How to back up a disk to an image file?
How to back up a disk to an image file
What is Clone Genius?
Clone Genius in “Data Backup” tool is a powerful backup solution for your business or for your personal needs in a networking environment or on a single machine. All and raw data, including Windows, installed programs and your personal files, will be “mirrored” to another disk/partition, or other media storage(such as USB devices, IEEE1394 devices, Flash storage etc.). They can also be saved as a single file (also called “image file”). When your disk is corrupted, you can restore it completely from the mirrored disk or the image file. Besides, when you want to upgrade your hard drive, you do NOT need to reinstall your Windows and programs any more. Instead, just use this clone tool to mirror back all things from your old disk to your new one.
When should you use Clone Genius?
Worried about the data lost caused by system crash or virus attacks? Tired of the whole troublesome process of reinstalling the operating system? Want to make Backup an happy easy operation? One of Spotmau’s POWER SUITE 2009 highly recommended functions —Clone Genius — can help you. When a computer disaster occurs, Clone Genius helps to recover the computer from many common problems, including:
l Virus Attack: Damage may be caused before virus isolation.
l False software installation: Some software may cause bad effects on computer function, i.e. Slow down computer speed and the time-consuming on opening the program or files. Once the software is installed, uninstalling may not recover the accidental damage during setup.
l Hard disk driver error/failure: The data of system driver (driver C in general) may have been damaged, and system cannot start up.
l Accidental deletion or overwritten of files: Accidental files deletion is common, but often costly.
l File damages: Virus may have damaged certain files or file folders, or may come up with false when applications revising it.
Procedure of backing up a disk to an image file:
- To begin, please double click Spotmau icon and enter PowerSuite 2009’s interface, follow these steps: Self Service —> PowerSuite 2009 Wincare –> Data Backup –> Clone Genius, then you can have the interface looked just like the following picture.
2. A window will pop up as followed:
3. Or you can start from the Spotmau CD. Clone Genius can run while your computer booted from the Spotmau CD. You will have the interface looked just like the following picture. Choose the first item “Spotmau Standard Mode (Recommended)”
4. When PowerSuite 2009 is booting your system, please be patient and wait for several minutes.
5. When the booting is finished, you will see an interface as followed:
6. Follow these steps: Self Service —> PowerSuite 2009 Bootcare –>Data Backup –> Clone Genius:
7. You will also see a similar window. The difference between these two windows is that there is no 
in this window.
8. DISK TO DISK.
WARNING:
This option will erase ALL the data on your destination disk, please backup important data first.
Note:
To perform Disk To Disk, the following THREE requirements should be met:
1. Your computer has no less than TWO disks.
2. The source disk must have at least one partition.
3. The capacity of destination disk is equal to or larger than the source one’s .
8.1 Click 
to begin.
8.2 You will see a dialog which displays a list of hard disks
8.3 Firstly, select a disk as the source disk:
8.4 Secondly, select a destination disk.
Notes: the capacity of source disk shall not be bigger than the destination disk, otherwise you will see a dialog to remind you of this:
8.5 The data on the destination disk will be overwritten.
8.6 When you see this window, please be patient, and wait for several minutes.
8.7 When the cloning is done, please follow the instruction on the dialog to restart your computer.
9. DISK TO IMAGE:
Notes:
1. To perform Disk To Image, the following THREE requirements should be met:
a. Your computer has no less than TWO disks.
b. The source disk must have at least one partition.
c. The destination disk has at least one FAT partition.
2. It is highly suggested that you choose a partition with enough free space (no less than 64MB) to save the image file. When there is no enough space to save the image file on the partition during backuping, a file browser will automatically pop up; it lets you create the next image file under the extension of PCS (PCS file) and save it to another partition. The program will also automatically recommend a partition and a filename. This step will repeat by analogy until backup completes. In this case, you may need to create more than one PCS file. Please remember the creating sequence of those PCS files and exactly follow the same sequence when you are restoring the files. It is recommended to name the PCS files with sequence numbers, such as PCS001, PCS002, PCS003…
3. The maximum size of a single image file (PCH file or PCS file) is 2G. If the image file exceeds 2G, extended files under the extension of PCE (PCE files) will be generated automatically. In this case, do not separate the image file from its extended files in two different directories when backuping finished. Once you move the PCH file or PCS file, make sure to move their PCE files together. It is NOT recommended to move the image files.
9.1 Click 
to begin
9.2 Select a source disk to backup.
9.3 Click
to select the destination:
9.4 A “Select a file” dialog will show up:
9.5 You can choose the way to display files and folder by click these buttons.
9.6 The path will be shown in the textbox.
9.7 Afterwards, select a compress level for the image file: none, normal or high.
Tips: To learn more about the differences among these three level, you can refer to the NOTES at the end of this How-to.
9.8 When you see this window, please be patient and wait for several minutes.
9.9 When this little dialog shows up, the backing up is successful.
10. DISK FROM IMAGE
WARNING: This option will erase ALL the data on your destination disk, please backup important data first.
Notes:
1. To perform Disk From Image, the following requirements should be met:
- The computer has more than TWO disks.
- The capacity of the destination disk is sufficient to hold the data backuped in the image file.
2. If the image files that need to be restored include PCH file and PCS file(s), please choose the PCH file initially before backuping. During the backuping process, a file browser will automatically pop up for you to select the next PCS file. If there is more than one PCS file, make sure that you select them in order, because the sequence of PCS files has been arranged when created.
10.1 To restore a disk from an image file, please click 
to located the image file.
10.2 A “Select a file” dialog will pop up.
10.3 Click 
to go on. And select a destination disk.
