Page 1 of 2
Byte for byte HDD copy software?
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 8:45 am
by Kale
One of my drives is failing, anybody here know of good software to make an identical byte for byte copy of my main boot drive so i can replace it with another new drive but keep all software and os the same as before? Freeware if possible, commercial if necessary.
thanks.
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 8:52 am
by eevee
What operating system?
Can you slave the new drive to the existing one?
Re: Byte for byte HDD copy software?
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 8:54 am
by PB
I've only ever used Ghost (commercial) and it does a fantastic job.
However, I did download this freeware app the other day, but haven't tried it:
http://www.pc-inspector.de/clone-maxx/uk/welcome.htm
Sounds like it may do the same type of job. I'll have a play later.
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 9:27 am
by Kale
OS is windows 2000 server and its a scsi drive system with swapable disks. i have 3 bays left so installing a new drive is no problem
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:24 am
by eevee
Ooops!
Not sure it would work on your system.
On Win98/95, using standard IDE drives it si simple to copy over without any other software.
Re: Byte for byte HDD copy software?
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:43 am
by PB
Okay, I tried Clone-Maxx and it seems to do what you want... it basically
dumps one drive to the other as an exact clone. I didn't actually proceed
with the process though because it would have destroyed the data on my
second drive, but it seems to be what you want...
Re: Byte for byte HDD copy software?
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 12:37 pm
by Kale
PB wrote:Okay, I tried Clone-Maxx and it seems to do what you want... it basically
dumps one drive to the other as an exact clone. I didn't actually proceed
with the process though because it would have destroyed the data on my
second drive, but it seems to be what you want...
Doesn't seem to boot Win2000 Server using scsi HDDs tho'
Re: Byte for byte HDD copy software?
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 1:20 pm
by PB
> Doesn't seem to boot Win2000 Server using scsi HDDs tho'
Do you mean after a clone copy with it?
Re: Byte for byte HDD copy software?
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 5:30 pm
by Kale
PB wrote:> Doesn't seem to boot Win2000 Server using scsi HDDs tho'
Do you mean after a clone copy with it?
Nah, the boot disk it makes doesn't boot the machine that has the win2000 installed on it. Its a funny system with lots of removable scsi drives and a strange motherboard. Norton Ghost doesn't like it either! I've contactacted HP and getting them to send an engineer with some fancy software to do it for me.
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 6:07 pm
by Pupil
Re: Byte for byte HDD copy software?
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 6:15 pm
by Max.
Kale wrote:One of my drives is failing, anybody here know of good software to make an identical byte for byte copy of my main boot drive so i can replace it with another new drive but keep all software and os the same as before? Freeware if possible, commercial if necessary.
thanks.
I am using (at work)
- Ghost
For mass roll outs.
- HDCopy
When Ghost fails.
- True Image
When doing an online backup (aka while running the regular OS) on the same select computers that need to be cloned regularily
- Drive Snapshot
When it is not appropriate to install (install, reboot, clone) the cloning software but you need a quick backup, even from a batch.
Oh, and very rarely, I use dd from a Linux live system
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 7:03 pm
by akee
try power quest now sold to symantec
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 7:16 pm
by Psychophanta
Symantec seems like a giant black hole, almost like M$
Re: Byte for byte HDD copy software?
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 8:51 pm
by PB
> the boot disk it makes doesn't boot the machine that has the win2000 installed on it
That's strange... a boot floppy doesn't care what OS is installed on a HD.
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 9:03 pm
by griz
Kale,
I recommend
True Image from
http://www.acronis.com. You can download a trial version and it should do the trick for you.