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Author Topic: What is the good freeware for disk imaging?  (Read 2214 times)

Perd Hapley

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What is the good freeware for disk imaging?
« on: December 31, 2009, 04:45:57 PM »
I am making an image of a computer, to export to some other computers.  I don't know how.  What free program should I use? 
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AZRedhawk44

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Re: What is the good freeware for disk imaging?
« Reply #1 on: December 31, 2009, 04:51:51 PM »
Clonezilla
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Re: What is the good freeware for disk imaging?
« Reply #2 on: December 31, 2009, 05:50:47 PM »
XXclone has worked well for me.
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Jim147

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Re: What is the good freeware for disk imaging?
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2009, 06:34:54 PM »
Cheapskate. :P

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Re: What is the good freeware for disk imaging?
« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2009, 06:50:15 PM »
Cheapskate?  Never heard of it.  Who makes it?  Is it open source?
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lee n. field

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Re: What is the good freeware for disk imaging?
« Reply #5 on: December 31, 2009, 09:22:13 PM »
Clonezilla live cd.

You can put and get the image to a network share or external usb disk.  You do need to have half a clue what some of the things it's asking you are.  Works pretty good though.

I use it a lot.
« Last Edit: December 31, 2009, 09:25:58 PM by lee n. field »
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Perd Hapley

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Re: What is the good freeware for disk imaging?
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2010, 12:47:56 PM »
OK, so I have a Clonezilla CD, and I can make an image.  I just don't know how to move the image to other computers.  Maybe if I had an 8 GB flash drive, or an external hard drive.   =(
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lee n. field

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Re: What is the good freeware for disk imaging?
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2010, 12:54:19 PM »
Quote from: fistful on January 01, 2010, 12:47:56 PM
OK, so I have a Clonezilla CD, and I can make an image.  I just don't know how to move the image to other computers.  Maybe if I had an 8 GB flash drive, or an external hard drive.   =(

Where did you tell it to make the image?

Run clonezilla on the new computer.  Pick restoredisk instead of savedisk, and point it to where you saved the image you made.  Easiest if you made the image to an external hard disk or flash drive, so you don't have to muck around with network shares and authentication.
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Gewehr98

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Re: What is the good freeware for disk imaging?
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2010, 02:27:49 PM »
I bought a "Factory Refurbed" Western Digital 250Gb HD from Geeks.com for my stepson's workstation, and installed an OEM copy of Windows 7 Pro on it - I used my UW student discount for $44.00.

Now the damned thing sounds like a Hitachi Deathstar, clicking like crazy until the heads finally find their proper location and allow tracks and sectors to be read.

I want to image this drive to another drive of similar size, without having to reactivate the Windows 7 install again.  Supposedly, the Student Edition Win 7 Pro only allows one re-install for hard drive failures, and then you're done.

So I'm thinking Digital Dolly, and have been looking at Clonezilla, too.

Win 7 is also supposed to offer its own imaging capability, but I certainly don't want to go through the steps and find that I still have to format the new drive and do a complete install/activation.

Can anybody here offer insight? 
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Perd Hapley

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Re: What is the good freeware for disk imaging?
« Reply #9 on: January 01, 2010, 03:20:51 PM »
Success.  I think.  I had to "install" a spare internal HDD to store the disk image, then "install" that drive in the next machine.  I say "install," because the shockingly stupid design of this HP d220 mini-tower will not allow one to simply open the case and insert a new drive.  Oh no.  Drive cages must be moved about, or metal plates pried out and removed.  I still do not quite believe that anyone could be that stupid.  Besides, I thought that kind of computer stupid was supposed to be reserved for Microsoft.  Right? 

Anyway, I can hook up the spare drive, if I just connect the cables and let it hang. 
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AZRedhawk44

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Re: What is the good freeware for disk imaging?
« Reply #10 on: January 01, 2010, 03:37:46 PM »
Quote from: fistful on January 01, 2010, 03:20:51 PM
Success.  I think.  I had to "install" a spare internal HDD to store the disk image, then "install" that drive in the next machine.  I say "install," because the shockingly stupid design of this HP d220 mini-tower will not allow one to simply open the case and insert a new drive.  Oh no.  Drive cages must be moved about, or metal plates pried out and removed.  I still do not quite believe that anyone could be that stupid.  Besides, I thought that kind of computer stupid was supposed to be reserved for Microsoft.  Right? 

Anyway, I can hook up the spare drive, if I just connect the cables and let it hang. 

Microsoft is software-stupid.

HP/Compaq is hardware-stupid.

Then there's Apple, which is both.

Yes, you have to shuffle the drive between machines to accomplish imaging, or fiddle with network authentication.  Most folks just pop the case, attach the drive and let it dangle for half an hour for the imaging/cloning process, then remove it and reseal the case.

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Perd Hapley

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Re: What is the good freeware for disk imaging?
« Reply #11 on: January 01, 2010, 03:50:51 PM »
Only took about fifteen minutes, but yeah, that's what I did. 
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zahc

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Re: What is the good freeware for disk imaging?
« Reply #12 on: January 02, 2010, 02:17:47 PM »
If you are just looking to image a disk, you can use any linux/unix/bsd boot disk you happen to have around and the dd utility.
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Perd Hapley

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Re: What is the good freeware for disk imaging?
« Reply #13 on: January 02, 2010, 05:16:11 PM »
Why would I have unix crud laying around, when I have real operating systems available?   :P

(Just teasing, man, thanks for the suggestion.)

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Re: What is the good freeware for disk imaging?
« Reply #14 on: January 02, 2010, 08:39:19 PM »
Quote from: fistful on January 02, 2010, 05:16:11 PM
Why would I have unix crud laying around, when I have real operating systems available?   :P

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