NB – This guide is about backup software which supports disk imaging. For advice on disk cloning, be sure to check out my guide to the Best Free Disk Cloning Software.
Backup software with support for making full disk image-based backups is widely considered as one of most effective methods for producing a safe and highly reliable backup. Disk Imaging is a special type of backup process which will create an exact image (or 1:1 copy) of a physical hard disk or partition which will then, by default, include all important documents plus any user settings, installed applications in addition to the operating system itself.
Whilst such disk imaging backup software has the ability to reliably ensure that all important aspects of a system are included in a backup, the many benefits of disk imaging-based software go much further than just providing dependable backups. Restoring an entire PC to its exact state at a previous point in time is another amazing benefit of using disk imaging-based backup software, a benefit which can often prove invaluable when recovering form issues including hard disk failure, ransomware damage and failed system updates amongst other things.
In this guide to disk imaging backup software, I will be looking at some of the best backup software titles which include this valuable disk imaging technology. I will also be describing in more detail how the disk imaging process works and the many benefits in helping to keep data and devices safe – vamos.
- Full system image backups
- Cloud storage support
- Built-in antivirus
- Full Windows 11 support
What are Disk Imaging Backups
Backup software generally exists in two different forms, this includes backup software which will focus on backing up a set of individual files and folders alongside disk imaging-based backup software which will take an exact image of an entire disk or partition (this “image” being an exact (1:1) copy of the specified disk or partition including all data stored upon it).
Top 5 disk imaging backup choices:
Below is a quick look at the top 5 choices mentioned in this guide, scroll down further for the full and detailed list of disk imaging backup software.
| Provider | Solution | Pricing | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | True Image | From $49.99 / year | |
| 2 |  | ToDo Backup Home | From $39.95 / year | |
| 3 |  | Reflect Home v8 | From $49.99 / year | |
| 4 |  | Backup Pro 26 | From $18 / year | |
| 5 |  | O&O DiskImage 20 | From $49.95 |
By taking an image of a hard disk we will, by extension, also include all data which might be stored upon this disk. This includes any user data (e.g., documents, videos and photos), installed applications installed, device settings (e.g., the default web browser) and the device’s operating system, in situ, as well.
NB – Including the operating system in the backup makes it possible to restore an entire device back to how it was at an earlier point in time. This can be very helpful in certain circumstances such as recovering from a malware or ransomware attack given that the entire device can be rolled back to an earlier point in time before the attack happened (and this is also one of the safest ways of ensuring that all traces of the malware are removed without having to re-install the operating system).
Despite providing a massive advantage over file level-based backup software in certain circumstances, disk imaging-based backup software does still have some disadvantages to be aware of. For starters, backing up an entire disk or partition can be very time consuming compared to file-level backups and the resulting disk image file produced will usually be much larger in size.
NB – Most disk imaging backup software will feature options for compressing the resulting image backup file. Turning this compression on will usually result in a smaller image file which requires less disk space to store, although this will usually be at the expense of a slower backup.
Whilst the disk imaging process will almost certainly be much slower when making an initial full disk image-based backup (versus a file-level backup), most backup software supporting disk imaging will also support making incremental and differential backup methodologies which can speed things up. For example, when using an incremental backup plan, only the initial image backup will be a full disk image-based backup with any subsequent backups only including any changes made since this initial backup was taken (which will mean a faster backup as a result).
NB – When making use of incremental backups it is (usually) possible to make use of infinite incremental backups after the initial full backup set has run. Despite this sometimes being possible, it is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED for the purposes of making a backup set more resilient and reliable to use a backup scheme which makes a new full back up after a specified number of incremental backups (if just a single incremental backup file is damaged then the entire backup chain will become unusable).
Overall, disk imaging-based backup software provides one of the best methods for ensuring that everything on a selected disk or partition can be backed-up to a simple file and (optionally) compressed and encrypted to ensure said disk image can be stored safely for future recovery.
Disk Imaging Software vs Disk Cloning Software
One common area of confusion concerning disk imaging-based backup software are the differences it has with disk cloning software, especially so given that these two categories of software often share the same underlying technologies (and often it is the case that software which supports one function will also support the other). In the remainder of this section, I will aim to point out these key differences (and similarities) and how both disk imaging-based backup and disk-to-disk cloning functionality can often overlap.
