Disk cloning tool open source

Parts of Clonezilla are essentially just wrappers around some of the other tools below, but this makes it an easier-to-use tool for those new to disk imaging. The single-machine version of the program is essentially a Linux live CD that puts a simple menu structure around common cloning and imaging tasks.

Clonezilla is written primarily in Perl, and the source code can be found on the project's homepage under a GPL version 2 license. A more basic tool is dd , which has existed as a Unix and later a Linux command line tool for decades, which essentially performs raw writing from one location to another, and can be configured with a variety of options. If you're running a Linux machine, or a similar BSD system, chances are you already have dd installed: it is a part of the GNU coreutils.

You may have used dd before to create a live USB installer for your favorite Linux distribution, or to copy an operating system to an SD card for use on a Raspberry Pi. While little more than a simple terminal command, its simplicity means you can include dd in scripts to perform backups and restores in a more automated way, according to your exact needs.

The FOG Project provides a web-based tool for disk cloning, aimed at tying together a variety of open source tools to make it easy to provide image solutions for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. It used PXE Preboot eXecution Environment booting to download a small Linux client and perform the imaging remotely, making it much easier to maintain a large batch of computers than by shuffling around manual disks. We've covered FOG before in considerable detail, so if you're interested in learning more about how to use FOG, check out this tutorial.

Partimage is a Linux-based tool, commonly packaged for a live rescue CD, which supports a variety of partition types and has a relatively easy-to-use menu structure.

It's a little bit less intuitive than Clonezilla, but it may work better for you in certain situations. These certainly aren't the only free and open source disk cloning tools out there. Wikipedia lists over a dozen others with an open source license, and there are certainly more than that out there hidden away across the Internet. Do you have a favorite tool for disk cloning, either one listed here or one we should have included?

Let us know in the comments below. Was going to download and use the latest version of Clonezilla since I have had success with it in the past. These images can be used for disk duplications, PC upgrades, backups etc. It is free and open-source disk imaging tool for Windows that can be used for disk partitioning, scheduled backups, encryption and more. Computer system recovery is used by accessing the backup image. Includes a bootable component to restore Windows.

Only applicable for a Windows-based environment. It is the best bet of enterprises that require a free disk imaging solution. It is available as a freeware for Windows. Features of [email protected] Image. It is easy to create backup, set compression levels, split files, uses Windows VSS for intelligent sector copy, clone the entire system.

However, novice users might find it difficult to use. It is also suitable to recreate missing boot files. Use a registered version of this software if you want the hard drive recovery disk on WinPE to function properly.

This can be automated or can be done manually. It features a user-friendly GUI, backup comments, a selection compression levels, partition, system and file folder backups and option to encrypt. It can split a larger backup, sector optimization during backup, shadow copy, GPT disk, UEFI boot support, differential or incremental backup modes and offers many free version.

This works good even in presence of limited disk space, the type of encryption or compression that makes use of AES. This imaging software comes with volume shadow service and volume locking features. It is used to backup and recover data. This imaging and backup software is a good offline option that works in easy steps. It can create incremental backups, create a bootable restoration disk, and hard drive recovery.

This imaging software works on the concept of Acronis True Image Software. In case, if your original hard drive fails, you can quickly swap it with the clone. This helps you to avoid reinstalling system software. Following is a handpicked list of Top Hard Drive Cloning Tools, with its popular features and website links.

The list contains both open source free and commercial paid software. It allows you to duplicate the configurations of multiple PC so that each system is identically set up. Paragon Drive Copy Professional allows you to migrate disk to a larger drive. It also allows you to manage hard disk partitions effectively. ManageEngine OS Deployer is a software program that enables you to deploy operating systems anywhere across the globe. It is one of the best hard drive cloning software.

It allows you to create a master image of the OS and deploy it to desktops and servers from a central location. It supports Windows 10, Windows 8. EaseUS Clone software product allows you to clone a smaller hard disk drive to a larger hard disk drive. AOMEI Backupper app enables you to transfer your operating system to another drive without installing it again.

This software helps you to upgrade your hard from old disk to a new one.