Imaging Hard Drive

[PinoyKiw]

Ok, first time for this, usually I just go the long way about it and use the Windows CD, format and load everything manually but thought I would try this for a change of pace..........

I have downloaded two different what I think are imaging programs, one is Comodo BackUp and the other is Easeus Disk Copy 2.3.

I know that I have to make a bootable CD, etc, thats not a issue.

The question I want to put forwards and I suspect I know the answer..........I have 2 desktops and 4 laptops that I want to image, I have thought about getting something like a 250gb portable hard drive and making the images onto that.

Can I use a portable drive to clone to and to recover / clone off.

I am assuming the process goes something like, put the bootable CD in, reboot, boot off the CD, then when prompted point the process to the correct stored image and bingo, load it to the hard drive, all done.

Any further suggestions, any one got comments on Comodo Backup or Easeus Disk Copy 2.3, comments welcome.

Only seen a image done once before on someone's else system , was Nortons Ghost, about 16 CD's and a couple of hours later and when he tried to use it at a later date, failed halfway through the first CD.

Don't really want to go and get a portable hard drive, clone everything and then not be able to clone back to the system when i need to later.

[gary67]

Yes you can. I use an old P4 XP home comp as a backup machine and just added another drive and then I image to it

[linw]

I would use the free version of Macrium Reflect. It will make a bootable CD if you need to restore the C: drive. It images as you work on the machine, as well.

250GB is small these days, particularly as you have 6 machines. I would get a 1TB drive which are around $165 from Computer Lounge.

[PinoyKiw]

I would use the free version of Macrium Reflect. It will make a bootable CD if you need to restore the C: drive. It images as you work on the machine, as well.

250GB is small these days, particularly as you have 6 machines. I would get a 1TB drive which are around $165 from Computer Lounge.

Thanks Gary and Linw. I have sourced as in loan a spare small portable hard driive, will have a play with that using the Macrium Program and if that works will look at a bigger portable drive to do all the computers.

Thanks for your replies.