Disk Imaging Backup Software
Disk imaging backup software is specialist software which can take an exact (1:1) backup of a hard disk or partition and then save this copy (or “image”) to a file for safe storage and potentially recovering an entire system from at a later date. By saving the entire contents of a disk to an individual file, compression can then be applied helping to reduce the disk space required to save this type of backup.
This means, for all intents and purposes, disk imaging-based backup are essentially a highly capable method of computer backup which ensures that all data stored upon a hard disk, partition or across several individual disks making up a working system is included within a backup set.
Disk Cloning Software
Disk cloning software is somewhat similar to disk imaging backup software in that it will also enable a full 1:1 copy of an existing hard disk to be made. The key difference here is that disk cloning software will immediately write this copy to another (separate) hard disk as opposed to saving the data as an image file (as is the case when using disk imaging-based backup software).
Whilst this direct disk-to-disk cloning approach has many use cases (notably so when upgrading an existing hard disk to a newer disk, SSD drive or even moving an entire system across to new hardware), it is usually inefficient for use as a backup solution in and of itself. This is because disk cloning software (naturally) doesn’t support the adding of encryption or data compression to the resulting disk given that the newly copied disk should reflect exactly that of the original (source) hard drive (meaning it can’t be used to securely store a backup as is the case when using disk imaging-based backup software.
Direct disk-to-disk cloning with the use of specialist disk cloning software is, however, usually much faster and more efficient than when using disk imaging-based backup software given its direct disk-to-disk operation which sees no requirements for additional drives or storage other than the two disks which are being directly cloned.
Whilst disk cloning software could conceivably be used to make a backup of an existing hard disk, this would (usually) mean taking over an additional hard disk solely for the storage of said backup. This process, whilst possible, would be an inefficient means of storing such a backup given that it would essentially require an entire secondary disk to hold a single copy of the source disk (versus a disk image file approach which could see multiple versions of the backup kept on a secondary hard drive or cloud storage service).
NB – For more information on disk cloning software and a list of my current favourite titles, be sure to check out my guide to the Best Free Disk Cloning Software.
Other Features of Disk Imaging Backup Software
Whilst disk imaging-based backup software is usually very helpful in the context of backing-up computers, it can also be useful in various other areas including upgrading an existing system with a new hard disk (or SSD drive), migrating an existing operating system across to new (or different) hardware as well as for the process of cloning a disk (yes, this is possible, but usually less efficient a process than when using a specialist disk cloning utility).
Migrating a system using disk imaging software
When upgrading to new a device (e.g., buying a new PC) it can be both time consuming and frustrating having to also move all personal documents across to the new device in addition to then re-installing any software and reconfiguring settings so as the new system functions as it did before. In fact, in many cases it might even be the case that licence keys and software installers go missing over time and such software might then need to be repurchased making the investment in new hardware even more expensive than was originally planned.
It is in circumstances such as these that disk imaging-based backup software can be of great help. By simply taking a full disk image of an existing system and then restoring this image across to the new system’s disk, we can effectively continue using the existing system as is and with all software and documents still in place with zero additional configuration required *.
* In order to make such a process possible, disk imaging software with support for restoring to dissimilar hardware is required to make this a smooth process. Check out my guide to the Best Backup Software for Restoring to Dissimilar Hardware for more information on this special restore process.
Upgrading to a new hard disk (or SSD drive)
Whilst upgrading (migrating) to a new hard disk or SSD drive is a task better suited to dedicated disk cloning software, it is possible to use disk imaging-based backup software to achieve the same end result.
This process would involve first taking a full disk image backup of the source (existing) hard disk which is to be copied across to the new drive and then saving the resulting image file in an easily accessible place (e.g., on an external hard drive). Once the new disk or SSD drive is installed and ready, the disk imaging-based backup software can then be run (either using the installed application or bootable recovery media) to restore the disk image-based backup across to the new disk drive.
