RenoGeek's Computer Terms Glossary - Disk Image

Disk Image - a software copy of a physical disk. It saves all the data from the disk being copied, including the file structure, files and all folders from the disk, In a single file. Like a .iso.

Because all disk images are exact clones, of the original disk(s) copied, they can serve as backups in case data from the copied disk is lost.

Disk images can be created from both hard drives and other media, such as CDs and DVD.

Most image files store data in a binary format like .ISO, .BIN or .DMG

In most cases this data can only be read with the use of special boot or utility programs. Which has limited their use to expert computer users for the most part.

Return to RenoGeek's Computer Terms Glossary.