Easy no nonsense bootable cloning software

snowdog · 7 May 2017 at 00:31

Hello,

What is there in the world of cloning SW these days?

What am I looking for?

Something that does what Bootable/DOS Norton Ghost 2003 does:

1. Disk to disk, no nonsense, resizing paritions no problem (Clonezilla is a ***** to use when wanting to clone a 1tb hdd to a 240gb ssd for example, despite only having 70gb of data) like Norton Ghost (resizes partitions to the size relative to their old drive. (eg. cloning an hdd with 50+250gb to a 600 gb hdd, creates 100+500gb partitions on new disk)
2. Disk to image (locally, though network would be a bonus)
3. Image to disk (of any size, as long as the data fits)

And what Norton Ghost doesn't do:
4. Create proper SSD allignment for the target SSD.

Basically I want exactly what Bootable Norton Ghost does, except with proper alignement, to prevent me to have to use paragon alignment tool after cloning to an ssd.

No Windows application, no unnecessary complex features, no overload of prompts and confirmations, no lists of options, easy partition resizing (unlike Clonezilla), no passwords, no encryption nonsense, etc.

Simply stick usb stick in, start program, up to 5 clicks and/or key presses near blindly (eg just select source and destination and go, no ****** unnecessary bombardement of questions), and I want to have it busy cloning an hdd to hdd...

moogle · 7 May 2017 at 00:38

I'm pretty sure everyone will come in to recommend Macrium Reflect. There's a free version available that can create bootable USB sticks.

snowdog · 7 May 2017 at 00:47

Looks good from the description, thank you!

Steampunk · 7 May 2017 at 10:03

moogle said:
I'm pretty sure everyone will come in to recommend Macrium Reflect. There's a free version available that can create bootable USB sticks.

+1 . Macrium is the default response for this sort of thing.

Vimes · 7 May 2017 at 10:08

I would strongly suggest Macrium Reflect, oh wait.....

Amazingly useful tool and so much appreciated, not only for cloning but for backups too. Do not believe MS when they can claim a system restore or to uninstall a major update, like the Creators edition, will leave you with a running system. Much easier to have a backed up image done by Reflect and restore that.

Rannoch · 7 May 2017 at 10:11

Macrium and Macrium.

Glanza · 7 May 2017 at 13:10

Acronis image is what i tend to use.

lurkio · 8 May 2017 at 09:08

acronis

EGuitarStar · 8 May 2017 at 12:22

Another vote for Acronis here too.

Stoner81 · 12 May 2017 at 12:32

Yet another vote for Acronis True Image

I use it all the time at work.

Stoner81.

Hawk Tuah · 12 May 2017 at 13:16

Used both Macrium and Acronis. Acronis has lots of options for more advanced stuff. If you just want to clone a disk, Macrium Reflect all the way.

bledd · 12 May 2017 at 13:30

Macrium Reflect.

snowdog · 12 May 2017 at 18:14

Ok I am trying to use macrium, however, a problem, it stops cloning if it comes accress a CRC error.

I'm trying to clone an hdd with bad sectors, but macrium stops the clone on the first crc error, how can I make it ignore read errors and continue anyhow?

I'm doing chkdsk /r now but it will take a while, and the hdd is becoming worse so I hope I can create a clone directly after.

snowdog · 12 May 2017 at 20:40

Ah, I found the setting in options to ignore bad sectors.

CHKdsk /r is almost done, and will try to create an image after this, but also with the option to ignore bad sectors.

snowdog · 16 May 2017 at 09:17

Ok I have a problem with MArcrium, it fails to create a rescue usb

''Error: 5

An error occurred while attempting to access the image.
For more information, review the log file.

The DISM log file can be found at C:\WINDOWS\Logs\DISM\dism.log''

What I don't understand is why it has to create a Win PE from my install? I want a bootable USB, regardless of OS, that works on any pc. Not one that is made for ''my'' pc.

Armageus · 16 May 2017 at 09:29

snowdog said:
What I don't understand is why it has to create a Win PE from my install? I want a bootable USB, regardless of OS, that works on any pc. Not one that is made for ''my'' pc.

It just uses some files from "your" Windows install, that can't legally be redistributed I think - is still universal for "any" pc.

KIA · 16 May 2017 at 16:52

snowdog said:
I want a bootable USB, regardless of OS, that works on any pc. Not one that is made for ''my'' pc.

Use the Linux rescue environment.

https://reflect.macrium.com/webhelp/starting_with_the_rescue_cd.asp

snowdog · 17 May 2017 at 08:32

That option has been removed, or is otherwise not available for me

?

I'll try to create a USB on a different pc.

snowdog · 22 May 2017 at 13:43

Avira was blocking access to my registry at work apparantly so couldn't create a PE environment.
I can't get the usb stick to boot on a different PC though, I created a Win PE 3.1 stick, Put it in a different pc, and it will just freeze the whole pc after ''loading files''.

Anyone knows where I can get a Linux or DOS based Iso with Macrium (or any other cloning software)?

One that works, both Uefi and MBR, and x64 and x86 systems?

Does reflect run under XP? Otherwise I might just stick it on a Hirens Boot CD usb.

x-st · 22 May 2017 at 13:46

I had real issues cloning a hard disk with bad sectors....in the end nothing else would work but a linux live disc with ddrescue, which takes a much more constructive approach to cloning.