BACKUP & RECOVERY GUIDES

How to clone a hard drive

Cloning is the ultimate way to preserve everything you have on a device. Unlike backups, which are file based, clones cover all your bases – they copy your operating system, your preferences and all your files and folders.

You might choose to clone your hard drive because you want to protect yourself from a system failure, disaster or theft. Or maybe you’re looking to buy a new device and want to keep all your software and settings. With a clone, you won’t have to find old passwords and reinstall your programs and applications.

Whatever your reason for cloning, you’ll first need a few things. This ‘how to’ will explain cloning, walk you through the steps needed and help you navigate cloning on Windows and Macs. You can click through the list on the left to go to the specific information you need.

What is cloning software?

Cloning is the ultimate safeguard for all the content on one of your devices. Instead of only saving certain files and folders, cloning creates an exact carbon copy of your operating system, your preferences, your software and all your files and folders. With cloning software, you can recover after a disaster or theft, and you can even use a clone when you want to upgrade to a new computer.

Backup vs. cloning software

Backups and cloning both help protect you in case of emergency, but backups are file-based while cloning recreates and saves everything.

With a backup, you can save some of your files or even all of your files. But backups won’t save your preferences and software and they can’t help you reboot your system. With a clone, you have a carbon copy of your hard drive that includes everything you need to recreate your device.

Benefits of backup
Backups are useful tools for keeping your files and folders safe in case of disaster.

Other benefits include the following:

Automatically saves and syncs files
Typically includes encryption on both transfer and storage
Ensures files corrupted by ransomware or hardware failure don’t get backed up

Benefits of cloning software
Cloning software helps you rest easy knowing no matter what the problem, big or small, you’ll always have access to your device (even if it’s on a ‘new’ device made with your clone).

Other benefits include the following:

Never losing your software and your preferences
Protection from the worst disasters
Perfect if you want to upgrade your hardware but keep your software

Why should I clone my hard drive?

Cloning your hard drive is the ultimate insurance against the worst-case scenarios. Here are the top reasons to clone:

You can setup multiple computers with the same configurations.
If you’re an IT professional and have multiple computers to set up, cloning is perfect. Or even if you’re a home user, this is perfect when you decide to set up a new computer for your children or partner.

To keep your settings and software through a computer upgrade
If you’re planning on upgrading your device but you love the way your current one is set up, cloning is perfect for you. You can keep your settings, your software and your operating system – so you might have a faster computer but the only changes you’ll have are on the back end.

To protect all that’s included on a device, even things a backup might miss
With cloning, everything on your device is protected. With just a backup, you might lose some valuable information during a system failure, theft or disaster. But with a clone, no matter the size or scope of an adverse event, your information is secure.

How to clone a hard drive on Windows

Creating a clone of a hard drive with Windows 10 takes a few steps – luckily, we’re here to walk you through them.

Acquire a second hard drive.
The first step is to have a hard drive available that’s larger than your current one and will hold your cloned content.

Double-check that your new drive is formatted.
To create a clone on a new hard drive, your drive must be ‘formatted.’ This can take some time if you’re using a drive that already contains information, so it’s best to get this out of the way early on.

Choose your cloning software.
With many options to choose from, you should look for a solution from an industry-leading company with ample experience helping people back up or clone their devices. These companies will have the most robust solutions and lots of resources to help in case you run into a problem. While Windows has a built-in solution, it’s limited to helping you create a clone only on its existing device. You won’t be able to transfer your cloned data to a new device.

Create your clone.
Once you have your new hard drive and you’ve chosen a cloning software, you’re most of the way there. The next steps happen once you’ve connected the new drive and booted up the software. Follow the steps to create your clone.

Safeguard your clone.
This last step is often overlooked, but it’s important. If you store your clone in the same room as your computer, a disaster like a flood or fire could destroy both. It’s recommended to keep your clone in a different location.

How to clone a Mac hard drive

Creating a clone of your Mac hard drive is similar to creating a clone of a Windows machine, though there are some important differences. And it’s important to note that Macs have a software they call Time Machine that helps create backups. This is perfect for safeguarding files and folders, but it’s not as comprehensive as a clone. Here are the steps you’ll need to take to clone a Mac:

Acquire a second hard drive.
The first step is to have a hard drive available that’s larger than your current one and will hold your cloned content.

Double-check that your new drive is formatted.
To create a clone on a new hard drive, your drive must be ‘formatted.’ This can take some time if you’re using a drive that already had some information on it, so it’s best to get this out of the way early on.

Choose cloning software.
With many options to choose from, you should look for a solution from an industry-leading company with ample experience helping people back up or clone their devices. These companies will have the most robust solutions and lots of resources to help in case you run into a problem. Apple’s Time Machine creates backups to a local drive, so it won’t protect you from disasters and it isn’t as comprehensive as a clone.

Create your clone.
Once you have your new hard drive and you’ve chosen cloning software, you’re most of the way there. The next steps happen once you’ve connected the new drive and booted up the software. Follow the steps to create your clone.

Before cloning, consider backup

Cloning and backup solutions both help protect your most important documents, files and memories. And while cloning is the most comprehensive solution, there are times that backup is sufficient.

With Carbonite Safe backup solutions, you’ll have automatic cloud backup alongside award-winning support. You’ll also have remote file access to computer files and documents.

Whether you choose cloning or backup to keep your documents and files safe, it’s important you choose a trusted provider.

Get your data back every time
If you've tried everything with no success, chalk it up to a learning experience and use it as motivation to start backing up all your important files so you never have to worry about losing them again. Carbonite is a powerful tool to back up pictures and files because it’s designed specifically for file recovery.

For more topics on safeguarding your digital life, go to our 'How-To' library.

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