Clone Linux Drive | Clone EXT4/EXT3/EXT2 Partitions in Windows 10/11

If your computer is working with both the Windows and Linux operating systems, you might need to clone the Linux OS to an external hard drive. But Windows does not support EXT4 creating or formatting EXT files system, how can you do that? In this article, we will tell you how by using the EaseUS Partition Master Free.

To clone a Linux hard drive in Windows, select professional Windows cloning software that can recognize ext2, ext3, and ext4, which is the easiest way to clone a Linux disk in Windows. Or, you must use a bootable live USB environment, as you cannot clone an active OS drive. Create a bootable USB with a tool like Clonezilla, boot your computer from it, and use the program's interface to select the source Linux drive and the target drive.

Check the following table to learn more details about the two methods and select a proper one based on your needs:

As the table shows, EaseUS Partition Master can clone ext2/3/4 to Windows without booting from a USB or typing any command lines, so it's easy to use for even beginners. If you have computing experience or a related background, Clonezilla is a free utility that lets you clone Linux disks from Windows.

Do not forget to share this post to help those who want to clone a Linux hard drive and copy ext4 files to Windows.

How to Clone Linux Drive in Windows

In this section, we'll explore two reliable ways to clone a Linux drive in Windows using EaseUS Partition Master Free and Clonezilla.

Both tools can handle Linux file systems and help you migrate or back up your Linux environment safely. EaseUS Partition Master is perfect for beginners who prefer a Windows-based graphical interface, while Clonezilla is a powerful open-source tool favored by advanced users.

Method 1. Use EaseUS Partition Master

EaseUS Partition Master Free fully supports Linux file systems, including EXT2, EXT3, and EXT4, and allows you to clone a Linux disk while running Windows, without the need to boot into Linux. It's beginner-friendly, with clear on-screen instructions and a sector-by-sector cloning option that accurately replicates every partition, file structure, and boot record from the original Linux drive.

• Works directly inside Windows without rebooting to another OS.
• Supports sector-by-sector copy, perfect for EXT4 or bootable Linux drives.
• Fully compatible with HDDs, SSDs, external USB drives, and NVMe disks.

Before getting started:

Here is how to copy an ext4 partition in Windows with EaseUS Partition Master:

Step 1. In EaseUS Partition Master, select "Disk Clone" from the left menu. Click "Clone Partition" and "Next".

Step 2. Select the source partition you want to clone from and click "Next".

Step 3. Choose your the target partition and click "Next "to continue.

• If you clone partition to the existing partition, you should transfer or back up data before cloning to prevent it being overwritten.
• Check warning message and confirm "Yes".

Step 4. Click Start and wait for the clone to complete.

You can check how to clone partition or system reserved partition on this video tutorial.

Method 2. Use Clonezilla

Clonezilla is a free, open-source disk cloning and imaging tool designed for advanced users. Unlike EaseUS, Clonezilla runs from a bootable USB or CD/DVD outside of Windows, allowing you to clone disks at the system level, ideal for migrating a Linux system, backing up servers, or creating exact copies of drives with multiple partitions.

🧰 Detailed Steps to Clone a Linux Drive with Clonezilla

Step 1. Prepare a Bootable USB Drive

• Download the latest Clonezilla ISO from the official site.
• Use Rufus to create a bootable USB stick.

Step 2. Connect Source and Target Drives

• Attach both the Linux drive (source) and the new drive (destination) to your computer.
• Boot from the Clonezilla USB via BIOS/UEFI boot menu. (Contact the manufacturers and learn

Step 3. Launch Clonezilla

Select Clonezilla live > choose language and keyboard layout > proceed to Start Clonezilla.

Step 4. Choose the Cloning Mode

• Select device-device mode for direct disk-to-disk cloning.
• Pick Beginner Mode for a guided setup, or Expert Mode for advanced control.
• Select Source and Destination Disks
• Choose your Linux disk as the source drive.
• Select your target drive carefully; it will be completely overwritten.

Step 5. Start the Cloning Process

Confirm your selections when prompted (type "y" to proceed).

Wait for the progress bar to reach 100%. This may take from 30 minutes to several hours, depending on disk size. 

Both EaseUS Partition Master and Clonezilla are reliable ways to clone or migrate a Linux drive from Windows. EaseUS offers a simple GUI experience for beginners, while Clonezilla provides granular control for tech-savvy users. 

If this guide helped you successfully clone your Linux drive in Windows, feel free to share this post.

Conclusion

Partition cloning is the process that copies all the content of one partition to another. The destination partition will be loaded with the same data as the source partition. 

Some users might install dual boot systems on their computers. For example, there are a lot of users who would install both Linux and Windows systems on their computers. For those users, there is a problem when they want to clone Linux partitions for further use, that is Windows does not support creating or formatting EXT files system. 

Luckily, some third-party partition management tools will help users overcome this problem. One such tool is EaseUS Partition Master Free.

FAQs about How to Clone Linux Hard Drive with Windows

1. What is EXT4?

EXT4 stands for Extended File System 4. It's the third default file system of the Linux operating system, also the successor to EXT3. EXT4 was released in 2008, starting from Linux Kernel 2.6.19. It was originally a series of backward-compatible extensions to EXT3, designed to extend storage limits and add other performance improvements.

The EXT4 file system supports volumes with sizes up to 1 EB and single file sizes up to 16 TB with the standard 4KB block size.

2. Can Windows read a Linux hard drive?

By default, Windows can't read Linux file systems such as EXT2, EXT3, or EXT4, so your Linux hard drive may appear as 'unallocated' or 'not formatted.' However, you can access Linux partitions in Windows using third-party tools like Ext2Fsd, Linux File Systems for Windows by Paragon, or DiskInternals Linux Reader. These utilities let you mount Linux drives, browse files, and even copy data between systems safely; just note that write access should be used with caution to avoid data corruption.

3. Is Clonezilla only for Linux?

No, Clonezilla isn't limited to Linux. Although it's popular among Linux users, it's actually a cross-platform disk cloning tool that can clone Windows, macOS, and Linux drives alike. Clonezilla runs from a bootable USB or CD instead of inside the operating system, so it doesn't matter whether you're cloning a Windows or Linux disk; it simply copies data at the sector level.

4. How to copy an EXT4 partition in Windows?

Windows doesn't natively support the EXT4 file system, so you'll need a third-party disk cloning tool that can handle Linux partitions. The easiest option is EaseUS Partition Master, which lets you clone or copy an EXT4 partition in Windows without having to boot into Linux. You can also use Clonezilla from a bootable USB if you prefer an open-source solution.