Fastest way to image a hard drive

[RATiO]

Hi, I'd like to know some of your recommendations for quickly creating an image of an 80gb hard drive while windows is running. Preferably storing the image file on network as USB drives not supported. I tried one but it took 10 minutes to get to 0.1% so cancelled it straight away.

[The_Observer]

Hi, I'd like to know some of your recommendations for quickly creating an image of an 80gb hard drive while windows is running. Preferably storing the image file on network as USB drives not supported. I tried one but it took 10 minutes to get to 0.1% so cancelled it straight away.

Try Clonezilla,

[paul0544]

Acronis is what i use, free trial here:

http://www.acronis.co.uk/#b-slide_2

[fintechfooty]

random question but in what scenario would you want to image a hard drive?

[-Himanshu-]

random question but in what scenario would you want to image a hard drive?

One thing that comes to mind is for exact backup? I regularly image my C drive, any problem with Windows, and I am back to running the perfect copy within minutes.

[RATiO]

random question but in what scenario would you want to image a hard drive?

I have some important software installed on a work PC and don't have the USB registration dongle so would not be able to re-install if the PC was to die

Try Clonezilla,

From their website:

Online imaging/cloning is not implemented yet. The partition to be imaged or cloned has to be unmounted.

I need to be able to do this from within Windows while logged in as the PC is in use 24/7

[n_K]

I have some important software installed on a work PC and don't have the USB registration dongle so would not be able to re-install if the PC was to die

Then chances are it won't work, the registration dongle is most likely tied to the computer hardware, change a few serial numbers and you'll probably find said software refuses to start up

[RATiO]

Then chances are it won't work, the registration dongle is most likely tied to the computer hardware, change a few serial numbers and you'll probably find said software refuses to start up

The dongle is only required at installation

[n_K]

The dongle is only required at installation

I'm not talking about the dongle, what I'm saying is many programs will have some ID from the dongle stored encrypted along with the hardware IDs of the computer it was stored on in the registry somewhere, otherwise you could get the whole program for free by just extracting the files from the installer or copying the installed files over to another computer which all-in-all is a pretty useless piracy deterrant.

[Top Qat]

Macrium Reflect Free version here http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx

Been using the paid for version on Server and Workstation systems for years, very good software.

IMHO avoid Acronis. Used that before changing to Macrium. Was terribly buggy.

[cesta]

Try easeus todo backup free too see if it works. http://www.todo-backup.com/products/home/free-backup-software.htm

 

Anyway  it's free and works for me.  :)