Using Windows 'copy' command to image disk - what could go wrong?

thor

I know that there is a current thread asking about backing up hard drives but I just need a query answering. Reading another similar thread quite recently I remember someone saying that you could not just do a straight copy using Windows copy command to duplicate a drive because not all files would be copied. Does this mean if I copied all the files(as well as directory structure) in this manner to another drive and then replaced the original disk with this same drive, the system would not work, i.e boot up and load the op system?
That is all I want to do and would rather avoid the hassle of having to install specialised software for this purpose.

Red_Rose_Exile

You would propbably find that a large number of files are in use and those files are of vital importance to Windows. Files that are in use cannot normally be copied using the copy command. A piece of cloning software is in fact the best way to go and realistically the only way to go, as this generally runs whilst windows isn't

ormus

no you cannot do that and get a bootable OS with all your data.
you need a program such as ghost. there are lots of other progs too. some free.
you could install the OS onto a new hdd, then copy all of your data onto it. (from the first hdd).
if you try it the other way round, theres always the danger of loosing the data. unless you partition the disk and just store your data onto say the second partition. then install the OS into c: as per normal.

its just a lot easier & quicker to use ie ghost.

Conor_3

thor wrote: »

I remember someone saying that you could not just do a straight copy using Windows copy command to duplicate a drive because not all files would be copied. Does this mean if I copied all the files(as well as directory structure) in this manner to another drive and then replaced the original disk with this same drive, the system would not work, i.e boot up and load the op system?

Correct. Usually permissions don't get carried across and neither do hidden files. Also system files which need to be placed in a particular place don't get put where they're needed either. In addition to that NTFS maintains links which also don't get carried across.

The last OS where you stood a chance of getting away with it was Windows98/ME but even then, you had to use a win98 boot disk to make the parition active and transfer the system files to make it bootable.