Backup Programs

Hi wpg:

Thank you for the post on back up. I have a few Q:

1) Does the Easeus todo make a clone of the internal HD? if so one can clone the internal HD on an external HD then in case of internal HD gone bad how does one boot the system to copy the clone external HD to the new internal HD?

2) what does it mean bootable disc? a) is the clone external HD called bootable disc or one has to create a bootable disc along with the clone external HD?

3) These days one can get units which can take in internal HD and thru USB cable can connect to machine externally. Can you recommend any unit like that? I am very wary of chienese made electronics .

Thank you for help.

Vin

1) Yes, it has the option to clone your HD. However when I used it back last August, I discovered that if you clone to an external drive, it will not make it bootable. So, if you want a bootable backup, you have 3 options:
a) Install the new drive internally before cloning, if possible.
b) Make a backup to a different partition, then restore. This is what I did last August.
c) Use a different program to clone. There've been several new versions of the Easeus program since August, so maybe that's changed, but that's what I discovered back then. There are hundreds of backup/restore and cloning programs out there and many are free, but the Easeus one is what I've been using for several years with no problem.

2) A bootable disc is one you put in your CD/DVD drive, then turn power on and select the CD/DVD drive to boot from.

3) The last hard drive enclosures I've used are made by Inland. I've used other brands, but I've come to trust Inland. I can't remember have any of their devices to fail on me. YMMV.
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Good luck.

Thank you so much for the reply and explaining the back up process. I will buy or get the free version of Easeus program based on your experience. I checked their site and they are in the backup business for a while and provide services to business and at enterprise level.
I have a follow up Q:

My intent was not to install 2nd internal HD in my desktop computer ..it gets a bit messy in the tight space inside. I wanted to clone the existing internal HD to new internal HD using the Inland enclosure. This will allow me to replace the existing HD [if goes bad] with the new one I cloned using the Inland enclosure. This should work as bootable HD once replaced? A quick process to replace the bad HD that I can do myself.
Regarding your suggestion ‘Make a backup to a different partition, then restore’ . You mean different partition in the existing HD? I suppose the different partition can’t be on the existing HD? Once the HD goes bad all will be lost. OR you meant a different partition on an external HD? I was planning to make the existing HD image on an external HD but how does one a) transfer this image to new internal HD [if the existing goes bad] from the image on external HD? I am sorry I am not familiar with this process .. I was reading on forums to go to BIOS after connecting the external HD and boot from it … Could you pl throw some light on this issue if possible… meanwhile I will read some more on it ..
I like your suggestion b) Could you pl explain a little bit how does one go about doing it.

Thank you so much for your help.