Need Freewares to Clone & Copy HDD [Expert Opinion Counts]

[d3p]

Sup Geeks ??

Lately, i would like to know the different ways to Clone & Backing Up OS or HDD data using freewares.

I was using Norton Ghost earlier & now the license is expired, so looking for free alternates.

My Requirements,

1). Should able to take OS image & HDD Backup.

Currently using OCZ Vertex 3 128GB for OS, other sw's & Games. Also have a spare dedicated 320GB HDD for backup purpose.

For all other need, i have WD Caviar Black 1TB in RAID 1 config, which doesn't need back up.

2). How to restore them, when my PC crashes or whenever i feel the PC's performance is degrading ?

3). Is it possible to have a scheduled backup, than going through this backup process manually ?

4). Before suggesting the freeware, make sure you have worked with it & try to keep the process as simple as possible.

So let me know, in case of any more detail information is required.

 

[harshilsharma63]

EasUS Todo Backup can create system images. And no, I haven't used it

 

[whitestar_999]

i use paragon product but it is an old version bootable cd/pendrive copy(2010 version).i never install any software on a system whose primary image i am going to make(windows+updates+drivers only).once i make a primary image using bootable cd/pendrive version then i install softwares.since i only image C drive i take a differential backup after installing all relevant softwares(differential backup only save data changed since last full backup or in this case primary image).you can install backup software after making a primary image to automate backup jobs.i suggest using simple copy paste to backup your other drives/partitions because most backup softwares use proprietary format so in case of any data corruption it won't be as easy to rescue/extract data.i suggest paragon free,macrium free or easeus todo free but stay away from acronis.all these free softwares have the capability to create a winPE based bootable cd but it requires download & install of winAIK iso which is 1.7gb in size.these softwares also have linux based rescue/bootable cd option but i prefer winPE based option because it has support for more hardware(like usb3 drivers,raid drivers etc) & also has almost all features of backup software available in an installed version.

 

[harshilsharma63]

i use paragon product but it is an old version bootable cd/pendrive copy(2010 version).i never install any software on a system whose primary image i am going to make(windows+updates+drivers only).once i make a primary image using bootable cd/pendrive version then i install softwares.since i only image C drive i take a differential backup after installing all relevant softwares(differential backup only save data changed since last full backup or in this case primary image).you can install backup software after making a primary image to automate backup jobs.i suggest using simple copy paste to backup your other drives/partitions because most backup softwares use proprietary format so in case of any data corruption it won't be as easy to rescue/extract data.i suggest paragon free,macrium free or easeus todo free but stay away from acronis.all these free softwares have the capability to create a winPE based bootable cd but it requires download & install of winAIK iso which is 1.7gb in size.these softwares also have linux based rescue/bootable cd option but i prefer winPE based option because it has support for more hardware(like usb3 drivers,raid drivers etc) & also has almost all features of backup software available in an installed version.

This definitation is inaccurate. Refer to this: Incremental backup and differential backup

 

[whitestar_999]

^^how is that inaccurate?i posted this:

differential backup only save data changed since last full backup or in this case primary image

Differential backup - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A differential backup is a type of data backup that preserves data, saving only the difference in the data since the last full backup

perhaps you got confused by data changed vs data difference but underlying meaning here is same.

 

[harshilsharma63]

^^how is that inaccurate?i posted this:


Differential backup - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


perhaps you got confused by data changed vs data difference but underlying meaning here is same.

Both differential as well as incremental backup schemes backup only changes. The difference lies in the reference being used and the restoration process. Read here for simple explanation: Difference between: Full, Differential, and Incremental Backup | Backup
This fact could also be drawn form the Wikipedia pages I mentioned if read full.

 

[whitestar_999]

^^either see my previous post & reply accordingly or just leave it at that.i know well about the differences between full,differential & incremental backup & also using them for 5 years.