To put it quite simply, hard drive cloning is making an exact copy of the hard drive that is presently in your computer now. Why should you consider this you ask? What if all of a sudden your computer crashes? What are you going to do? Well one option if you bought your computer from one of the big manufacturer's you have the re install Operating System on a partition and you can re load the OS from scratch. If you have experience in doing this, you will know that there is a way for you to save your files onto the new install, however, you must take into consideration that the reason your system may have crashed in the first place is because of a virus contained in one of those files, which will put you back into the same boat once you open those files again.
Plus if you do save those files during the new install, you have to know that the files are hidden in a C:/ drive directory usually under a long number string. This is only part of the battle that you will be facing. You also have the long task of getting the system back up to where it was before the crash and you will surely have to take a whole new long list of updates. But hold onto your hat. If you have never gone through all of this before, here is the real kicker. Not only do you have to once again install all of your programs, there is a real good chance that you won't be able to re install many of your higher end expensive programs.
Why? Each time you re install your Operating System onto your computer, the Operating System number Key changes, telling your software and Internet connections that this is a new computer. Your software is designed to be tied into the Key on the Operating System you initially install it on. When the OS (Operating System) Key changes, some of your software programs will not validate because it does not recognize the new key or your validation comes back that you are trying to load your software onto more than one computer and you only have a license for one computer.
Not all is always lost here though. Some of the software companies know that you will eventually have to re install your operating system on your computer, so if you call them and explain the situation to them, they may, at their discretion, give you a new key so that you can load the software onto your computer again. How many software programs do you have that you may have to do this with and how much time are you looking at to do these tasks? I've been through this a few to many times and I can tell you, I am done with it forever, because you are still not through with all of the frustrations. What else can go wrong? Remember we talked about saving your old files before?
If you did save all those files before, and one of them is corrupted and the culprit of your first crash, you might end up with a second crash right after you get your system back to normal. Now if you end up having to re install everything again, and that includes all your software, guess what, chances are very slim that you will get a third key from the software makers.
I do not mean a new key for the OS, you will get that each time you re load. In fact, that is exactly what the problem is. I've been through all of this. That is why I now clone every hard drive on every computer I own. You see, a cloned hard drive has the same exact Operating System Key as well as all the proper drivers for your brand and model of computer as well as all the Keys for all of the software you presently have on your computer.
Cloning your hard drive is not a hard job, but it is not recommended for the inexperienced user. If you are not afraid of opening your computer case and getting into the machine, then half your battle is over. Just about every computer has all the connections already built in to ad a second hard drive for additional storage space. There are exceptions, such as some work stations and all laptops, but the majority of towers have this. Now here is what you are going to need to perform this job correctly. Good cloning software, I prefer Acronis True Image which is paid for software. There are free software products out there that have limited but sufficient abilities to do the job, but Acronis True Image comes with some extra hard to beat features I really appreciate.
