How can I perfectly copy a software/apps and its related data in windows 10?

[kenny1999]

I understand that this question may sound strange, but I have been trying to figure out how for about a month. Sorry, but I am not able to explain why, but I have my reasons.

We know that when a third-party software is installed, its application is located somewhere in windows 10, usually program files (x86). Chances are its related files or data is located somewhere else, e.g. AppData

I think simply copying the directory of its application and its data may not work. Is that right?

I'd like to do this because I want to keep that particular version of the software, more importantly, I'd like to keep all its related data, but it is not supposed to be done directly through the software setting.

If I want to perfectly clone the installed software and all of its related data, so that it should work perfectly like what it was when I move it to another computer. How to make such a perfect copy? Do I need to do something to the registry?

Edited September 15, 2023 by kenny1999

[Sensei]

You can make a binary mirror of the entire disk.

To do this, you need.. Linux.

And use the dd command.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dd_(Unix)

Usage:

dd if=/dev/sda of=/dev/sdb iflag=direct oflag=direct bs=16M status=progress

Where /dev/sda is your source device, and /dev/sdb is your target device. It will save also MBR with partition table.

Read the Wikipedia article for other examples of use.

Such copy is indistinguishable from original. i.e. every byte and bit will be in the same place as in source.

 

It can copy all sectors of an HDD/SSD from one device to another (equal size or bigger is required).

 

You don't need to install Linux on any disk. All you need is a Live Linux flash drive.

e.g. Kali Live.

The procedure for creating such a bootable flash drive is described in this article:

https://www.kali.org/docs/usb/live-usb-install-with-windows/

Obsolete 2 GB flash drive is needed if you will use Kali 2019.4 Light ("Lite") version.

Obsolete 4 GB flash drive is needed if you will use Kali 2020-2023.2 Live version.

Obsolete 8 GB flash drive is needed if you will use Kali 2023.3 Live version. The latest one at the moment.

 

On 9/15/2023 at 8:28 PM, kenny1999 said:

Do I need to do something to the registry?

It depends on the application you are trying to copy. In a simple application you don't need to copy any registry and it will work fine, a complex application will fail miserably because it requires and has many dependencies, such as classes, services..

 

You can experiment without worrying about destroying the main system on a virtual operating system created by VirtualBox, for example:

https://www.virtualbox.org/

 

Working in a virtual environment and copying the virtual disk file is a common practice to store/restore the state of a virtual machine.

 

 

 

On 9/15/2023 at 8:28 PM, kenny1999 said:

so that it should work perfectly like what it was when I move it to another computer.

A complex application can check the computer's specifications, e.g. processor, graphics chip, and install only the necessary parts, which means that copying application files from another computer with different specifications will not succeed..

 

Edited September 16, 2023 by Sensei

[mistermack]

For windows 10, I can recommend Macrium Reflect, and IOMEI Backerupper, if you want to clone the entire disk with just a few clicks, or backup chosen folders. 

However, I suspect that the OP wants to reinstall their app, on a fresh install of windows. 

If that's the case, I don't know, but I suspect that you will have to bite the bullet, and install that app afresh, and lose all of the updates and data that you've added. You could TRY to copy the app folder in C:program files, or C:program files(x86) but I very much doubt that it will work the same. Maybe the program will have an "export settings" function, like Bing or Google, but probably not. 

[kenny1999]

On 9/17/2023 at 5:38 AM, Sensei said:

You can make a binary mirror of the entire disk.

To do this, you need.. Linux.

And use the dd command.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dd_(Unix)

Usage:

dd if=/dev/sda of=/dev/sdb iflag=direct oflag=direct bs=16M status=progress

Where /dev/sda is your source device, and /dev/sdb is your target device. It will save also MBR with partition table.

Read the Wikipedia article for other examples of use.

Such copy is indistinguishable from original. i.e. every byte and bit will be in the same place as in source.

 

It can copy all sectors of an HDD/SSD from one device to another (equal size or bigger is required).

 

You don't need to install Linux on any disk. All you need is a Live Linux flash drive.

e.g. Kali Live.

The procedure for creating such a bootable flash drive is described in this article:

https://www.kali.org/docs/usb/live-usb-install-with-windows/

Obsolete 2 GB flash drive is needed if you will use Kali 2019.4 Light ("Lite") version.

Obsolete 4 GB flash drive is needed if you will use Kali 2020-2023.2 Live version.

Obsolete 8 GB flash drive is needed if you will use Kali 2023.3 Live version. The latest one at the moment.

 

It depends on the application you are trying to copy. In a simple application you don't need to copy any registry and it will work fine, a complex application will fail miserably because it requires and has many dependencies, such as classes, services..

 

You can experiment without worrying about destroying the main system on a virtual operating system created by VirtualBox, for example:

https://www.virtualbox.org/

 

Working in a virtual environment and copying the virtual disk file is a common practice to store/restore the state of a virtual machine.

 

 

 

A complex application can check the computer's specifications, e.g. processor, graphics chip, and install only the necessary parts, which means that copying application files from another computer with different specifications will not succeed..

