How to Backup Computer System Hard Drive
This document is helping you backup/restore your C: (SYSTEM) drive. It is highly recommended
that you back up your C: drive when you
Buy a new computer
Install a software that needs activation or license key, such as Windows 7 or Office 2010
Feel your system is in good condition (running fast, no virus found)
Want to try a software
1. Decide Your CPU Chipset. (32bit or 64bit)
Start -> msinfo32.exe
2. Download Free Software
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ImgBurn
ImgBurn is a CD burning software that burns ISO files into CD. If you have other software
which can burn ISO files into CD, such as Nero Burning Rom, you can skip this step. The
version number may differ by the time you download.
Website: http://www.imgburn.com/
File name: SetupImgBurn_2.5.5.0.exe
GParted
GParted is a Disk Partition software. It can resize the partition of your hard drive.
Website: http://gparted.sourceforge.net/download.php
File name: gparted-live-0.9.1-1.iso
CloneZilla
CloneZilla is a Disk backup/restore software. It can save your disk/partition into an image file
and then restore it later.
Website: http://clonezilla.org/downloads.php
File name (32bit): clonezilla-live-1.2.10-14-i486.iso
File name (64bit): clonezilla-live-1.2.10-14-amd64.iso
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3. Install ImgBurn and Burn ISO file into CD
Install ImgBurn
Execute the downloaded software SetupImgBurn_2.5.5.0.exe. Follow the instructions and
use the default value to install the software.
Burn ISO File into CD
Execute ImgBurn. Click Write image file to disc.
Click Browse a file and locate gparted-live-0.9.1-1.iso
Insert a blank CD into your CD-RW drive. Click Write to start burning the CD.
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Repeat the above step to burn CloneZilla.
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4. Check whether the DATA disk exists.
Go to My Computer or Computer. Examine your hard drives. For example, the following
picture shows that this system has only one disk with one partition. The CD drive is assigned as
D: drive.
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Change CD drive to E: drive
Right click My Computer and select Manage.
Click Disk Management
Right click CD-ROM 0 and select Change Drive Letter and Paths.
Click the [Change] button and assign a new drive letter E.
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Click the [OK] button to confirm. The result will be like the following picture.
Shut down the computer.
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5. Use GParted to Split the Disk into Two Partitions.
Insert GParted CD into the CD drive and start the computer. The computer will boot from the
CD drive.
Select Dont touch keymap and press [ENTER]
Choose language [33] and press [ENTER]
Choose (0) Continue to start X to use GParted automatically and press [ENTER]
Click /dev/sda1 which is your C: drive. You can see the label SYSTEM to verify it.
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Click the [Resize/Move] button. Enter the new size. For example, 61440 which means 60GB.
Click the [Resize/Move] button and the [Apply] button.
Click the [Apply] button to confirm. Wait a few seconds to process.
Click the [Close] button.
Press Ctrl-Q to quit GParted.
Shut down the computer
Double click the [Exit] icon and select Shutdown and click the [OK] button.
Eject the GParted CD and press [ENTER] to continue.
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6. Format D: (DATA) disk.
Start computer to Windows
Windows will check the file system, so please wait a few minutes. When system asks you to
restart your computer, press [ENTER] to restart.
Add a new disk
Right click My Computer and select Manage.
Click Disk Management
Right click the Unallocated space, select New Partition
Click the [Next] button to start New Partition Wizard.
Select Primary partition and click the [Next] button.
Accept the default size and click the [Next] button.
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Select [D] as Assign the following drive letter. Click the [Next] button.
Set the Volume label to DATA, check Perform a quick format and click the [Next] button.
Click the [Finish] button.
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7. Use CloneZilla to back up C: (SYSTEM) drive.
Create a new folder D:\DISKIMAGE
Shut down the computer
Insert the CloneZilla CD into the CD drive and start the computer. The computer will boot
from CD drive.
The system starts like GParted.
Select en_US.UTF-8 English and press [ENTER]
Select Dont touch keymap and press [ENTER]
Select Start_Colnezilla Start Clonezilla and press [ENTER]
Select device-image work with disks or partitions using images and press [ENTER]
Select local_dev Use local device (E.g.: hard drive, USB drive) and press [ENTER] twice.
Select sda2 (the D: drive) and press [ENTER]
Select DISKIMAGE (the folder D:\DISKIMAGE) and press [ENTER] twice. This will be our
target folder to save the image.
Select Beginner mode and press [ENTER].
Select saveparts and press [ENTER].
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Enter the image name (a folder name under D:\DISKIMAGE) and press [ENTER]
Check sda1 (C: drive) and press [ENTER].
Select Yes, check the saved image and press [ENTER] twice.
Enter y and press [ENTER] to start the backup process.
Wait a few minutes
Press [ENTER] to continue
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Select 0 Poweroff and press [ENTER].
Eject CloneZill CD and press [ENTER] to continue.
Start the computer
Examine the results
Explore D:\DISKIMAGE. There should a folder called CBCM-WS000-20111109.
Keep this folder in safe place, such as an external hard drive or burn into DVD.
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8. Use CloneZilla to restore C: (SYSTEM) drive.
Shut down the computer
Insert CloneZilla CD into CD drive and start the computer. The computer will boot from CD
drive.
Select en_US.UTF-8 English and press [ENTER]
Select Dont touch keymap and press [ENTER]
Select Start_Colnezilla Start Clonezilla and press [ENTER]
Select device-image work with disks or partitions using images and press [ENTER]
Select local_dev Use local device (E.g.: hard drive, USB drive) and press [ENTER] twice.
Select sda2 (the D: drive) and press [ENTER]
Select DISKIMAGE (the folder D:\DISKIMAGE) and press [ENTER] twice. This will be our
target folder to save the image.
Select Beginner mode and press [ENTER].
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Select restoreparts Restore_an_image_to_local_partitions and press [ENTER].
Select the image name (a folder name under D:\DISKIMAGE) and press [ENTER]
Check sda1 (C: drive) and press [ENTER].
Press [ENTER] to continue.
Enter y and press [ENTER] to start the restore process.
Enter y and press [ENTER] to re-confirm.
Wait a few minutes
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Press [ENTER] to continue
Select 0 Poweroff and press [ENTER].
Eject CloneZill CD and press [ENTER] to continue.
Start the computer
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