Is There A Better Way To Copy An External Disk Drive

[Wendy]

I want to copy everything on an external disk drive to another external disk drive as a backup. Is there an easier or faster way to do this than using windows explorer to copy each folder individually?

[Pyro]

You could create an image so you can deploy that disk’s files to any drive of your choosing, but selecting all of the folders in the drive and then dragging it over to the other seems easiest to me. If you left-click the top folder, then scroll down and shift + left-click the bottom folder, it will select all files in-between and speed up the process a bit for you.

Any program differences will most likely result in a negligible speed difference, as it is dictated by your hardware (the drives themselves), and not so much the software (what program you choose to move them with).

[PeterOz]

You can use something like Macrium Reflect Free to clone the disk which should give you an exact copy.
Or if this is on going you could look at something like this

https://www.amazon.com/SSK-Aluminum-External-Duplicator-Function/dp/B07WS59SP4/ref=sxin_14?asc_contentid=amzn1.osa.ef745b92-c59c-4033-a9b5-12ba6c3acdaf.ATVPDKIKX0DER.en_US&asc_contenttype=article&ascsubtag=amzn1.osa.ef745b92-c59c-4033-a9b5-12ba6c3acdaf.ATVPDKIKX0DER.en_US&content-id=amzn1.sym.c09abb10-336c-4c8f-b9f0-681fcf5f04dc%3Aamzn1.sym.c09abb10-336c-4c8f-b9f0-681fcf5f04dc&creativeASIN=B07WS59SP4&cv_ct_cx=hard+drive+duplicator&cv_ct_id=amzn1.osa.ef745b92-c59c-4033-a9b5-12ba6c3acdaf.ATVPDKIKX0DER.en_US&cv_ct_pg=search&cv_ct_we=asin&cv_ct_wn=osp-single-source-pecos-desktop&keywords=hard+drive+duplicator&linkCode=oas&pd_rd_i=B07WS59SP4&pd_rd_r=7ca764b2-3281-4d3e-89ad-cb48c22ba125&pd_rd_w=q0Szt&pd_rd_wg=zJCqZ&pf_rd_p=c09abb10-336c-4c8f-b9f0-681fcf5f04dc&pf_rd_r=R0WRPPMEDAD7FGF9Y2Y1&qid=1661290933&sr=1-3-c26ac7f6-b43f-4741-a772-17cad7536576&tag=pcmagcontent-20

I have not used this exact model nor do I make any profit from recommending this.
It is just an example of what is available

[PeterOz]

This may not be the quickest solution.
But it does not tie up your computer
and there are other models

[Bastet]

I use Macrium to create an image onto an external drive.

[Wendy]

Thank you for your suggestions. I will look into macrium. Someone I mentioned this to suggested I look at gscopypro which is free - but I don’t know how reliable it is. .

[PeterOz]

Macrium is free

[Bruce]

@Wendy - where we at?

[Wendy]

I downloaded macrium and will try to use it. Thank you everyone for your help. I don’t know how to close this thread so will someone who does know please close it for me.

[PeterOz]

@veeg will close the thread

[Bruce]

closed as solved