When performing a disk cloning operation in this way (as opposed to using specialist disk-to-disk cloning software) it is important to set the newly imaged disk as the first bootable option in the system’s BIOS or UEFI system straight afterwards (or simply remove the old drive so as it can’t accidently be booted into). It should be noted that, unlike in cases when we might be recovering the disk image-based backup on to new or different hardware, simply upgrading a disk within the same exiting system does not require the support of specialist disk imaging-based backup software with built-in support dissimilar hardware.
Disk Imaging Backup Software FAQs
Disk imaging backup software allows an exact, sector-by-sector backup of all data stored upon a hard disk or SSD drive to be saved to a file for safe keeping. By taking an exact (1:1) copy of the entire source disk, disk imaging-based backup software will ensure that all data (including all user documents, installed applications and the operating system itself) can be safely backed-up.
Yes, modern editions of the Windows operating system (Windows 7 onwards) do have basic disk imaging solutions available via the Windows “Backup and Restore” utility. This utility, whilst basic in nature compared to many third-party backup solutions, does still allow for a full disk image-based backup to be taken.
Professionally built disk imaging backup software is without doubt the best way of imaging a hard disk or SSD drive. Such software is usually built into commercially available backup software and, once enabled, allows all contents of a hard disk to be backed up into an image file.
NB – It should also be noted that this same software will usually also be required for restoring disk image-based backups as well.
Yes, most disk imaging-based backup software will be configured to omit any known bad sectors found on a hard disk and ensure such sectors are not copied across to the disk image file (or, in the case of direct disk-to-disk cloning operations, the target hard disk or SSD drive). Should it be required that all sectors on a disk be copied or saved in a disk image file (sometimes referred to as “forensic imaging”), then this can usually be enabled by turning on “sector-by-sector” cloning manually.
Most commercially available imaging-based backup software will provide support for sector-by-sector disk imaging. Some notable titles which do feature this technology include Acronis True Image, EaseUS ToDo Backup, EaseUS Partition Master, Macrium Reflect Home 8 and AOMEI Partition Assistant amongst various others.
The Best Disk Imaging Backup Software
Below is a list of my current top 10 favourite disk imaging-based backup software titles as are tested and reviewed right here on BestBackupReviews.com.
Remember, any ratings given below reflect my own personal views and opinions and that the disk imaging backup software titles with the highest ratings might not necessarily be the best for your own personal needs. With this in mind, please refer to my detailed reviews of each entry on the list for more information on the software itself and how it might help with your own individual backup requirements.
1) Acronis True Image
True Image (formally known as Cyber Protect Home Office between 2001 and 2024) is the leading disk imaging-based backup software service from long time disk imaging experts, Acronis.
As one of the longest and most established companies in the disk imaging-based backup software market, Acronis expectedly offer some of the most reliable and advanced disk imaging functionality found in any modern backup software. This includes being able to easily create image-based backups of disks, individual partitions and even entire systems (across multiple disks) and store said image backups in both highly compressed and highly secure encrypted files both locally and upon the Acronis cloud.
Acronis also includes specialist bootable recovery media which, in turn, can be used in conjunction with the disk imaging component for recovery purposes. This also extends to incorporate the special Acronis universal restore component which makes easy the otherwise complicated and laborious process of transferring an existing system (including the operating system and any installed applications) across to a new or otherwise different device.
Whilst disk imaging is clearly a key component of True Image, Acronis also support making file-level backups and (like with disk image-based backups) these can be stored locally, on NAS devices or on the Acronis cloud which is included on selected plans. Other notable True Image features include support for zero-knowledge AES 256-bit encryption, a built-in antivirus suite, advanced scheduling options (including real-time backup) plus the ability to set custom historic file retention periods amongst many other useful features.
Finally, True Image also provides use of several utility applications including a system cleaning tool, the Acronis “Secure Zone” tool for enhancing backup safety plus a dedicated disk-to-disk cloning utility which can be used for directly cloning both disks and SSD drives.
- Disk image backups
- Built-in antivirus
- Disk cloning tools
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Acronis cloud storage
- 30-Day free trial
- From $49.99 / year
- Subscription-only pricing
True Image is priced from $49.99 for the “Essentials” edition (without Acronis cloud access) or from $57.99 for the “Advanced” edition which includes an allocation of storage in the Acronis Cloud. More information on True Image, the Acronis Cloud service plus the 30-day free trial can all be found via the official Acronis website.
