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Creating an image (clone) advice, help & guidance

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Hello,  I need help (Step by steps) on how to clone a computer's hard drive to bootable DVD(s)  or an external hard drive for emergency recovery purposes or after I have wiped the hard drive clean for performance purposes.  I want to make an exact image of all of the settings (Installed applications, desktop background image (if there is one), all local accounts (and account icons), everything.  I want to be able to re-image my computer to the state it is in right after performing a clean install of the OS, plus installing various applications and configuring various account and other settings.  I have bought the Acronis True Image 2018 Software and activated it with my serial number.  I have looked at the software but I'm still confused about how to use it.  I thought it best to ask how before I tried anything, rather than regret not asking, later.  I noticed there is a "Clone Disk" option listed under the tools section.  I looked at that, but I was concerned that if I used my 3TB external hard drive as the destination drive,  the entire existing contents of the 3TB external hard drive would be overridden with the new computer image (clone) I am creating.  I DO NOT WANT TO LOSE EVERYTHING CURRENTLY RESIDING ON MY 3TB EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE.  All of my previous data backups are located on that drive.  I have plenty of available space on the 3TB external hard drive to store an image file.  If I were to select the 3TB external hard drive as the destination for my image (clone) file, would it wipe out all existing data?  Is there a way to save the image (clone) file on the 3TB external hard drive without risking erasing all existing data?  If someone has the time, could you please list some step by step directions for creating a bootable image (clone) of my current computer setup on both DVD's and an external hard drive.  Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this post, and for your assistance.  Have a nice day

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Welcome to these User Forums.

Please see KB 1540: Difference between Backup and Disk Clone which gives a clear explanation of the differences involved in these two methods offered by Acronis True Image, plus has video tutorials of the same.

Note: You cannot clone your Windows OS to bootable DVD media - a clone, as described above, would be a 1 to 1 copy of the source disk drive to a target disk drive.

If you were to attempt to clone your OS drive to your external 3TB disk drive, then all current data on that drive would be wiped out and replaced with a copy of the OS drive only.

See also the following KB documents for more information:

KB 60142: Acronis True Image 2018: how to back up entire computer

KB 60144: Acronis True Image 2018: how to back up files or disks

KB 60287: Acronis True Image 2018: how to back up your computer or mobile device to NAS

You might also review this Article for an in-depth overview of backups