Disk Cloning - How IT Works

How It Works

This article is specific to disk cloning on the x86 platform; specific details may not apply to other platforms.

To provision the hard disk of a computer without using disk cloning software, the following steps are generally required for each computer:

1. Create one or more partitions on the disk
2. Format each partition to create a file system on it
3. Install the operating system
4. Install device drivers for the particular hardware
5. Install application software

With disk cloning, this is simplified to:

1. Install the first computer, as above.
2. Create an image of the hard disk (optional)
3. Clone the first disk, or its image, to the remaining computers.

This can be referred to simply as a recovery disc.