# Cloning an external drive?



## Jacob Fanto (Jan 7, 2022)

Hi everyone,

I finally was able to get a backup drive for my 3TB of sample libraries. The 3TB are all on one external drive. So essentially, I want to duplicate all of the files onto the new hard drive while still leaving them in place on the original. How would I safely go about this? Also, is there a way that I can set up the backup drive so that in the event that I would have to use it, I wouldn’t have to relocate every single library? Thanks in advance.


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## patrick76 (Jan 7, 2022)

Macrium Reflect is good for this task.


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## KEM (Jan 7, 2022)

patrick76 said:


> Macrium Reflect is good for this task.



I used Reflect to clone my main ssd to a nvme and for some reason I couldn’t use the new one as a boot drive even though it was an exact clone, any suggestions?


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## Noeticus (Jan 7, 2022)

Perhaps use a physical drive cloner like...


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## patrick76 (Jan 7, 2022)

KEM said:


> I used Reflect to clone my main ssd to a nvme and for some reason I couldn’t use the new one as a boot drive even though it was an exact clone, any suggestions?


Sorry, I’m not sure. I’ve been lucky cloning drives with Reflect and haven’t had any issues. Hopefully someone with more knowledge sees this and can chime in. Good luck


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## Bryan (Jan 9, 2022)

KEM said:


> I used Reflect to clone my main ssd to a nvme and for some reason I couldn’t use the new one as a boot drive even though it was an exact clone, any suggestions?


I had a similar thing happen and it was because I chose the wrong setting when I copied the disk. I can't remember what I did but I simply had to redo it and choose the right task. Then you may have to go into BIOS on start up and switch which drive is the boot drive.


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