I want to clone my Windows 10 system from an HDD to an SSD array, and everyone is talking about Clonezilla. My main issue with it is that it's Linux-based, with all the advanced features revolving around Linux bootloaders and software. I have had in the past issues with Linux software messing up NTFS volumes. For those of you who have used Clonezilla with Windows, is it reliable for cloning a Windows installation? Will it in any way affect the Microsoft bootloader? – From Reddit.

Clonezilla is a free, open-source disk cloning tool with a command-line interface that enjoys widespread global usage. But is Clonezilla safe? This article will explore the safety of Clonezilla from a tool perspective and offer you a better cloning solution for your cloning tasks.

What is Clonezilla?

Clonezilla is a partition and disk imaging/cloning tool. It aids in system deployment, bare metal backup, and recovery. It's a powerful disk cloning software featuring cloning only used space, compatibility with multiple operating systems, compressed cloning, and PXE boot capabilities. It runs well on Windows, macOS, and Linux computers.

Clonezilla

Clonezilla is an excellent tool you can use to upgrade your hard drive to a larger one and migrate Windows to a new disk. It also lets you clone a single or multiple disks from one hard drive to another and supports various types of drives, including HDD, NVMe SSD, SATA SSD, and more.

There are three versions of Clonezilla available: Clonezilla Live for single computers, and Clonezilla lite server or Clonezilla Server Edition (SE) for large-scale deployments.

?Key Features of Clonezilla

    • Full support for encryption
    • Clone a hard drive with bad sectors
    • Create disk image backups
    • Supports multiple file systems (NTFS, ext2, ext3, etc.)
    • Command-line interface for advanced users
    • Supports both MBR and GPT partition styles
    • Allows imaging of individual partitions and entire disks
    • Can be run from a Live CD or Live USB (no need to install within Windows)
               ✅Advantages of Clonezilla                ⛔Disadvantages of Clonezilla
  • Powerful encryption capabilities
  • Free and open-source
  • Ability to restore an image to multiple local devices
  • Supports backup, cloning, and partitioning of hard drives
  • Limited functionality
  • Cannot be directly downloaded
  • No customer support service
  • No graphical user interface
  • Complex setup/interface

Based on the information provided, Clonezilla is a practical disk cloning tool. You can learn how to use this software in the following guide:

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How to Use Clonezilla

Clonezilla might be complicated for computer beginners. Hence, this article aims to teach you how to use Clonezilla with pictures and detailed tutorials.

How to Use Clonezilla

But is Clonezilla safe to use? Keep reading!

Is it safe to use Clonezilla?

When it comes to disk cloning, Clonezilla has earned its place, and many of you might have heard about it. But have you ever been confused by questions like, “Is Clonezilla really free?” “Is Clonezilla legal?” “Is Clonezilla easy to use?” “Is it reliable to clone a Windows hard drive with Clonezilla?” or “Is Clonezilla safe?”

is Clonezilla safe

The answer is yes. Clonezilla is safe and practical. It's not malware or a computer virus but a disk cloning tool. You can use Clonezilla with confidence for hard drive cloning. Besides, Clonezilla also allows you to encrypt image files with a password to prevent unauthorized access.

However, even if you're an expert, cloning a hard drive with Clonezilla is not as straightforward as you might think, as it involves many steps. To make things worse, you may encounter issues like Clonezilla won't clone bad sectors or Clonezilla won't clone HDD.

In this case, it's not recommended to use Clonezilla for cloning or upgrading the hard drive. So, it's better to turn to some Clonezilla alternatives to help you clone the hard drive.

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Best Clonezilla Alternatives for Free Download

When it comes to cloning hard disks or SSDs, Disk Copy is one cloning tool that you can't miss. It lets you clone your disk easily and quickly. It's great for cloning and is a good alternative to Clonezilla.

Disk Copy Tool is a professional disk cloning and migration software for Windows 11/10/8/7. It helps you clone system, disks, and partitions, clone hard drive to USB flash drive, and migrate Windows from HDD to SSD or from SSD to SSD. Additionally, it allows you to transfer Windows from HDD to SSD without losing data, and create a local backup of your hard drive.

?Main Features of Disk Copy Tools

     ✅Advantages of Hard Disk Cloning Tools      ⛔Disadvantages of Hard Disk Cloning Tools
  • Safe and user-friendly
  • Supports GPT disks
  • One-click system migration
  • Excellent and free technical support
  • Sector-by-sector cloning technology
  • Great price options with high cost-effectiveness
  • No free version (but a free trial is available)

Disk Copy is a handy tool for cloning and upgrading hard disks. It features a user-friendly interface and faster cloning speed, enabling you to clone disks effortlessly and efficiently.

If you have nowhere else to go, just download and install a disk-cloning tool, and follow the instructions to clone your drive.

Step 1: Download, install, and run the disk cloning tool Disk Copy on your computer.

Click “Disk Mode,” then select the hard drive you want to copy or clone. Click “Next.”

Select the hard disk to clone

Step 2: Select the target disk.

Note: If you are copying or cloning the source disk, the target disk must be at least as large as the source disk.

Select the destination disk

Step 3: Check and edit the disk layout.

If the target disk is an SSD, check the Target is SSD option.

Confirmation Information

If prompted, click “Erase” to erase the data from the target disk.

Check disk layout

Click “Proceed” to begin the hard drive cloning process.

Click “Proceed” to start the cloning process.

In short

Is Clonezilla safe? You'll get the answer now. Yes, Clonezilla is safe and great for disk cloning. It works well with Windows, MacOS, and Linux. However, you may encounter some issues while using it, and its interface is complicated, not user-friendly for beginners. So, it's recommended to try a Clonezilla alternative.

When it comes to a Clonezilla alternative, Disk Copy is your go-to option. It helps you shift your C drive to the new SSD and fixes the issue of a cloned drive showing incorrect size. Plus, it lets you swap out the HDD in your laptop with an SSD. Just download and give it a try to discover more handy features.

FAQ about "Is Clonezilla safe?"

**1. Why can't Clonezilla boot from USB?**

If a USB flash drive or USB hard disk does not boot, check that: There is at least one FAT or NTFS partition on your USB mass storage device. The partition in the partition table is marked as "bootable". The partition must start on a cylinder boundary.

2. Can Clonezilla be used for Windows 10?

Does Clonezilla work with Windows 10? Yes, Clonezilla works fine with both Windows 11 and 10. If you're using a Windows 10 computer, you can also use Clonezilla to migrate your current OS installation (including all settings, programs, and files) to a new drive of equal or greater size without having to reinstall.