Rescuezilla

Rescuezilla is an open-source disk imaging application that can create a backup of the entire hard disk. In case of disaster (for instance, virus infection, hard disk failures, etc.), you can use the image create with Rescuezilla to restore the system to a previously working state, with all your files and configuration settings exactly as they were at the time when the backup was created.

Rescuezilla is a fork of the old Redo Backup and Recovery (now called Redo Rescue) application and fully compatible with Clonezilla, one of the most popular disk imaging applications out there. The application is available as an ISO image, which you can use to create a bootable USB stick. Please take into account that writing the image to a removable drive with a dedicated application normally erases all the data on the USB stick.

To access and use Rescuezilla, you must restart the computer with the USB stick plugged in and follow the on-screen instructions to boot from the disk while Windows is starting. Once Rescuezilla is loaded and the language to use is selected, you are presented with additional options to load the USB into RAM or check it for defects. A memory test can also be performed before loading Rescuezilla.

With Rescuezilla, you can perform system backups even if your OS fails to boot. The application is cross-platform, meaning it works with all the major operating systems. Rescuezilla’s  mini-OS loads once you boot it, allowing you to access your computer’s memory without writing information to the hard drive. In other words, with Rescuezilla, it is possible to create a backup of your data even when Windows, Linux or Mac OS cannot be loaded.

While it might be a bit inconvenient to work with an ISO image and create a bootable disk, this is the way to go when your operating system fails to load. The bootable USB drive you create can be used to access memory areas that store your files and the system configuration, so as to create a disk image for later use.