 

Thank you Sensei for your input. However, it looks a bit too difficult for me. By the way, I am using Windows 10, but not Linux. But thanks again.

On 9/17/2023 at 5:38 AM, Sensei said:

You can make a binary mirror of the entire disk.

To do this, you need.. Linux.

And use the dd command.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dd_(Unix)

Usage:

dd if=/dev/sda of=/dev/sdb iflag=direct oflag=direct bs=16M status=progress

Where /dev/sda is your source device, and /dev/sdb is your target device. It will save also MBR with partition table.

Read the Wikipedia article for other examples of use.

Such copy is indistinguishable from original. i.e. every byte and bit will be in the same place as in source.

 

It can copy all sectors of an HDD/SSD from one device to another (equal size or bigger is required).

 

You don't need to install Linux on any disk. All you need is a Live Linux flash drive.

e.g. Kali Live.

The procedure for creating such a bootable flash drive is described in this article:

https://www.kali.org/docs/usb/live-usb-install-with-windows/

Obsolete 2 GB flash drive is needed if you will use Kali 2019.4 Light ("Lite") version.

Obsolete 4 GB flash drive is needed if you will use Kali 2020-2023.2 Live version.

Obsolete 8 GB flash drive is needed if you will use Kali 2023.3 Live version. The latest one at the moment.

 

It depends on the application you are trying to copy. In a simple application you don't need to copy any registry and it will work fine, a complex application will fail miserably because it requires and has many dependencies, such as classes, services..

 

You can experiment without worrying about destroying the main system on a virtual operating system created by VirtualBox, for example:

https://www.virtualbox.org/

 

Working in a virtual environment and copying the virtual disk file is a common practice to store/restore the state of a virtual machine.

 

 

 

A complex application can check the computer's specifications, e.g. processor, graphics chip, and install only the necessary parts, which means that copying application files from another computer with different specifications will not succeed..

 

In fact, my situation and expectation are a bit odd, if not unusual.

I have some software installed on my desktop computer running on Windows 10 that I want to make a perfect copy of them at a particular time. In fact, I should have created disk backup or image at that time, then I would have less hassle. But we can't turn the clock back now.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, I have copied some folders under user data of the software I am interested in, which means I may be able to "turn back the clock", however, I did not copy the application. But I think I may be able to find out the older versions on many online sites.

Now, the rest of my problems is, if I can just simply install the older version of the software and then use my copy of user data to overwrite the user data automatically created after the software is installed. As you said, there may be things like dependencies, etc.

Would you mind me telling you the details in private conversation?

Thank you again Sensei.

Edited September 19, 2023 by kenny1999
deleting blank break

[Sensei]

47 minutes ago, kenny1999 said:

Thank you Sensei for your input. However, it looks a bit too difficult for me. By the way, I am using Windows 10, but not Linux. But thanks again.

I understand. But it's time to learn something. It's not too difficult, especially when I've told you everything you need to know.

It is impossible to create a perfect mirror image of the system disk that is currently running. It's like a surgery on your own hearth. When one sector is copied, something changes what has just been read, and something else changes what has not yet been read.

53 minutes ago, kenny1999 said:

In fact, my situation and expectation are a bit odd, if not unusual.

It is quite usual. Therefore people use VirtualBox. And can make mirror of virtual partition file when they need to..

 

55 minutes ago, kenny1999 said:

Would you mind me telling you the details in private conversation?

I've told you everything that was general that I could think of. Everything else will depend on the application.

 

[kenny1999]

2 hours ago, Sensei said:

I understand. But it's time to learn something. It's not too difficult, especially when I've told you everything you need to know.

It is impossible to create a perfect mirror image of the system disk that is currently running. It's like a surgery on your own hearth. When one sector is copied, something changes what has just been read, and something else changes what has not yet been read.

It is quite usual. Therefore people use VirtualBox. And can make mirror of virtual partition file when they need to..

 

I've told you everything that was general that I could think of. Everything else will depend on the application.

 

I have only started to learn to create disk image/backup recently. I've downloaded AOMEI backupper and it is installed and runs on my system drive. I have created a disk backup (image?). In that case, if it isn't an image of my disk, what is the reason of doing this? Or in other words, will it cause any problem when restore?

I did not use the computer at all while creating the backup and I unplugged the internet cable as well. Did it make a better backup/image?

Edited September 19, 2023 by kenny1999

[Sensei]

@kenny1999 You should ask somebody who used AOMEI..

 

[mistermack]

1 hour ago, Sensei said:

You should ask somebody who used AOMEI..

I've used AOMEI lots of times, I was putting in a new solid state disk in place of the existing hard disk system disk, in a PC I had just bought. I used the "clone" option, rather than backup image, but it worked perfectly every time, and the new disk performed identically to the old one. (just faster) 

AOMEI also do AOMEI Partition Assistant, which is also excellent for all your partitioning needs, and it will also clone a disk, system, or partition, whichever you choose.

In cloning, I just attached the new disk to the PC via a usb SATA docking gizmo, and cloned straight to it. 

