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http://radified.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl Rad Community Technical Discussion Boards (Computer Hardware + PC Software) >> Cloning Programs (Except Norton Ghost) >> Best free imaging/cloning back-up program? http://radified.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1235507445 Message started by Rad on Feb 24^th, 2009 at 2:30pm

Title: Best free imaging/cloning back-up program?
Post by Rad on Feb 24^th, 2009 at 2:30pm

I'm looking a free back-up to Ghost 14 .. just in case.

What's the most reliable freebie out there? I'll be using WXP laptop to USB external.

Title: Re: Best free imaging/cloning back-up program?
Post by Hellsbones on Feb 24^th, 2009 at 11:17pm

http://radified.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1235071255

I'm really beginning to like the Image for Linux as it does exactly what Ghost can do from a Boot Disk, across networks both wired and wireless, and has the added option of allowing the user to selectively decide whether or not they want to include both the pagefile.sys and hyberfile.sys in the image thus reducing overall image size. Download the trial of IFL and create a boot disk and you got it free basically because there is no limit on how many times you can boot from the CD to create/restore your images. As a side note, once your create your images, ILF uses the *.tbi file extension, which as Brian stated, can be read by ILF, IFW and IFD all from TerabyteUnlimited.

All other aspects of the program in the way of checking the image, assigning a password, throughput to USB devices and compression ratio considered being equal, the above few options put it over the top for me.

Title: Re: Best free imaging/cloning back-up program?
Post by Brian on Feb 25^th, 2009 at 2:11pm

Rad,

DriveImage XML is the only freebie I've tried. I created and restored a few images. That's my total experience with this app. It is slow compared with Ghost and you need a BartPE CD to run a restore but it should be an adequate secondary backup program. The plugin download and app are here....

http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm

Title: Re: Best free imaging/cloning back-up program?
Post by TheShadow on Feb 27^th, 2009 at 9:24am

I thought we already covered this topic....

Here!
http://radified.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1214757329

What did we miss. FREE is after all, FREE! Right? ::)

8-)

Title: Re: Best free imaging/cloning back-up program?
Post by Brian on Feb 27^th, 2009 at 12:52pm

TheShadow,

Your link refers to MaxBlast which only works with Seagate/Maxtor HDs.

MaxBlast is based on an old version of Acronis True Image so it's likely to have driver issues with more recent hardware.

Title: Re: Best free imaging/cloning back-up program?
Post by TheShadow on Feb 28^th, 2009 at 8:59am

But doesn't everyone have either a Seagate or Maxtor drive, somewhere in their system? ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D

I used the Acronis True Image from Maxtor to back up a 160 gig, sata2 HD in a Dell XPS-400, and running Vista Ultimate. Is that new enough for you?

My point is, that the FREE stuff is out there, if you just look for it.

If I ever want to do something new, I look around for FREE software first.

If you happen to have an old copy of Partition Magic laying around, that too can be used to make a CLONE of one drive or partition to another drive or partition. Just a thought. ;)

Shadow 8-)