How to create multiple hard drive clones on a single external drive?

[Silestus]

So over the years I've amassed a few computers, each doing their own thing. I've got them fully loaded and the OS data and configurations just right and now I want to back up each drive of each computer, but not in a raid. I'm not loaded and can't afford duplicates of each drive to make a raid

The reason I want to do clones instead of a raid array is because If the computer suffers from a virus, malware, or data corruption, I can "reset" or reload it back to its original clone date. So essentially its like a system restore

I had the thought to try cloning multiple drives onto a single Samsung 3TB hard drive with multiple partitions but its not exactly working as I hoped

I'm using Easeus partition master but to no avail as I keep getting "destination disks sector size is not identical with source disk"

Any way past this?

 

[ArtPog]

I'll assume you would have no particular interest or need in booting the cloned data contents from the destination drive should those cloned contents contain an OS which I assume one or more will.

With that in mind...

There should be no special problem in multi-partitioning the proposed destination disk creating each partition's disk-space sufficient to contain the data contents from each source disk. Obviously this presupposes the total size of the destination disk will be sufficient to contain the cloned contents from all your source drives.

Presumably if & when the time comes that you need to restore/recover this or that cloned system you would simply re:clone those contents back to your source disk (assuming that disk was non-defective), or to a new drive to replace a failed disk.

We use the Casper disk-cloning program and have used destination drives to contain the cloned contents of different OSs many times following the general lines described above. Casper is a commercial program costing $49.99 so you may not be interested in it. There are many freely available disk-cloning programs on the net, e.g., Macrium Reflect, Easeus Todo Backup, that you might want to look into. I believe one or more may be suitable for your needs but since I don't work with them on a routine basis I'm loathe to provide you with any specific advice on their suitability. I'm not familiar with the Easeus program you mentioned for disk-cloning purposes.

 

[Silestus]

Dear Artpog

Not sure if this will fix my problem but I'll give it a shot. Thanks for taking the time of day to help me out when seemingly no one else would. You are a light in the dark

 

[Larry_3]

I use a simpler method. I use Windows 10 Pro / Ent. and have grown tired of long install times when something goes wrong. I used to use Ghost years ago in a corporate environment (back when you needed floppy disks), and had no idea what was available nowadays for this purpose. I made a "System Image" right inside windows, and backed up to a small external drive (2.5" generic USB 3.0 enclosure with 150Gb drive). After making a "Recovery" disk (start-up disk), You can make the system image which only takes up around 25-40Gb for a Win10 OS with settings and programs installed. This was really why I started doing this, because I hated having to set the myriad of settings,drivers and tweaks.. etc. every time I had to restore my OS. Just start up with the disk and browse the ext. drive for the image. Simple. Go to the "Cortana / search" area and click into it, then search "backup".
1) on the left, click the "Create a system repair disk".
2) just above that link, click "Create a System Image". (Have the ext. drive ready).

When it's done, you can use the start disk to get to a menu that will let you use the image. This method is built in to Windows 10 (and I believe 7 and 8 as well), and best of all, it's free. Hope this helps.

 

[CountMike]

Why not just use Macrium Reflect free and make images of every disk ? You can move them around or store them where ever you want. If needed, you can boot from it's rescue disk and restore them where needed.

 

[Larry_3]

Why not just use Macrium Reflect free and make images of every disk ? You can move them around or store them where ever you want. If needed, you can boot from it's rescue disk and restore them where needed.

Recommended the Windows method because it's built in and easy to use. I never heard of Reflect myself, is it trial or really free. Nothing worse than trying to image a computer a few months later and it's expired. I just downloaded it now and will give it a try soon. Thank you though, I'm also looking for a more robust way to store multiple images that are not OS's.

 

[USAFRet]

Why not just use Macrium Reflect free and make images of every disk ? You can move them around or store them where ever you want. If needed, you can boot from it's rescue disk and restore them where needed.

Recommended the Windows method because it's built in and easy to use. I never heard of Reflect myself, is it trial or really free. Nothing worse than trying to image a computer a few months later and it's expired. I just downloaded it now and will give it a try soon. Thank you though, I'm also looking for a more robust way to store multiple images that are not OS's.

Macrium Reflect Free
Really free, not a trial. I use it.

My main PC is imaged every night at 2AM. Full image of the C drive. Keep 2 weeks, deleting the oldest.
Every Sunday at 3AM to another system on the house LAN. Keep 4 weeks worth, deleting the oldest.

Free, automated.
Recovery of whichever days image I choose? 15-20 mins.

 

[CountMike]

Yes, I use it similar way too but not that often. Payed version can do incremental backups, .mrimg files it makes are mountable as virtual CD and are somewhat smaller than size of data on the disk you make backup from.
My last one is 48GB from boot disk which has 71GB of data on it.
Used it a lot while beta testing w7, 8/81 and 10, had to restore system many times. Keeping .mrimg backups on external storage. Even keeping them in cloud is possible.