How to backup a disk to an image file
How to backup 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:
1. Virus Attack: Damage may be caused before virus isolation.
2. 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.
3. Hard disk driver error/failure: The data of system driver (driver C in general) may have been damaged, and system cannot start up.
4. Accidental deletion or overwritten of files: Accidental files deletion is common, but often costly.
5. 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 IMAGE: Click
to begin
9. Select a source disk to backup.
10. Click 
to select the destination:
11. A “Select a file” dialog will show up:
12. You can choose the way to display files and folder by click these buttons.
13. The path will be shown in the textbox.
14. 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.
15. When you see this window, please be patient and wait for several minutes.
16. When this little dialog shows up, the backing up is successful.
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.
COMPRESSION LEVEL
- 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.
- Normal: This option uses low compression for a 40 percent average data compression ratio on recovery points. This setting is the default.
- 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.