disk cloning

Disk cloning is the process of copying the contents of one computer hard disk to another disk or to an "image" file (Sometimes referred to as Ghost Imaging). Often, the contents of the first disk are written to an image file as an intermediate step, and the second disk is loaded with the contents of the image. This procedure is also useful when moving to a larger capacity disk.

There are a number of notable uses for disk cloning software. These include:

* Reboot and restore – a technique in which the disk of a computer is automatically wiped and restored from a "clean", master image, which should be in full working order and should have been swept for viruses. This is used by some cybercafes and some training and educational institutes, and helps ensure that even if a user does misconfigure something, downloads inappropriate content or programs, or infects a computer with a virus, the computer will be restored to a clean, working state. The reboot and restore process can either take place irregularly when a computer shows signs of malfunctioning, on a regular basis (e.g., nightly) or even, in some cases, every time a user logs off, which is the safest approach (although that does involve some downtime).
* Provisioning new computers – Provisioning with a standard set of software so that a new user is ready to go straight away with a complete application suite and does not have to waste time installing individual applications. This is often done by original equipment manufacturers and larger companies.
* Hard drive upgrade – An individual user may use disk copying (cloning) to upgrade to a new, sometimes larger, hard disk.
* Full system backup – A user may create a comprehensive backup of their operating system and installed software.
* System recovery – An OEM can provide media that can restore a computer to its original factory software configuration
* Transfer to another user – A system sold or given to another person may be reset by reloading a known, previously-saved image that contains no personal files or information