10.4 A dialog will pop up to remind you of the result of losing data.
10.5 When the restoring process begins, you will see the following window:
10.6. When you see this little dialog, the process is done.
10.7. At the end, a dialog will pop up and ask you to restart your computer. The whole process is finished.
11. PARTITION TO PARTITION
WARNING: This option will erase ALL the data on your destination disk, please backup important data first.
Note: The disk should have no less than TWO partitions.
11.1 To backup one partition to another, please click 
.
11.2. Firstly, select a disk to which the source partition– the one you want to back up belongs. If there is only one disk in your PC, please skip this step.
11.3. Secondly, select a source partition.
11.4. Select a disk to which the destination partition– the one where you store the image file. If there is only one disk in your PC, please skip this step.
11.5. Select the destination partition.
11.6. Click 
. A dialog will pop up to remind you of the result of losing ALL the data.
11.7. Click 
to go on, and the following window will be shown.
11.8. When you see this dialog, the backing up process is done.
11.9. Then you will be required to restart your computer, please follow the instruction on the dialog. Afterwards, the whole operation will be finished.
12. PARTITION TO IMAGE
Notes:
1. Your disk has no less than TWO partitions.
2. It is highly suggested that you choose a partition with enough free space (no less than 64MB) to save the image file. When there is no enough space to save the image file on the partition during backup process, a file browser will automatically pop up; it let you create the next image file under the extension of PCS (PCS file) and save it to another partition. The program will also automatically recommend a partition and a filename. This step will repeat by analogy until backup completes. In this case, you may need to create more than one PCS file. Please remember the creating sequence of those PCS files and exactly follow the same sequence when you are restoring the files. It is recommended to name the PCS files with sequence numbers, such as PCS001, PCS002, PCS003…
3. The maximum size of a single image file (PCH file or PCS file) is 2G. If the image file exceeds 2G, extended files under the extension of PCE (PCE files) will be generated automatically. In this case, do not separate the image file from its extended files in two different directories when the backup finished. Once you move the PCH file or PCS file, make sure to move their PCE files together. It is NOT recommended to move the image files.
12.1. To backup one partition to an image file. please click .
12.2. Firstly, select a disk to which the source partition– the one you want to back up belongs. If there is only one disk in your PC, please skip this step.
12.3. Secondly, select a source partition.
12.4. Please choose the export image storing location, and enter a name for the image file. The created image can restore your disk or partition to the original state before backup.�
12.5. Click 
, a dialog will be shown as followed:
E.g. :
12.6. Afterwards，select a compress level for the image file: none, normal or high.
Tips: To learn more about the differences among these three level, you can refer to the NOTES at the end of this How-to.
12.7. After setting the compress level, you will see the following picture. Please be patient and wait for several minutes.
12.8. When this little dialog shows up, the backing up is successful.
13. PARTITION FROM IMAGE
WARNING: This option will erase ALL the data on your destination disk, please backup important data first.
Notes:
1. The capacity of the destination partition should be enough to hold the data backup in the image file.
2. If the image files that need to be restored include PCH file and PCS file(s), please choose the PCH file initially before backuping. During the backuping process, a file browser will automatically pop up for you to select the next PCS file. If there is more than one PCS file, make sure that you select them in order, because the sequence of PCS files has been arranged when created.
13.1. To restore data from an image file to a partition, firstly, you shall click
13.2. Click to locate the image file that you want to restore.
13.3. A dialog will show up. Please specify the destination here.
13.4. 
13.5. Click 
and choose a destination partition.
13.6. A dialog will pop up to remind you of the result of losing data.
13.7. If the destination partition is being used, a dialog will ask you to restart your computer.
13.8. When the restoring process begins, you will see the following window:
13.9. When you see this little dialog, the process is done.
14. PARTITION TO CD/DVD：
14.1. To begin, please click .
14.2. A window will pop up as followed:
14.3. Firstly, please select the disk where the designated partition that you want to backup locates.
14.4. Then you can select the designated partition:
14.5. Or you can select a whole disk to back up:
14.6. Next, please select the burning device from the list
14.7. and the burning speed (a bigger figure indicates a higher speed:
14.8. When the backup begins, you can see the progress bar. Please be patient and wait for several minutes:
14.9. When you see the following dialog, the whole progress is done.
Notes:
1. To perform Partition To CD/DVD, the following THREE requirements should be met:
- Your computer has no less than TWO partitions.
- Your computer has no less than ONE disc-carving machine.
- CD/DVD Writer is required.
- There are enough CDs or DVDs with high quality.
2. It is highly suggested that you choose a CD/DVD with enough free space (no less than 64MB) to save the image file. When there is no enough space to save the image file on the partition during backuping, a file browser will automatically pop up; it let you create the next image file under the extension of PCS (PCS file) and save it to another CD/DVD. The program will also automatically recommend a filename. This step will repeat by analogy until backup completes. In this case, you may need to create more than one PCS file. Please remember the creating sequence of those PCS files and exactly follow the same sequence when you are restoring the files. It is recommended to name the PCS files with sequence numbers, such as PCS001, PCS002, PCS003…
3. The maximum size of a single image file (PCH file or PCS file) is 2G. If the image file exceeds 2G, extended files under the extension of PCE (PCE files) will be generated automatically. In this case, do not separate the image file from its extended files in two different directories when backuping finished. Once you move the PCH file or PCS file, make sure to move their PCE files together. It is NOT recommended to move the image files.
COMPRESSION LEVEL
l None: Image files take up the largest amount of space. Without storage space problem, this option can be selected. Backup speed can then be the fastest.
l Normal: This option uses low compression for a 40 percent average data compression ratio on recovery points. This setting is the default.
l High: Image files take up the least space. This option uses high compression for a 50 percent average data compression ratio on recovery points. This setting is usually the slowest method. CPU usage might be higher than normal. Other processes on the computer might also be slower.