2) EaseUS ToDo Backup Home
ToDo Backup Home is the leading multipurpose backup tool with built-in disk imaging functionality from software experts, EaseUS.
ToDo Backup Home is a backup tool which, amongst many other useful backup related features, includes good support for making full disk and partition image backups whilst also providing a specialist disk cloning utility for performing direct disk-to-disk cloning (with full SSD 4K alignment support included). Other backup related features include support for making file level backups both to locally attached storage, NAS devices, third-party cloud storage (including Google Drive and Dropbox) as well as to the EaseUS Cloud service which is available on selected EaseUS subscription plans.
Other useful backup related features include being able to mount disk image backups as virtual drives within Windows (with a Windows drive letter), use of the EaseUS “Smart” backup mode for making more efficient backups, good scheduling and real-time backup support, strong data compression support plus the ability to use the built-in universal restore functionality for recovering image-based backups onto new or otherwise different hardware.
Security wise and we see EaseUS provide secure zero-knowledge AES 256-bit encryption for all backup types made using the tool in addition to the use of the EaseUS Security Zone which, once enabled, provides additional malware and ransomware protection. Secure Zone provides especially useful protection for any backups stored upon external hard drives which might be left continuously plugged-in to a device being backed-up long term, reducing the risks such an approach can leave uses vulnerable to including malware and ransomware in such cases.
- Disk image backups
- Cloud backups
- Disk cloning tools
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Partition management
- 30-Day free trial
- From $39.95 / year
- Subscription-only pricing
ToDo Backup Home is priced from $39.95 per year, from $59.95 per year with 1TB of cloud storage from EaseUS included or from $59 per device for a lifetime license with lifetime free upgrades included. A limited free edition of the tool is also available as is a 30-day free trial, more information on all edition being available via the official EaseUS website.
3) Macrium Reflect Home 8
Reflect Home 8 is the leading disk imaging-based backup and disk cloning solution form software experts, Macrium.
Having now discontinued their highly popular and free to use disk imaging offering as of early 2023 (Macrium Reflect Free), Reflect Home 8 now becomes Macrium’s leading disk imaging-based backup software title aimed primarily at home and small business use cases. In much the same way as Acronis True Image (mentioned just above), disk imaging is an area in which Macrium Reflect really excels having been a key developer of this technology over many years and this really does show in this latest edition of the tool.
Support is provided for disk, partition and full system imaging and, thanks to the integrated “Rapid Delta” imaging technology, Reflect Home 8 provides what is widely regarded as some of the fastest and most reliable disk image-based backups available as of today. Other imaging related technologies see support for universal restore to dissimilar hardware, the ability to mount disk images within Windows for advanced recovery purposes plus the ability to make us of full, incremental and differential methodologies for providing highly optimised backup performance.
NB – Whilst Macrium Reflect Home 8 does provide a very strong set of disk imaging features, it does not feature any built-in cloud storage support (either from a third party or directly from Macrium) meaning it is primarily designed for storing disk images locally or on NAS / network shared drives.
Additional features of Macrium Reflect Home 8 include support for direct disk-to-disk cloning (including full 4K alignment support for SSD drives), highly secure AES 256-bit zero-knowledge encryption plus enhanced malware and ransomware protection via the Macrium Image Guardian technology which is used for protecting any saved disk images on locally attached disks.
- Disk image backups
- Advanced disk cloning
- Improved performance
- SSD 4K optimisation
- AES 256-bit encryption
- ARM CPU support
- Bootable Live CD
- Pricing @ $49.99 / year
- 4 x PCs @ $99.98 / year
- No built-in cloud
Macrium Reflect Home 8 is priced from $49.99 per year on a subscription basis (with free upgrades and support included) or as a perpetual licence with a single one-off payment of just $79.99. Also available from Macrium are 4-pack licences priced at $99.98 on the Reflect subscription plan or at a one-off cost of $239.97 for the perpetual licence option. More information on all plans plus the 30-day free trial can be found at the official Macrium Reflect website.
