How to Create Sector by Sector Backup on Windows 11/10/8/7🔥


Creating a sector-by-sector backup gives your hard drive extra protection by copying every sector, not only the files currently in use. This type of image can help restore data after disk failure, file corruption, or other serious storage problems.

A sector-by-sector backup is useful when you need a precise copy of a hard drive, partition, or storage device. This guide explains what it does and how to create one with backup software.

Can I Create a Sector by Sector Backup of My Hard Drive

The answer is YES. A sector-by-sector backup creates an exact copy of the drive, including used sectors, empty sectors, and sometimes unreadable or bad sectors. This is different from a used-sector backup, which only saves sectors that contain data.

create sector by sector backup

The size of the image file will be the same as your original hard drive, meaning you'll need the same amount of space to store the backup. In the next sections, you'll learn about the best free software for creating a sector-by-sector backup.

Best Sector by Sector Backup Software Free Download

Qiling Disk Master is sector-by-sector backup software that helps users create a precise hard drive image, save all sectors, and store the backup elsewhere for recovery if the original storage device is damaged.

Qiling Disk Master offers a one-click backup feature that enables users to easily save all their data. It allows users to create an image backup to external hard drives, local drives, a network, or the cloud, and also provides advanced backup options such as incremental and differential backups, encrypted backups, and scheduled backups.

The tool allows you to back up all the sectors of your hard drive and also restore files whenever you need them. It also offers additional features for various needs.

  • Multi-path backup storage. This software follows the 3-2-1 backup strategy by saving backup files to three different locations: two on-site locations and one off-site location, ensuring data safety and security.
  • Secured password-protect backups. Your backups are secured with passwords to prevent unauthorized access.
  • Backup scheduling. You can create a monthly, weekly, or daily schedule backup.
  • Enhanced backup efficiency. This is evidenced by the differential and incremental backup features.
  • Restore the system to dissimilar hardware. You can restore your backup files to a computer with different hardware at any time.
  • Bootable backup and recovery. This software simplifies the process of creating a WinPE bootable disk into just three easy steps.

Download the software to access the unique backup features, such as automatic backup and data compression, and start experiencing the benefits of secure and efficient data protection.

How to Make a Sector-by-Sector Backup on Windows 7/8/10/11

With Qiling Disk Master on Windows 7/8/10/11, you can easily back up entire hard drive sectors. The software allows for full, incremental, or differential backups, giving you flexibility in your backup approach. Additionally, you can schedule your backups to occur at specific times, making it convenient to automate your data protection. The process of creating a sector-by-sector backup using Qiling Disk Master on Windows is relatively straightforward.

Step 1. Start with selecting the backup tab page.

create disk backup step1

Step 2. There are four backup categories: File, Disk, OS, and Mail. Clicking on Disk backup is the next step.

create disk backup step2

Step 3. You can use this software to back up either your entire disk or a specific partition, depending on your needs.

disk partition backup

Step 4. Select the destination where you want to save the backup.

select a backup target location

Step 5. For disk or partition backup, you have the option to save the backup to a local drive or directly to a Network-Attached Storage (NAS) device.

Disk backup step5

Step 6. After the backup process is completed, the task will be displayed on the left. You can right-click on any task to further manage your backup, such as recovering it, creating an incremental backup, and more.

Disk backup step6

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Pro Tip: How to Perform a Sector-by-Sector Recovery

Once you've performed a sector-You can perform a sector-by-sector backup of your hard drive, which allows you to restore the hard disk image file with Qiling Disk Master anytime. During a sector-by-sector recovery, the software expands compressed files, restoring them to their original size and file system. The process is straightforward, with simple steps to restore files from backup.

Step 1. Launch Qiling Disk Master, click "Browse to Recover".

Click Browse to Recover

Step 2. To recover a file from your backup, first go to your backup destination and choose the backup file you want to recover. Note that the backup file created by Qiling Disk Master is a pbd file.

Choose the backup file

Step 3. You can choose to recover data to a specific location or back to its original location.

File recovery step3

Step 4. Click "Proceed" and the recovery would start.

To Wrap Things Up

A sector-by-sector backup of your computer hard drive helps retain data by saving an exact copy to another drive, allowing you to recover the backup when needed. Qiling Disk Master can guide you through the process.

This software offers enhanced backup efficiency, multi-path storage support, and password protection to keep your data safe, making it a powerful tool that you can download today and start enjoying its unique features.

FAQs on How to Create Sector by Sector Backup

Creating a sector-by-sector backup on your Windows PC involves copying the entire hard drive, including all sectors, to an external drive. This method ensures that every single sector, including those containing operating system files, applications, and user data, is duplicated exactly as it is on the original drive.

1. Is it safe to copy data from a hard disk having a bad sector?

Copying data from a hard disk or partition with bad sectors is safe as the system will only copy the good sectors of the selected partition and leave out the bad ones, making the entire process safe.

2. How to make a backup of a hard disk having bad sectors?

You can back up a hard drive with bad sectors using a free tool like Qiling Disk Master. To do this, simply download and install Qiling Disk Master, then select the hard drive with bad sectors and choose the backup option, which will allow you to create a complete image of the drive, including all files and data. This will help you recover your important files and data even if the drive itself is no longer usable.

3. How do you clone a sector-by-sector?

You clone sector-A sector-by-sector clone is a type of data clone where the entire hard drive is copied, including all sectors, whether they are bad or unused. This type of cloning involves making an exact copy of the source drive, retaining all aspects of the original hard drive.

4. Does cloning copy bad sectors?

Cloning a hard drive will only copy the good sectors, ignoring or repairing bad sectors, allowing data to be transferred from a drive with issues, but skipping the problematic areas.

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