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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
How do I copy My C: Drive to another (external drive?)
Armando Solares, Photographer
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Englewood | FL | USA | Posted: 3:25 PM on 03.31.09 |
->> I want to know if there is a way (software) that can copy my C drive as it is to an external drive? I want to copy the operating system and all its components so if it fails all I have to do is plug it in and be ready to go.
The external drive (copy) would have everything on it, Windows and all the software that I run on my computer. Is there a way to do this?
thanks.
Armando |
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Alan Look, Photographer
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Bloomington | IL | United States | Posted: 3:59 PM on 03.31.09 |
->> Copying the operating system won't cut it if you are talking windows. You would have to load it, and maybe even format it as a bootable drive.
IMHO, you are better off creating a safety disc (CD) and then creating a back up of all your data on the external.
Even most software would need loaded so that the registry entries are all correct.
The only other thing I can think of that "might" work is a bit for bit mirror copy of the whole drive, and it would likely have to be like for like drives
Someone correct me if I'm wrong. I haven't messed with the operating system at that level for a few years. |
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Jim Comeau, Assistant, Photo Editor
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Los Angeles | CA | USA | Posted: 4:07 PM on 03.31.09 |
->> Norton Ghost would create an image of the drive onto another drive. From what I recall, I believe the BIOS has to allow booting to an external drive, which many do these days.
I don't think Ghost is available as a stand alone product, but it is part of Norton SystemWorks. |
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Russell Rinn, Photographer
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Georgetown | Tx | USA | Posted: 4:19 PM on 03.31.09 |
->> You can get a product called TrueImage by Acronis. I'm pretty sure you can download a 30 day version for free. It will mirror the drive 100%. I've used it and it works great. There are others out there that do the same thing.
For practical purposes, ie. a replacement if your main drive dies, it would be better to create it on a drive you can just swap in the old drives place. Drive fails, plug in replacement, move on.
You could copy to an external drive, but then you may have to copy that external drive to a replacement. I don't see why you would want it on an external drive as that would limit it's usability. |
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Chuck Steenburgh, Photographer
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Lexington | VA | USA | Posted: 8:47 AM on 04.01.09 |
->> I second Acronis for cloning hard drives. The drive management software that comes with retail-packaged internal drives can also usually clone a drive, though these programs aren't as flexible as Acronis.
I'd also get one of these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817392022
With the dock I'm able to swap out several drives that I keep in a drawer in their anti-static bags. With one eSATA connection I'm thus able to maintain several external backup drives (one for documents, one for unprocessed images, one for processed images). |
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