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Best way to clone boot drive?

Megalith

Megalith

24-bit/48kHz
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Aug 20, 2006
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So I'm on the verge of installing Windows 8.1. In the event of a fuck-up, I'd like to be able to restore the contents of my C: drive to EXACTLY the way it was before installation.

Most cloning software should allow me to do this, correct? Ideally, I'd like to be able to create a copy of C: on another internal drive and restore from that if 8.1 boots up and there's something severely broken.

My concern is that the restored version won't be a 1:1 copy or problematic in some way based on the sensitive nature of boot files.
 
I recommend clonezilla however I myself would use ddrescue (being a person who uses windows and linux almost daily since the 1990s).

Either of these you would boot off a linux livecd (or as I prefer a usbstick) to do the clone. Possibly with only the source and destination drive installed.
 
Acronis True Image, will allow to select exactly what folders do you want to clone from a disk to other.. i've used that software tons of times no single issue at all, specially the western digital edition..
 
Windows has built-in Backup & Restore. Just type in Backup in the search bar.

It will have you burn a bootable disc that will let you re-image the drive.

It can restore from an image on internal harddrive, external harddrive, and even another Windows computer on your network.
 
Araxie said:
Acronis True Image, will allow to select exactly what folders do you want to clone from a disk to other.. i've used that software tons of times no single issue at all, specially the western digital edition..
Click to expand...
^This..and with the wd edition..You just have to have a wd drive plugged in,It doesn't have to be involved...and it's free! :D

Or you can use an Older Hiren's boot cd and Norton Ghost.
You have to go back several versions, though.
 
I use GParted. Why not just install fresh on a new drive?
 
It takes extra work with GParted to get all the boot sector stuff correct - not that I don't love GParted, but Clonezilla is a better option in this case.
 
clonezilla is what i used to move from spinning disk to SSD :) and several other systems.
 
Firebug24k said:
It takes extra work with GParted to get all the boot sector stuff correct - not that I don't love GParted, but Clonezilla is a better option in this case.
Click to expand...

You have to click the partition, go to manage flags, and click the "boot" checkbox.

Not that much work.
 
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