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ZDNET's key takeaways
A system image can save you from disaster.
System imaging backs up your entire PC -- OS and all.
Clonezilla is a free tool to create system images.
Have you ever had that sickening feeling in your gut when you know your computer is just days or weeks away from dying an untimely death? I've been there several times over the decades.
When the eventuality comes to pass, unless you have a good backup of your data, you could be in for a long and frustrating uphill battle.
Having your data backed up is one thing. Knowing that you also might have to purchase a new system, install all of the apps you need, find the licenses that go with those apps, and configure your operating system as you had it can be a daunting task.
But what if you could do a backup of your computer that includes everything? Operating system, settings, apps, accounts… everything? Now, imagine you have such a backup, and you purchase a new computer, only to have to restore that backup to the new system, and you're back to where you left off, not skipping a beat.
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