DriveSync

A cross-platform drive cloning utility with Windows VSS live cloning and bootable Linux USB support.

Overview

DriveSync is a block-level drive cloning tool that works on both Windows and Linux. It provides intelligent auto-detection, live system cloning via Windows VSS, and a bootable USB option for maximum flexibility.

Key features:

• Windows VSS Live Cloning: Clone your running Windows system without rebooting
• Smart Auto-Detection: Automatically identifies source and destination drives
• Bootable USB: Self-contained Linux environment with Secure Boot support
• GPT-aware: Handles the "2TB to 2TB" size mismatch problem

Quick Start

Windows (VSS Live Clone)

Clone your running Windows system to an external drive:

1. Download drivesync-windows-amd64.zip from releases
2. Extract and right-click drivesync.exe → Run as Administrator
3. Press Enter to clone auto-detected drives, or S/D to select manually
4. Clone happens live - no reboot needed!

Use case: Upgrade your laptop's internal SSD while Windows is running. Connect new drive via USB, clone, shutdown, swap drives.

Linux Bootable USB - Traditional Mode

1. Download drivesync-live-usb.zip from releases
2. Extract to a FAT32 USB stick
3. Boot from the USB (works with Secure Boot enabled)
4. Select source drive
5. Select destination drive
6. Type "clone" to confirm

Linux Bootable USB - Self-Overwrite Mode (2 drives)

1. Extract drivesync-live-usb.zip to the destination drive (in USB enclosure)
2. Boot from the destination drive
3. One-click clone: internal drive → this drive
4. Swap drives, done

Features

Cross-Platform Support

• Windows VSS Live Cloning - Clone running Windows systems without reboot
• Linux Bootable USB - Debian Live environment with Secure Boot support
• Smart Auto-Detection - Automatically identifies source and destination
• One-click workflow - Press Enter to start clone with detected drives

Core Capabilities

• Block-level cloning - Copies everything including boot sectors and partition tables
• GPT-aware - Handles the "2TB to 2TB" size mismatch problem
• Partition enumeration - Accurate space calculations, even with shrunk BitLocker volumes
• Direct I/O - Platform-specific unbuffered I/O for maximum performance
• Self-overwrite mode - Clone to the drive you booted from (Linux USB only)

User Experience

• Modern TUI - Clean Bubble Tea interface with keyboard navigation
• Progress tracking - Real-time speed, ETA, and completion percentage
• Error handling - Clear messages for encryption, size mismatches, and disk issues
• Multiple workflows - Auto mode, manual selection, or config file

Downloads

Get the latest release from GitHub Releases:

File	Platform	Description
drivesync-windows-amd64.zip	Windows	VSS live cloning - clone running systems
drivesync-live-usb.zip	Any (bootable)	Debian Live USB - Secure Boot compatible
drivesync-linux-amd64	Linux	Static binary for CLI mode

System Requirements

• Windows: Windows 10/11 with Administrator privileges
• Bootable USB: Any x86_64 PC with UEFI (Secure Boot works out of the box)
• Linux: Any modern Linux distribution with root access

Common Use Cases

Upgrade Your Laptop SSD (Windows)

1. Connect new SSD via USB enclosure
2. Run drivesync.exe as Administrator
3. Press Enter to auto-clone
4. Shutdown, swap drives, boot from new SSD

Clone Before Hardware Failure

1. Boot from DriveSync USB
2. Clone failing drive to new drive
3. Works even if Windows won't boot

Create Exact Backup

• Clones everything: OS, apps, files, partition layout
• Destination drive boots identically to source
• No need to reinstall or reconfigure

Technical Details

For developers and advanced users:

• Building from Source - Compile for Windows, Linux, or create bootable USB
• How It Works - Architecture, GPT handling, and the "2TB problem"
• Configuration - KDL config files for automation

FAQs

Q: Can I clone to a smaller drive? A: Yes, if the used data fits. DriveSync calculates actual space usage and handles shrunk partitions correctly.

Q: Will it work with BitLocker/encrypted drives? A: Yes. On Windows, VSS handles live encrypted volumes. Shrink the BitLocker partition first if cloning to smaller drive.

Q: Does it work with Secure Boot enabled? A: Yes. The bootable USB uses Debian's signed GRUB bootloader - no need to disable Secure Boot.

Q: How long does it take? A: Depends on drive size and USB speed. Typical 500GB clone over USB 3.0 takes 1-2 hours.

License

MIT - see LICENSE file for details.

Support

• Report issues: GitHub Issues
• Discussions: GitHub Discussions