[kenny1999]

6 hours ago, mistermack said:

I've used AOMEI lots of times, I was putting in a new solid state disk in place of the existing hard disk system disk, in a PC I had just bought. I used the "clone" option, rather than backup image, but it worked perfectly every time, and the new disk performed identically to the old one. (just faster) 

AOMEI also do AOMEI Partition Assistant, which is also excellent for all your partitioning needs, and it will also clone a disk, system, or partition, whichever you choose.

In cloning, I just attached the new disk to the PC via a usb SATA docking gizmo, and cloned straight to it. 

I do not have a new hard drive and I am not migrating the data now, but I want to keep everything original, yes, everything, the disk I backed up contains my system. I have done "Disk Backup" but not a "Disk Clone" now because I don't have a new disk now. However, I am worried that "Backup" alone is not a perfect copy compared to "Clone". Wish I am getting some experienced advice on this issue.

[mistermack]

There are online instructions on how to use AOMEI that should cover your question. I don't know if you can do a restore to the disk that's active at the time, I suspect not, but just search google for using AOMEI restore feature. 

[StringJunky]

16 hours ago, kenny1999 said:

I do not have a new hard drive and I am not migrating the data now, but I want to keep everything original, yes, everything, the disk I backed up contains my system. I have done "Disk Backup" but not a "Disk Clone" now because I don't have a new disk now. However, I am worried that "Backup" alone is not a perfect copy compared to "Clone". Wish I am getting some experienced advice on this issue.

AFAIK The only difference between AEOMI/Macrium backup mode and clone is cloning records each sector  verbatim, including with the info in the empty spaces as well. The cloning of empty sectors necessitates that the final image is much larger and slower to create and transfer than imaging. Imaging just records the sectors being used by the current OS during the imaging session, ignoring the empty sectors. 

Edited September 21, 2023 by StringJunky

[studiot]

8 hours ago, StringJunky said:

AFAIK The only difference between AEOMI/Macrium backup mode and clone is cloning records each sector  verbatim, including with the info in the empty spaces as well. The cloning of empty sectors necessitates that the final image is much larger and slower to create and transfer than imaging. Imaging just records the sectors being used by the current OS during the imaging session, ignoring the empty sectors. 

Interesting, thanks. +1

[StringJunky]

7 hours ago, studiot said:

Interesting, thanks. +1

No prob. More simply, a clone is as big as the drive and an image is only as big as the live OS and user information in that. Imagine cloning a 1TB drive with only 50BG of data and OS on it. It's a waste of most peoples time unless it's essential that all information is forensically extracted, whether the information a part of the present OS space or not.

Unless you wipe sector by sector beforehand, any old data from a previous OS is still on the empty sectors not currently used by Windows and cloning can record that, but imaging ignores them.

Edited September 21, 2023 by StringJunky

[studiot]

23 minutes ago, StringJunky said:

No prob. More simply, a clone is as big as the drive and an image is only as big as the live OS and user information in that. Imagine cloning a 1TB drive with only 50BG of data and OS on it. It's a waste of most peoples time unless it's essential that all information is forensically extracted, whether the information a part of the present OS space or not.

Unless you wipe sector by sector beforehand, any old data from a previous OS is still on the empty sectors not currently used by Windows and cloning can record that, but imaging ignores them.

 

What I am not sure about is how various 'copying'  processes handle the new hidden partitions that Windows has.

 

 

[StringJunky]

19 minutes ago, studiot said:

 

What I am not sure about is how various 'copying'  processes handle the new hidden partitions that Windows has.

 

 

I don't know.

[mistermack]

7 hours ago, StringJunky said:

No prob. More simply, a clone is as big as the drive and an image is only as big as the live OS and user information in that. Imagine cloning a 1TB drive with only 50BG of data and OS on it. It's a waste of most peoples time unless it's essential that all information is forensically extracted, whether the information a part of the present OS space or not.

In my version of backerupper, when you click the clone button, it offers a system clone, a disk clone, or a partition clone. 

However, the system clone is only available on the "pro" version, which means the paid version.

I find the best and easiest cloning is to a spare disk. Disks are cheap and reliable S/H on ebay these days, I've never had a dud, and you get a refund for dud items anyway. 

If you use partition assistant, you could create a separate partition on the existing disk, and clone the OS partition to that. I think you can do that in backerupper too. 

[StringJunky]

13 hours ago, mistermack said:

In my version of backerupper, when you click the clone button, it offers a system clone, a disk clone, or a partition clone. 

However, the system clone is only available on the "pro" version, which means the paid version.

I find the best and easiest cloning is to a spare disk. Disks are cheap and reliable S/H on ebay these days, I've never had a dud, and you get a refund for dud items anyway. 

If you use partition assistant, you could create a separate partition on the existing disk, and clone the OS partition to that. I think you can do that in backerupper too. 

I made a recovery partition the drive with Macrium Reflect Free, with dividing up the drive into 60GB Windows, 30GB Recovery and the rest in a Data drive. On starting up  I am presented with going into Windows or Recovery. There is an option to select this in Macrium Reflect. The Recovery drive contains roughly 15GB system recovery images which contain my images. 

Edited September 22, 2023 by StringJunky

[StringJunky]

Correction to my previous post. I divided the drive with Partition Wizard first.