Compressed Images

When creating a file image, you have the option to compress the image with one of three options.

• QuickCompress: Very fast compression with a good trade-off between compression ratio and runtime. QuickCompress is recommended for quickly creating backups while saving space.
• Normal: Uses a higher compression ratio with intermediate runtime requirements.
• StrongCompress: Highest compression rate with the highest runtime requirements. Choose this option to maximize your amount of space.

When it comes to HDClone's operation and the files in which the images are stored, there is no difference between compressed and uncompressed file images for the user. Compressing an image takes more time than decompressing an image, meaning that restoring a compressed image is much faster.

Note: Compressions, due to the additional time they require, usually lead to a slower copying speed. Yet in some cases, creating compressed images may lead to a higher copying speed, especially when the disk that contains the image is relatively slow, e.g. USB sticks, mass storage media connected via USB 1.1/2.0, slow network drives, or when using QuickCompress.