Free Disk cloning software
Discussion
Can anyone point me in the direction of a free disk cloning application?
I currently have 2 USB drives and i want one cloned on to the other, but i don't want the computer to have to run PC-DOS for this to happen (like Ghost 2003).
So can any one recommend a free application that will run in Windows that can clone one USB drive to another USB drive please.
thanks
dj
I currently have 2 USB drives and i want one cloned on to the other, but i don't want the computer to have to run PC-DOS for this to happen (like Ghost 2003).
So can any one recommend a free application that will run in Windows that can clone one USB drive to another USB drive please.
thanks
dj
barstard O/Slotusfan said:
IIRC XP is not meant to be moved from machine to machine, and it knows it. Its a sort of copy protection. If you upgrade the MB, for example, you're supposed to get a new license.
I think you'll have to reinstall XP.
Maybe there is a third party prog to clone it 'sympathetically'?, so it still works? I think you'll have to reinstall XP.
On the Mac the 'Superduper' cloning program goes the extra mile and sets the bootable flag and installs the boot-block, so for instance you can 'clone' your 60GB system disc to the new 160GB disk (takes about an hour IIRC), and then you just plug in the new disk and continue with no interruption. I know it works because I've done it.
There must be the WinXP equivalent ?! Maybe on one of the shareware sites?
the problem lies in the fact it uses the motherboard as a reference (IIRC) so when you change the disk to a new system the dont match up and BSOD, so any clone will cause the same issue. I think you'd need to fool it into thinking it was in the original machine, i suspect there may be a bit of software that could do this
LF
LF
From memory this problem is caused by hardware differences. If you cloned the drive and put it into a machine with a similar motherboard/hard drive controller etc it will work. When you install NT based OSs they build the hardware abstraction layer around the motherboard, hence trying to boot it on another fails.
tank slapper said:
From memory this problem is caused by hardware differences. If you cloned the drive and put it into a machine with a similar motherboard/hard drive controller etc it will work. When you install NT based OSs they build the hardware abstraction layer around the motherboard, hence trying to boot it on another fails.
OK that explains why with Win98 I could move the disk and it would just ask for loads of new stuff and you'd just click 'yes' a few times. Linux usually 'just works'; with standard kernels (i.e. the default Debian, Ubuntu etc). In fact moving from my old 'hovercraft' machine to a Shuttle box, every single bit of hardware was different, but I plugged the old disk in, switched it on, it booted up, and I though 'sheesh - is that it?!' - haven't had to touch it since!
Globulator said:
Linux usually 'just works'; with standard kernels (i.e. the default Debian, Ubuntu etc). In fact moving from my old 'hovercraft' machine to a Shuttle box, every single bit of hardware was different, but I plugged the old disk in, switched it on, it booted up, and I though 'sheesh - is that it?!' - haven't had to touch it since!
I only have problems if moving from a machine where the network interface is supported in the kernel to one where it needs to be loaded as a module, or if it's running X and trying to use a completely different graphics card. I do tend to install lowest common denominator kernels only (i386) to avoid future problems with switching intel to AMD or vice versa.
Globulator said:
OK that explains why with Win98 I could move the disk and it would just ask for loads of new stuff and you'd just click 'yes' a few times.
Linux usually 'just works'; with standard kernels (i.e. the default Debian, Ubuntu etc). In fact moving from my old 'hovercraft' machine to a Shuttle box, every single bit of hardware was different, but I plugged the old disk in, switched it on, it booted up, and I though 'sheesh - is that it?!' - haven't had to touch it since!
Linux usually 'just works'; with standard kernels (i.e. the default Debian, Ubuntu etc). In fact moving from my old 'hovercraft' machine to a Shuttle box, every single bit of hardware was different, but I plugged the old disk in, switched it on, it booted up, and I though 'sheesh - is that it?!' - haven't had to touch it since!
Being DOS based, Win 98 didn't really have any hardware specific stuff in the kernel. I had several ghost images of new installations in various configurations which would work on anything. Much quicker than a fresh install, even using the OEM tools.
Linux will work as long as you have the right stuff compiled into the kernel. Most distributions have a kernel that will run on lots of different hardware, or have all the modules available. If you have compiled your own kernel from source, then you might have a few problems but nothing a recompile wouldn't fix.
Globulator said:
tank slapper said:
From memory this problem is caused by hardware differences. If you cloned the drive and put it into a machine with a similar motherboard/hard drive controller etc it will work. When you install NT based OSs they build the hardware abstraction layer around the motherboard, hence trying to boot it on another fails.
OK that explains why with Win98 I could move the disk and it would just ask for loads of new stuff and you'd just click 'yes' a few times. Linux usually 'just works'; with standard kernels (i.e. the default Debian, Ubuntu etc). In fact moving from my old 'hovercraft' machine to a Shuttle box, every single bit of hardware was different, but I plugged the old disk in, switched it on, it booted up, and I though 'sheesh - is that it?!' - haven't had to touch it since!
The last time that i cloned a drive was in the day of 98, so assuming that this was still valid i went ahead with cloning.
Now i've just rebuilt the HD with a fresh install, less problems to worry about now.
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