How to Clone Root Disk in Linux Mint 21.3

There comes a time when you may want to clone your root disk in Linux Mint 21.3. Maybe you’re upgrading to a bigger SSD, replacing a failing hard drive, or just creating a full backup of your system. Cloning the root disk ensures you don’t need to reinstall Linux Mint or reconfigure everything you simply copy the whole drive, and it just works.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through different methods to clone your root disk in Linux Mint 21.3. Don’t worry it’s not as complicated as it sounds, and I’ll break it down step by step.

What Does Cloning a Root Disk Mean?

Cloning a root disk means creating an exact copy of your entire Linux Mint system—including the operating system, settings, applications, and personal files—onto another disk. Unlike just copying files, cloning copies:

• The bootloader (so the system can start).
• The partitions and file system structure.
• Hidden system files and permissions.

This makes the new disk a bootable clone of your original.

When Should You Clone Your Root Disk?

• Upgrading to a larger disk (from 256GB SSD to 1TB SSD).
• Replacing a failing HDD/SSD before it completely dies.
• Creating a full system backup that you can restore instantly.
• Migrating Linux Mint to another computer.

Methods to Clone Root Disk in Linux Mint 21.3

There are several tools you can use. I’ll cover three reliable methods:

1. Using Clonezilla (recommended) – A dedicated disk cloning tool.
2. Using dd command – A simple but powerful terminal command.
3. Using GParted (GUI method) – For those who prefer a graphical tool.

1. Clone Root Disk with Clonezilla (Recommended)

Clonezilla is a free, open-source tool designed for cloning and imaging disks. It’s reliable and widely used.

Steps:

1. Download Clonezilla ISO from the official site.
2. Create a bootable USB with the ISO using tools like balenaEtcher or Rufus.
3. Boot into Clonezilla Live by restarting your PC and selecting the USB.
4. Choose device-to-device (disk-to-disk clone) mode.
5. Select your source disk (the root disk you want to clone).
6. Select your target disk (the new disk where everything will be copied).
7. Confirm and start the process.

Once done, shut down, remove the old disk, and boot from the new one. Your Linux Mint 21.3 system should load as usual.

2. Clone Root Disk Using dd Command

If you’re comfortable with the terminal, dd is the simplest built-in way to clone a disk.

Warning: Be careful with this command. If you mix up source and destination, you could wipe your data.

Steps:

1. Find your disk names: lsblk Example: /dev/sda (root disk), /dev/sdb (new disk).
2. Run the dd command: sudo dd if=/dev/sda of=/dev/sdb bs=64K conv=noerror,sync status=progress
   • if = input file (source disk).
   • of = output file (target disk).
   • bs=64K = block size for better speed.
   • noerror,sync = continue even if errors are found.
   • status=progress = shows progress.
3. Wait until the cloning finishes.
4. After completion, reboot and test the new disk.

3. Clone Root Disk Using GParted

GParted is a GUI partition manager, often included in Linux Mint’s live USB. You can use it for disk-to-disk cloning too.

Steps:

1. Boot into a Linux Mint Live USB (so your root disk isn’t in use).
2. Install GParted if not already available: sudo apt install gparted
3. Launch GParted.
4. Select your source disk and copy the partitions.
5. Paste them into your target disk.
6. Apply changes.

After copying, you may need to reinstall GRUB on the target disk to make it bootable:

sudo grub-install /dev/sdb
sudo update-grub

Verifying the Clone

After cloning, make sure the new disk is working properly:

1. Reboot and boot from the cloned disk.
2. Run: df -h to confirm the root filesystem is on the new disk.
3. Check your applications, files, and boot speed.

Tips Before Cloning

• Always backup important files before starting.
• Ensure the target disk is equal or larger than the source disk.
• If you’re cloning to SSD, enable TRIM for better performance.
• Don’t use the system while cloning (boot from USB if possible).

Conclusion

Cloning your root disk in Linux Mint 21.3 may sound technical, but with the right method, it’s straightforward.

• Use Clonezilla if you want a safe and reliable tool.
• Use dd if you prefer a quick terminal solution.
• Use GParted if you want a graphical approach.

Whichever method you choose, you’ll end up with a complete copy of your system ready to boot and use. This saves you the time and hassle of reinstalling Linux Mint from scratch.