Clone or image?

[Arnold72]

Greetings avast forum.
Would anybody be so kind as to explain what the difference is between cloning and imaging a HDD please.?
I use macrium reflect to perform back ups and it creates a xml definition file image.
It has a clone function too but im not too sure what this entails apart from the obvious that it clones the drive.

Im wondering if i can use my external HDD as my main drive instead of the in built HDD inside my computer.
Is it possible to do this.Im fully aware i can change the boot order in the BIOS but can the C drive be taken out of the equation altogether and just use the external drive?.

Kind regards.

[bob3160]

Cloning copies 1 file at a time to a new destination.

Imaging copies all files into one large file . Its then expanded to a destination at a later time.

Almost the same but an image can be used repeatedly on different machines.

See if the following answers your second question:

http://www.ehow.com/how_6866061_make-hard-drive-master-drive.html


Have fun.

[Arnold72]

Hi Bob 3160,
Thank you so much for your link.
It was extremely helpful and cleared a lot of queries up for me.
Your a gentleman sir and thanks again.

Regards.

[bob3160]

Your quite welcome. Glad I was able to help.