Robocopy is a free file copy tool that is included with the Microsoft Windows operating system. It allows one to construct complicated instructions to move, or copy files.
A centralized log management and SIEM platform built for compliance, auditing, anomaly detection, and infrastructure visibility.
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Which is more popular?
Based on our record, RoboCopy
seems to be a lot more popular than Clonezilla.
While we know about 50 links to RoboCopy,
we've tracked only 2 mentions of Clonezilla.
social mentions
50 vs 2
File Management popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
111 vs 240+
Base details
Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.
High Performance RoboCopy is designed for efficient and fast file copy operations, making it suitable for copying large volumes of data quickly.
Resumable Transfers It can resume file transfers after interruptions, reducing the need to restart the copy operation from scratch.
Advanced File Selection Supports complex file selection criteria, such as filtering by file size, attributes, and last modified date.
Mirroring Capabilities Can mirror entire directories, ensuring source and destination directories are kept in sync.
Logging and Reporting RoboCopy provides detailed logs and reports of copy operations, which is useful for auditing and troubleshooting.
Multi-threading Supports multi-threaded file copying, allowing parallel transfer of multiple files to improve performance.
Robust Error Handling Offers robust error handling and retry mechanisms, ensuring higher reliability in copy operations.
Access Control Compliance Preserves file and folder permissions (ACLs), ownership, and attributes, ensuring compliance with access control policies.
Possible disadvantages
Complex Syntax The command-line interface can be complex and intimidating for users who are not familiar with command-line operations.
No Native GUI RoboCopy does not include a graphical user interface (GUI), which may make it less accessible for some users.
Overhead for Small Files There can be considerable overhead when copying a large number of small files, which may reduce overall performance.
Limited Real-Time Monitoring Does not offer real-time monitoring or progress indicators in the way that some modern copying tools provide.
Potential Data Loss Incorrect usage of certain switches (e.g., /MIR) can result in unintended data loss, making it necessary to use caution.
Limited Support Being a native Windows tool, it primarily supports Windows environments and lacks the cross-platform capabilities of some alternatives.
Learning Curve It has a steep learning curve for advanced features, requiring users to invest time in understanding its full capabilities.
Free and Open Source Clonezilla is available for free and the source code can be reviewed, modified, and distributed by users.
Wide Compatibility Works with a variety of file systems including ext2, ext3, ext4, reiserfs, xfs, jfs for Linux, and NTFS for Windows.
High Performance Utilizes programs like Partclone, Partimage, and ntfsclone, which offer efficient cloning and imaging capabilities.
Flexible and Powerful Provides numerous advanced options and features for power users, including unattended modes and network cloning.
Broad Hardware Support Compatible with various types of hardware, and can clone a single machine as well as multiple machines simultaneously.
Possible disadvantages
User Interface The interface is not very user-friendly and can be challenging for beginners to navigate.
Complexity Offers a steep learning curve with numerous advanced features and command-line options that may overwhelm novice users.
Limited Incremental/Differential Backup Does not support incremental or differential backups natively, requiring full backups each time.
Limited Support Support mainly comes from community forums and documentation, which may not be as reliable or fast as paid technical support.
Boot Media Requirement Requires creating and booting from live media (CD/USB) for operation, which might be inconvenient for some users.
Analysis
An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.
RoboCopyClonezilla
Overall verdict
RoboCopy is generally considered a good and reliable tool for file copying and backup purposes, especially in professional and enterprise environments where data integrity and efficiency are critical. Its advanced capabilities make it a preferred choice for users who require more control over their file transfer processes.
Why this product is good
RoboCopy, which stands for Robust File Copy, is highly regarded due to its robustness and advanced features that extend beyond what the standard Windows copy command offers. It supports file mirroring, can resume failed copies, and recognizes NTFS attributes and properties, making it ideal for large data transfer tasks. Furthermore, RoboCopy can handle network interruptions effectively and offers extensive options for logging operations, making it suitable for administrators and power users who need to perform complex file transfer tasks with precision and reliability.
Recommended for
RoboCopy is recommended for IT professionals, system administrators, and power users who need to perform complex file copy operations, including backing up data, file archiving, and synchronizing directories across different locations. It is particularly useful in environments where robust performance and detailed control over the copy process are necessary.
Overall verdict
Clonezilla is considered a good tool for those who need a powerful, flexible, and cost-effective solution for disk imaging and cloning tasks. It is particularly well-suited for IT professionals and system administrators who need to manage multiple systems. However, it requires some technical know-how, so it may not be the best fit for users who prefer a more graphical, user-friendly interface.
Why this product is good
Clonezilla is highly regarded for its efficiency and reliability in cloning and imaging computer systems. It supports a wide range of file systems and is capable of handling both Linux and Windows partitions. The tool is open-source, which means it is free to use and continuously improved by a community of developers. It offers advanced features like multicasting, unattended mode, and the ability to encrypt images for added security. Users appreciate its robustness and the fact that it can perform full and incremental backups efficiently.
Recommended for
Clonezilla is recommended for IT professionals, system administrators, and tech-savvy users who need a reliable and cost-effective solution for cloning and imaging tasks. It is ideal for those who are comfortable working with command-line interfaces and require support for a wide range of file systems and disk formats.
RoboCopy, an abbreviation of Robust File Copy, is a command-line based tool. It provides tons of advanced features for complex file copying operations. One of such features is repetitive copy jobs. The tool is also...
Unlike the ones above, this is not actually a software app you can download and install on your PC. RoboCopy is the short way to write “Robust File Copy,” it is a command-line utility for copying files from one...
As the name implies, Clonezilla(secured URL: https://clonezilla.org/) is all about cloning, disk imaging, and more. It is a free backup tool with features like UDPcast, partial cloning, and image partitioning. You can...
Clonezilla claims to be a similar software solution to what Acronis True Image and other programs offered – a disk imaging/cloning program with unimpressive capabilities but with an amazing operation speed. Clonezilla...
The best way to guard against data loss is to create backups. Cloning entire drives – or at least the important partitions – can save you much headache in the event of a drive failure. CloneZilla is the perfect...
Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.
RoboCopy50 mentionsClonezilla2 mentions
Is ultracopier still the very best in terms of open source alternative file copying/merging tool ?
I used robocopy on a slow network to transfer many gigabyte of data; properly configured with retries and everything worked great.
Don't know about your merge needs, so take a look into it and do some tests before actually running it.
Source:
about 4 years ago
Is copying the best way to transfer large amounts of files?
If you're copying a ton of files that vary in size, using a command prompt robocopy with the multi-thread parameter can make it so you are copying multiple files simultaneously and max out the bandwidth of whatever connection you're...
Source:
about 4 years ago
Game data to new PC
This would probably work well. Oblivion mod managers edit load order by modifying dates on the files, and I'm not sure if dragging-and-dropping would keep that info.
Source:
about 4 years ago
It wakes your machine up (if properly setup) and performs a incremental backup during the night. There are other ways using free software but they are advanced and mostly only worth if you want to learn how to get those things work.
Source:
over 4 years ago
Alternatives to RoboCopy and Clonezilla
When comparing RoboCopy and Clonezilla, you can also consider the following products.
TeraCopy
Ultracopier
FastCopy
Copy Handler
Copywhiz
FreeFileSync
ExtremeCopy
Acronis True Image
Macrium Reflect
DriveImage XML
Easeus Disk Copy
HDclone
CloudEndure
N2WS Cloud Protection Manager
