How do I use ImageUSB? I need a step by step

[AlanS]

To Whom It May Concern:
Earlier today, I posted this on a Facebook group page:

Years ago I bought a program that was basically a database of issues of a magazine. The program came on an external hard drive. (USB to ATA/ATAPI Bridge)
I have been trying to make a backup of this program in case the drive ever fails. I have copied the files from the external hard drive to disc and also to a flash drive. I am able to install the program with no problems.
The problem is that even though I have no trouble installing the program, whenever I try to go to a certain issue or a certain page it demands that I connect the external hard drive. When I connect the external hard drive I can access whatever issue or page that I want.
My worry is that since hard drives can fail I want to create viable backups. I know that there must be a reason why the program will not access a certain issue or page unless the original external hard drive is connected.
I am going to guess that there must be a simple reason or solution but I cannot figure out what it is.
Thank you very much.

A gentleman was kind enough to respond with this solution:
Search for and download a program called ImageUSB, the correct website will be OSForensics. This simple little program will allow you to create an exact copy of a drive including thumb drives and then you can 'write' that image to a new thumb drive and it will behave exactly as the original. I got the recommendation from a highly experienced IT guy and have used it multiple times for bootable media

I responded with the following:
Thank you. I downloaded ImageUSB but I am confused as to how to use it. I am afraid of deleting the contents of the external hard drive. The program recognizes both the external hard drive and the flash drive. I don't know what settings to make. Thank you again.

Please, can you help me and explain what I have to do? Thank you very much for your kind assistance.

[David (PassMark)]

Yes, ImageUSB can create exact copies of USB connected drives.
Yes, if you get the source and destination mixed up, you can destroy all your data. So double check the drive letters / name of the drives / size of drives before starting.

BUT this might not solve your problem. The magazine viewer software might be checking for a very specific USB device to be connected. This could be done for example by,
1) Checking the exact size of the drive. It is unlikely that your new drive will exactly match, but it should be larger.
2) Check the device name. For example the device might be called "Kingston Data Traveller 2.0". And if the names don't match the software might refuse to run.
3) Checking the PID/VID of the USB device. This identifies the USB device even more precisely. For example VID: 050d Belkin Components, PID: 0249 USB 2 Flash Media Device

Note that the PID VID data is in the device's firmware, hard coded. It can't generally be overwritten and can't be duplicated by copying the source drive's storage area.

This would mean you either need to hack the software to remove the check, or spoof the details for your new USB drive. Or find the exact same flash drive as your source. Or maybe find a different viewer that works with the magazine data. Probably none of these options are trivial.

[AlanS]

Please help me. I do not understand. I want to use Image USB to make an image that I can then copy to a flash drive or a disk. I am at the window that says "Create and write an image of a USB drive." The explanations given are totally confusing, not at all clear. What does "Select the USB Drive to be processed" refer to, the external hard drive or the flash drive receiving the newly created image? The second step, "select the action to be performed,"--the words are not clear. The third step--If I click "select the image to write," I get nothing. This program should be simple but the frustration is that the explanations are not. Can someone tell me how this program is to be used? Thank you very much.

[David (PassMark)]

Step 1 : Pick the drive to be processed (the one(s) you are planning on reading from, or writing to)
Step 2 : Select the action you want to do. (Creating an new image, writing an image, formatting a drive, etc..)
Step 3 : Pick the disk image file name.
Step 4 : Click on the "Write" button to write if you are writing an image. Click on the "Create" button to create an image.

So you need to create an image from the source drive, then write it to the destination drive.

If none of this makes sense, maybe find someone with IT knowledge to help identify which drive is which.

[AlanS]

Thank you, David. I guess I understand Step 1. That refers to the drive that has the information. I do not understand Step 2. When you say "writing an image," do you mean copying an image already made toi the receiving usb drive? The choices in step 2 are "write image to usb drive" and "create image from usb drive." Which usb drive does this refer to. I have an external hard drive that connects to the computer by means of usb and a flash drive that connects to the computer by means of usb. I assume that your explanation for step 3 is "give it a name." I've been with computers for 27 years. I have made many images. Truthfully, the wording in this program is not clear. I do appreciate your help, though.

[David (PassMark)]

Given the purpose of the software (creating and writing disk images) and I not sure how we could make it clearer.

You create an disk image of the source drive and write it to the destination drive. Again, if this seems complex, you might need to find a knowledgeable IT person to help.
(and as already mentioned it might not solve your problem anyway)

[AlanS]

In Step 2, When you say "writing an image," do you mean copying an image already made to the receiving usb drive? Please say Yes or No.
In Step 2, the choices are "write image to usb drive" and "create image from usb drive." Which usb drive does this refer to, the external hard drive or the new flash drive? Please tell me which one.
In Step 3, am I correct in my assumption that what you are saying is "give it a name?" Please tell me if my assumption is correct, Yes or No.

Thank you again, but I still believe that the wording and the instructions in this program can be written more clearly.
When you say "You create an disk image of the source drive and write it to the destination drive," I understand that absolutely perfectly. I have done that many times over the past many years. I am saying that the wording in this program is not clear.
Thank you again.

[David (PassMark)]

I am saying that the wording in this program is not clear.

Maybe this isn't the tool for you.
There are other disk cloning packages. Maybe have a look at Clonezilla. They have a support forum and maybe someone can step you through the process.

[AlanS]

No matter what, I appreciate your efforts to help me. I decided to try it out with a flash drive instead of the external drive hard. I copied the contents of the flash drive to my computer beforehand in case I might make a mistake using ImageUSB. I believe I was successful. Since I believe in clear step by steps, I wrote one. I'm sending you the results. If I've made any mistake, please tell me. Thank you again.

[AlanS]

Yes!! I am thrilled!! Total success!! I was able to clone the original external hard drive. The big test was to determine if I could install the program on a new computer and would it access the content on the database. It worked perfectly. BTW, I thought that I would have to wait until I buy a 512gb flash drive. I forgot all about 2 external portable hard drives that were lying around doing nothing. I figured that that's also usb. Why not? Worked perfectly! I hope that the pdf that I posted in the above letter can be downloaded. Feel free to use it. Thank you again.

[Bob32435]

I'm sure I've missed something in the specs of this software, but just to clarify, this is only good for imaging USB drives and not computer hard drives. Correct?

[David (PassMark)]

Yes, ImageUSB, is for making disk images of USB drives.
(and by extension, bulk duplication of USB drives)

If you want hard disk imaging, try OSForensics and / or OSFClone.