Best imaging software

[It's Not Lupus]

I want to copy all the contents of a Windows OS hard drive and place it on to another faster hard drive or SSD. What's the best, most reliable software to do this? I prefer free options but don't mind paying.

 

[Chiefcrowe]

I'm a fan of Macrium Reflect.

 

[corkyg]

I have used Acronis TI for over 10 years - always use their user prepared bootable media for any cloning operation. My current version is now TI2014. When bootable media is use, it matters not what the OS is that you are imaging. That's my golden rule - never from within Windows.

 

[lxskllr]

I use Clonezilla

 

[Ketchup]

I use Todo Backup free, and many SSDs come with something for free. Lots of options out there, that all work perfectly fine.

 

[HOSED]

I used to recommend Paragon B & R free edition but I have run into numerous issues with it unless I run it outside of windows. Thank to the experts here I use Marcium. I also use REDO (no frills and simple) so I have 2 ways to restore.

 

[John Connor]

AOMEI Backupper http://www.backup-utility.com/free-backup-software.html

If you use it chose the clone hard drive option and not partition.

 

[taq8ojh]

I tried True Image for a while last year and loved it. Will probably buy a multilicense for the house.

 

[jhansman]

True Image 2013 here. Does everything I could ever need (short of partition mgmt) for my disks of all types.

 

[xgsound]

AOMEI Backupper http://www.backup-utility.com/free-backup-software.html

If you use it chose the clone hard drive option and not partition.

I have used the free AOMEI partition manager to clone system partitions to 2 SSDs and 3 HHDs successfully. The parameters were set in windows followed by a reboot and an OS independent cloning. It was fast and easy.

That backer upper looks very useful.

Jim

 

[John Connor]

You just used the partition option and not disk option?

 

[alkemyst]

Depending on drive, you may have access to a real version of some imaging software on their support site.

 

[xgsound]

You just used the partition option and not disk option?

Now that I think about it, it was the whole disk. It was able to image to a smaller SSD.

I had resized and reorganized partitions on a XP system with AOMEI in the past.

Jim

 

[Defenestration]

Terabyte Unlimited's Image For Windows (although you also get licences for Image For Linux and Image For DOS and a deploment tool). You can get a bundle for not much more which includes a boot manager and partitioning tool.

Rock solid software, flexible usage as it can be scripted, great support, reasonable price, generous upgrade policy and regularly updated (and no I don't work for them. I just think their software is great.):

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/image-for-windows.htm

 

[sonitravel09]

I am using Acronis True Image 2013. Happy camper with that one.