, thanks. I think I downloaded it before sometime, but haven't played with it yet.

 

[ATTech]

I personally wouldn't use Easeus; they had someone advertising/spamming these forums and that's a major turn off for me.

 

[bigcuedaddy]

Yeah, this sorta goes back to one of my original questions, "Is there a compelling reason to purchase Acronis?" Perhaps there is. I dont mind spending $$ on software at all, as long as it provides a benefit that the freeware stuff doesnt. This Easeus Disk Copy worked well, but it doesnt offer any options other than copy partition or copy drive. To do images, I would have to use the Easeus backup instead. I'll play around with Clonezilla some more.

 

[fixitdaz]

Win pe and Imagex is how I do my imaging acronis makes live easy by giving you a user interface. you could use WinPE + Gimagex that give you a user interface link

 

[ATTech]

Win pe and Imagex is how I do my imaging acronis makes live easy by giving you a user interface. you could use WinPE + Gimagex that give you a user interface link

I use ImageX for the majority of my cloning too. If you're comfortable enough with scripting, you can automate the process. It's also simple to mount and modify the image file.

 

[iisjman07]

It's also simple to mount and modify the image file.

I found out the other day that 7zip can open and extract .wim files (it can't edit them though).

Also, the gimagex official site appears down to me, so for anyone else here's the softpedia link - http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Graphic/Graphic-Plugins/GImageX.shtml

 

[fixitdaz]

I use ImageX for the majority of my cloning too. If you're comfortable enough with scripting, you can automate the process. It's also simple to mount and modify the image file.

I have looked at a way to automate it but my scripting skills aren't the best,(i have some cheat sheets) also I found some times the drive i am imaging to (external usb) has a different drive letter depending on the system that cocks up the automated bat file. would be interesting to see your automation if you are willing to share. at the moment i type the imagex /compress fast /capture c:\ z:\computername.wim "computername.wim" command at the command prompt.