4) Ashampoo Backup Pro 26
Backup Pro 26 is the leading multipurpose backup solution for all modern versions of Windows (including Windows 11) which also provides some great disk imaging-based backup functionality from software experts, Ashampoo.
Backup Pro 26 clearly stands out as my favourite multipurpose backup solution, in part this is thanks to support for and inclusion of a great set of disk imaging-based backup features. This includes the ability to make disk, partition and full system image backups, mount disk image backups as drives within Windows (with a drive letter), make disk image backups quickly and easily thanks to the pre-made backup plan templates plus support for easy image-based recovery via the UEFI-based bootable recovery media solution.
Additional backup features found within Backup Pro 26 include the ability to make use of full, incremental and differential backup methodologies, strong scheduling support (including real-time backup options), zero-knowledge AES 256-bit encryption, data compression plus the ability to specify custom historic file versioning periods for enhanced malware protection.
Additionally, Backup Pro 26 provides extensive support for third-party cloud storage providers (including Google Drive, OneDrive plus any WebDAV enabled service), support for utilising any BitLocker protected drives, support for backing up to one of many major NAS hardware providers (including Synology and QNAP) plus use of the easy-to-use Windows application which provides easy 1-click access throughout the software.
- Easy to use software
- Disk image backups
- Cloud storage support
- AES 256-bit encryption
- WebDAV cloud support
- Recovery media builder
- Perpetual licencing
- From $66 per device
- Subscribe @ $18 / yr
Ashampoo Backup Pro 26 is priced at a one-off cost of just $55 for a single, perpetual licence or from just $18 per year for the subscription edition providing use across 3 devices per licence. More information on Backup Pro 26 plus the full 30-day free trial of the software can be found via the official Ashampoo website.
5) O&O DiskImage 20
DiskImage 20 is the latest title in the disk imaging focused backup software line form software experts, O&O Software.
Whilst DiskImage does provide good file-level backup support at its core, making disk imaging-based backups is (as the name implies) a key feature of DiskImage 20 and plenty of imaging related features are included within the software by default. This includes use of the One-Click imaging tool (for making very easy disk image backups), a useful disk imaging backup set-up wizard, support for utilising both VHD and VHDX file formats, the ability to mount disk image backups within Windows plus support for universal restore for recovering to dissimilar hardware.
Also included is support for applying strong zero-knowledge AES 256-bit encryption and data compression on both file-level and disk image-based backups. Also included is support for customisable historic version retention, a direct disk cloning utility (with full 4K SSD support), good scheduling options plus the ability to make use of full, differential and incremental backup methodologies.
NB – Whilst DiskImage 20 provides a strong set of disk imaging features, it does not feature any built-in cloud storage support (either from a third party or direct) meaning it is primarily designed for use with local or NAS / network shared drives.
Additional features of O&O DiskImage include the ability to control certain aspects of the software via the Windows command prompt (CMD), the DiskImage recovery partition, use of the “DiskImage ToGo” bootable recovery media as well as the ability to apply different theming options for the software interface itself.
- One-Click disk cloning
- System image backups
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Historic versioning
- VHD / VHDX formats
- Bootable recovery media
- Pricing from $49.95
- 5x PCs @ $69.95
- Perpetual licencing
- No built-in cloud
O&O DiskImage 20 is priced from just $49.95 for a single licence or in a 5-licence pack for just $69.95 (other discounts are also available for those upgrading form older versions). More information on DiskImage pricing plus the 30-day free trial can be found at the official O&O DiskImage website.
6) MiniTool ShadowMaker
ShadowMaker is the powerful yet easy to use multipurpose backup solution form software makers, MiniTool. A tool which, amongst a variety of other backup related features, includes good built-in support for disk image-based backups across all modern version of Windows including the latest Windows 11 edition.
The ability to make disk, partition and full system image-based backups forms a core part of the ShadowMaker application. This disk imaging technology is backed up further by the inclusion of highly functional bootable recovery media with support for universal hardware restores, the ability to mount disk image backups as drives within Windows plus the inclusion of a specialist disk cloning utility which makes easy the direct disk-to-disk cloning of existing drives.
