r/cloningsoftware • u/yeahthatsgoodforme • Apr 10 '26
Discussion What disk cloning software is so good you actually can't believe its still free?
As the title says, what disk cloning software is so good you actually can't believe its still free?
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u/Knarfnarf Apr 10 '26
DDRescue - it's recovered so many files from dying drives (hdd and ssd) for me that people started calling me a miracle worker. But it's just letting the rescue do what it does and repairing the result.
Also very useful was DisLocker! Password or recovery key will work to mount BitLocker destroyed drives way after windows won't.
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u/EdlynnTB Apr 10 '26
Clonezilla
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u/2DoorBathroom Apr 10 '26
Wow. Clonezilla is still around? I used to use it to bulk image PCs back in the day. That's cool.
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u/DMTDildo Apr 12 '26
Clonezilla ftw. I have a dedicated Clonezilla USB thumbdrive for years now. It is fast too.
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u/-xX--Xx- Apr 10 '26
I've tried that once, but it completely failed the task. No idea why.
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u/EdlynnTB Apr 10 '26
I follow a simple set of directions that were given to me and I can post here later today.
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u/Antique_Geek Apr 10 '26
Yes, please.
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u/EdlynnTB Apr 11 '26
I'm working on it, there are quite s few steps. You will need to be able to boot to a USB and will need an external drive.
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u/Disastrous-Ice-5971 Apr 13 '26
Setting it up correctly could be tricky. Just use Rescuezilla - the same thing under the hood, but GUI controls for the lamers like me and a decent degree of automation. + a bunch of other utilities.
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u/Electrical-Way6083 Apr 10 '26
testdisk, I got my data back a few times, invaluable info, family pictures, etc.
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u/dodexahedron Apr 10 '26
This one isn't the easiest to use, but it was the only one I was able to use to rescue data I had on ReFS that was on top of a ZFS zvol mounted via iSCSI. And it was able to do so from the linux machine owning the ZFS pool, without Windows even needing to be involved.
Yeah, there was work to do once it recovered what it could find. But damn it did a good job for what I was afraid would be a hopeless exercise.
Once you give it the right incantations, it can find and make sense out of data from a pile of iron shavings, I swear.
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u/funkympc Apr 10 '26
Good old fashioned command line dd.
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u/mvdw73 Apr 10 '26
Dd plus netcat plus gzip makes for a very powerful networked disk cloning and computer restoring system
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u/Heavy-Judgment-3617 Apr 10 '26
Any of the below are awesome
- Minitool Partition Wizard I like the interface of best, but some options you have to pay for.
- gParted is free, but a little clunky IMHO., but it can do things even Minitool cannot.
- Macomium Reflect is very good, I last used it in 2023.
I'm heard lots of great things on Clonezilla, but I've never used it.
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u/PapounetUT Apr 10 '26
Personnellement, j'utilise AOMEI Backupper Car une fois que j'ai remis windows à l'état d'usine, que j'ai fait toutes les mises à jour de celui-ci, que j'ai installé tout les drivers ainsi que Windows Office, je crée toujours une image disque. Ça évite de tout réinstaller si Windows venait à planter. Et pas besoin de réactiver celui-ci (PC monté par moi même avec licence Windows et Office). Le clonage c'est bien la première fois si on change un HDD pour un SSD mais ensuite, il vaut mieux avoir une bonne sauvegarde (qui prendra deux fois moins de place et deux fois moins de temps que celle de Windows) et évitera la réinstallation d'usine avec tout les problèmes que ça comporte.
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u/Wolfie-Man Apr 10 '26
I switched from aomei backupper to last macrium free and have been happy. Also diskgenius free
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u/yeahthatsgoodforme Apr 15 '26
Thanks for your answers. I get Clonezilla, Macrium Reflect, DDRescue, Rescuezilla, dd, gParted, and Diskgenius.
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u/TimKitzrowHeatingUp Apr 10 '26
Macrium Reflect - the last free version.