- Home
- Disk Cloning Software
- Rescuezilla
Rescuezilla
What it is
Rescuezilla is free, open-source disk imaging software for backing up, restoring, and recovering computer data. It runs from a USB stick or CD-ROM in a Linux live environment, which lets users work when a computer’s regular operating system cannot boot. It supports Windows, macOS, and Linux computers and can restore images made with Clonezilla; Clonezilla can also restore Rescuezilla images. Supported formats include raw images and virtual machine files from VirtualBox, VMware, Hyper-V, and QEMU. Graphical tools let users edit, manage, and resize partitions, and the feature page describes recovering deleted files to another drive. A beta feature provides access to files within supported backup images, though browsing large gzip- or zstandard-compressed images may be slow. Rescuezilla can connect to SMB/CIFS network shares, and some may require SMB 1.0. Its USB session runs in read-only mode, so changes disappear after reboot. Restoring to a smaller disk requires first resizing the source disk with GParted. System requirements include an Intel/AMD-compatible PC, 1 GB of RAM, a USB stick, and an external USB hard drive; 2 GB of RAM is recommended.
For and against
For
- Boots from USB or CD-ROM for recovery
- Restores images made with Clonezilla
- Supports raw and virtual machine image formats
- Includes partition tools and deleted-file recovery
Against
- Session changes disappear after reboot
- Smaller-disk restores require resizing the source first
- Browsing large compressed images may be slow
The verdict
Rescuezilla offers bootable disk imaging and recovery tools, including compatibility with Clonezilla images. Its read-only session and smaller-disk restore workaround are important constraints to account for before use.
Who it suits
Rescuezilla suits computer users who need to image, restore, or recover data, including when the regular operating system will not boot. It supports Windows, macOS, and Linux computers, but its live environment runs from bootable media.
Plans and prices
Free
No license or serial number; runs from bootable USB or CD-ROM
Read 30 Sep 2026 · rescuezilla.com
On the record
- Backup scope
- mixedrescuezilla.com · read 23 Sep 2026
- Bootable live system
- It runs from a USB stick or CD-ROM and can be used when the computer’s regular operating system cannot boot.rescuezilla.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Clonezilla compatibility
- Rescuezilla can restore backup images made with Clonezilla, and Clonezilla can restore images made with Rescuezilla.rescuezilla.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Computer backup
- Yesrescuezilla.com · read 23 Sep 2026
- Data recovery
- The feature page says Rescuezilla can recover deleted files and save them to another drive.rescuezilla.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- File access
- A beta feature lets users access files inside supported backup images, though large gzip or zstandard-compressed images may be slow to browse.rescuezilla.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Network sharing
- The help page describes connecting to SMB/CIFS network shares and notes that some shares may require selecting SMB 1.0.rescuezilla.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Nonpersistent session
- The USB environment runs in read-only mode and changes made during a session disappear after reboot.rescuezilla.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Partition tools
- Rescuezilla includes graphical tools to edit, manage, and resize partitions.rescuezilla.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Purpose
- Rescuezilla is an open-source disk imaging app for backup, restore, and recovery.rescuezilla.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Requirements
- The download page lists an Intel/AMD-compatible PC, 1 GB of RAM (2 GB recommended), a USB stick, and an external USB hard drive as system requirements.rescuezilla.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Restore limitation
- Restoring to a smaller disk requires a workaround that resizes the source disk with GParted first.rescuezilla.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Restore modes
- mixedrescuezilla.com · read 23 Sep 2026
- Support
- The help page directs users to GitHub issues and the SourceForge forum, where it says the developer provides direct assistance with restoring data.rescuezilla.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Supported image formats
- It supports virtual machine images from VirtualBox (VDI), VMware (VMDK), Hyper-V (VHDx), and QEMU (QCOW2), as well as raw images and open-source imaging frontends.rescuezilla.com · read 30 Sep 2026