Other includes backup features provide support for also making file-level backups, good backup scheduling support, the use of full, incremental and differential backup methodologies, strong zero-knowledge AES 256-bit encryption plus the ability to set custom historic version retention periods up to 99 versions in total for enhanced ransomware protection.
NB – Whilst ShadowMaker does provide good disk imaging features, it does not provide any built-in cloud storage support (either from third parties or directly) meaning it is primarily designed for locally attached or NAS / network storage.
Also included within the MiniTool ShadowMaker software is provision for configuring automatic folder synchronisation between multiple networked devices, the ability to control certain functions via the Windows command line (CMD), the ability to both recover and make new disk image backups via the WinPE recovery media plus support for managing the software across multiple networked devices (on Pro editions and higher).
- System image backups
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Recovery media builder
- Disk cloning tools
- Folder synchronisation
- Partition management
- Perpetual licencing
- From $3 / month
- Free edition available
ShadowMaker is available in both a free to use edition alongside several premium editions including the Pro edition featuring all of the core disk imaging functionality from just $3 per month on subscription or a single one-off payment of just $79 with free lifetime upgrades. More information on MiniTool ShadowMaker editions can be found via the official MiniTool website.
7) AOMEI Backupper
Backupper is the leading multipurpose backup software with good disk imaging-based backup support from expert software creators, AMOEI.
Available in both free to use and premium editions and featuring the ability to make full disk image-based backups alongside file-level backups both locally or to the cloud, Backupper provides a great choice for keeping a Windows system fully backed up.
Additional backup features include support for applying strong AES 192-bit encryption to both file and disk image backups (on the Professional edition and above), use of full, incremental and differential backup methodologies, good scheduling support including automatic (real-time) options, plus inclusion of specialist bootable recovery media which also supports universal restores.
Other features of AOMEI Backupper include support for third-party cloud storage (via the AOMEI “CBackup” add-in), dedicated disk cloning tools with support for sector-by-sector cloning and SSD 4K alignment plus device folder synchronisation tools which support automatic synchronisation between networked devices on Professional editions of the software.
- Disk image backups
- Cloud backup support
- Recovery media builder
- Disk cloning tools
- AES 192-bit encryption
- Partition management
- Folder synchronisation
- Perpetual licencing
- Pricing from $39.95
- Free edition available
AOMEI Backupper Standard is 100% free to use with the more advanced Backupper Professional priced from $39.95 per device (or $49.95 with free lifetime upgrades included). Information on all editions, including other business focused editions can be found via the official AOMEI website.
8) Iperius Backup
Iperius is a highly versatile Windows application which, amongst many other highly useful backup related features supports the making of full disk image-based backups.
Available in both free and premium editions, Iperius is a lightweight yet easy to use Windows backup solution which stands out thanks to wide-ranging support for multiple third-party cloud storage integrations including Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive plus any S3 compatible service.
Other valuable backup related features include support for both real-time and scheduled backups, use of both full and incremental methodologies, secure zero-knowledge encryption, data compression, unlimited historic file versioning plus support for email backup notifications amongst many other great features.
The disk imaging-based backup abilities of Iperius Backup range from straightforward disk and partition image backups which can be made within the desktop application through to the use of the Iperius recovery media toolset which includes a fully featured disk cloning tool and allows for restoring from any disk image backups already available.
- Disk image backups
- Disk cloning tools
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Recovery media builder
- VHD & VHDX formats
- Perpetual licencing
- Priced from €29 per PC
9) Paragon Hard Disk Manager
The Hard Disk Manager suite of tools contains four individual backup and system maintenance related utilities form software makers, Paragon. This includes software for making full disk and system image-based backups, disk-to-disk cloning tools plus support for file-level backups amongst various other features.
In relation to the task of disk imaging-based backups, the Paragon Backup & Recovery software (which is a part of this suite) is the first place to look. This tool allows for making both file level and full disk and system image backups and includes a variety of features including encryption, compression plus the ability to recover image-based backups on to new or otherwise different hardware.
Also available is full support for all modern versions of Windows (Windows 7SP1 through to Windows 11) plus the ability to operate multiple backup sets and apply custom historic versioning settings for enhanced ransomware protection. Also available is the ability to save any disk images to various different file formats (including VHD and VHDX) plus the ability to build WinPE based recovery media for recovering unbootable systems or to help facilitate the migration of existing systems on to new hardware.
