Why is Winclone Needed? Can't Disk Utility Restore a Boot Camp Partition?

Question

Level 1

130 points

Why is Winclone Needed? Can't Disk Utility Restore a Boot Camp Partition?

Hi. Could we just use Disk Utility to create a backup the Boot Camp Partition running Windows 7 64-bit for example and then just use Disk Utility to restore it if you need to replace your Boot Camp partition?

Why is Winclone the tool use to create an image of Boot Camp partition as well as to restore a Boot Camp partition? Thank you in advance.

Gbu.

Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Oct 18, 2010 6:43 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Kappy

Level 10

362,023 points

Oct 18, 2010 6:49 PM in response to Alvin777

No, DU will not clone a Windows partition. WinClone doesn't actually clone the volume rather it makes a compressed archive of the installation. Although others swear by it, I've never gotten it to restore an installation.

There are other products that can be used. Try doing a Google search which should provide a number of options for you.

Reply

Answer 2

Alvin777 Author

Level 1

130 points

Oct 18, 2010 7:16 PM in response to Kappy

Thanks for the reply. How about if you opt for the non compressed image, the DVD/CD Master option (Image Format) when you do the New Image in Disk Utility? Would choosing the DVD/CD Master option be cloning it instead of archiving it? If the images created by Disk Utility are not the exact copy or clone then, it won't be bootable I believe but how come when you create an image of a DVD (to back it up for example) and burn that image, it is bootable which mean it copies it exactly (clone it in effect)?

What does WinClone do or copy exactly that Disk Utility can't?

Reply

Answer 3

Kappy

Level 10

362,023 points

Oct 18, 2010 7:22 PM in response to Alvin777

The problem is that DU will not read the Boot Camp partition which it would need to do in order to clone it or create an image. Furthermore, it won't restore the image even were you able to make one. Hence the existence of WinClone which is the only Mac alternative. Other alternatives such as Acronis or Partition Magic only work on the Windows side.

Reply