Disk imaging and backups aside, Hard Drive Manager also contains several other tools including a direct disk cloning tool (with SSD migration support), a partition manager tool plus a secure drive wiping and data destruction tool for helping to maintain the privacy of any stored data on a system.
- Disk image backups
- Disk cloning tools
- VHD & VHDX formats
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Perpetual licencing
- From $79.95 (3x PCs)
Paragon Hard Disk Manager Advanced is available from $79.95 for the full suite of tools and is licenced for use on 3 PCs by default. More information on Hard Disk Manager and potential discounts for those upgrading form older versions can be found via the official Paragon Software website.
10) Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows FREE
Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows an impressive and free-to-use backup solution form server backup expert, Veeam.
Featuring both file level and disk imaging backup functionality, Veeam Agent is one of the best free tools for making a full disk image-based backup comprising of either individual disks or an entire running system to one of a variety of storage targets including locally attached drives or NAS devices. Backing up this core disk imaging-based backup functionality is support for automatic scheduled backups, strong AES 256-bit encryption, customisable historic versioning options a plus the ability to apply advanced compression and maintenance settings to help maximise the efficiency of any disk image backups.
Other advanced features within Veeam Agent include being able to limit the impact any running backups will have on a system as well as the configuration of email backup alerts via user-supplied SMTP server details. Unfortunately, one of the main limitations of this free tool is only supporting a single backup set in this free edition as of the time of testing.
- disk image backups
- Scheduled backups
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Recovery media tools
- 100% Free to use
11) iDrive
iDrive is a comprehensive cloud storage service which, amongst a variety of other useful features, also includes full disk imaging-based backup support with provisions for saving such disk images directly on to iDrive cloud storage.
One of the most notable things about the iDrive service is how much cloud storage-related functionality is included for Windows, macOS and even Linux devices right out of the box. This includes the ability to make both file-level and disk image backups, setting up of advanced schedules, real-time backups, automatic folder synchronisation, secure file sharing and even the ability to backup and sync both iOS and Android devices.
Security wise and iDrive provide the ability to apply strong AES 256-bit encryption to all data stored upon the cloud as well as turn on multifactor authentication (2FA) to further protect the account. This is backed up by the service automatically offering up to 10 historic versions of all files and folders stored upon the cloud thus providing a helpful mitigation against potential malware and ransomware attacks.
Other notable features of iDrive include very generous cloud storage allowances with up to 50TB available on the personal plan as of time of writing. iDrive also offer the iDrive Express service whereby large restores can be performed with the help of an external hard drive which is mailed to customers and could prove very useful for anyone dealing with a slower internet connection or large amounts of data to restore.
- Disk image backups
- AES 256-bit encryption
- 5TB+ Cloud Storage
- 10GB Free account
- 5TB @ $69.65 / year
- 100GB @ $2.95 / year
iDrive is priced from just $2.95 per year for 100GB or $69.65 for 5TB with various other pricing options available up to a massive 50TB available. A 10GB free to use plan is also available as are more business orientated plans, more information on both can be found via the official iDrive website.
Best Disk Imaging Backup Software Summary
Disk imaging-based backup software reigns supreme as one of the safest and most reliable methods for backing up an entire disk, partition or even a full system. Whether these image-based backups are been stored for safekeeping or to facilitate the migration of an existing device across to new hardware, disk imaging-based backups offer both peace of mind and seamless transitions.
Often found integrated into professionally built backup software applications, a disk imaging component will often feature alongside file-level backup capabilities providing the ability to backup an entire device whilst ensuring nothing important is missed. Such disk imaging-based backup software will also usually feature some kind of bootable recovery media as well, media which can be used alongside such disk image backups for recovering otherwise corrupt or unbootable systems from backups as well.
Although initial disk image-based backups are often larger and slower to run than their file-level counterparts, thanks to the inclusion of incremental and differential methodologies, any future image-based backups can usually be made much faster making them ideal for daily backup tasks as well as for one-off runs deigned to protect an entire system.
