Imaging Software

[the_guy]

I just purchased a 320GB network hard drive, and I want to back up my computers to it. I have 3 computers, 2 running XP SP2 and 1 running 2000 SP4.

What program should I use to back up my drives, Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image? I need a program which would write the backup directly to the network drive and be able to restore from it if the need should arise.

Thanks in advance,

the_guy

[IcemanND]

Neither of those is really a backup utility. Are you wanting to do the backup while the machines are up and running or are you planning on booting from other media and the manually performing the backup?

You could just as easily you the Windows Imaging format to do this and not spend a dime on software if you don't want an automated solution.

[puntoMX]

Some drives come with there own software, didn´t this model have any?

[uid0]

You could just as easily you the Windows Imaging format to do this and not spend a dime on software if you don't want an automated solution.

The licence I read said "you may not use this for backing up" - has this been relaxed?

[IcemanND]

The licence I read said "you may not use this for backing up" - has this been relaxed?

To tell you the truth I have not read the entire license. Guess I should read it beginning to end. Though I personally would not use and Imaging tool as a backup tool.

[weEvil]

SelfImage: http://selfimage.excelcia.org/

[uid0]

Or if you have a seagate or maxtor drive, there is discwizard:

http://www.msfn.org/board/Free_Seagate_Dis...las_t98368.html

Or for a full list of software there is IcemanND's topic:

http://www.msfn.org/board/Disk_Imaging_Software_t100299.html

[the_guy]

Sorry for the delay in a response, but these past two days have been really busy.

I've actually been thinking about Norton Ghost, but I'm still unsure about whether or not it can put the disc image on the external hard drive directly. The drive didn't come with any software for backup, which sucks. SelfImage looks promising, but I'm confused about network drive support.

Opinions, anyone?

the_guy

[bledd]

just use acronis

does exactly what you want, and can be automated really easily, has a bootable cd you can use to restore (can restore from network paths easily too)

has an 'xp' interface so is dead simple to use

do a google image search on it

[RickSteele]

Go here and check the entire web page out thoroughly:

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/

I have been using Terabyte for 5 years and it is the answer to total happiness; there is a learning curve, but, support is stellar, it has a very small footprint-no fancy memory/resource hogging GUI; simple, fast, effective, accurate and inexpensive. This will do all that you want, however you want. Ensure you check out all their offerings completely-including the Linux Enterprise.....Email them for advice or direction...you will get an answer quickly and to the point.

Edited October 4, 2007 by RickSteele

[IcemanND]

If you can map to your network drive you can use ghost to put the image on it.

You can create a DOS boot cd with network controllers or create a BartPE cd with the 32-bit ghost executable on it and network drivers and then connect to your network drive and image it. Or create a Windows PE 2 cd and do the same as the BartPE cd.

[the_guy]

I tried Acronis, and I like it, except for the fact that it doesn't compress images.

I also tried Norton Ghost 2003, and it refuses to back up to the drive (registered as a local drive). It won't add a disk id to the drive.

I plan on trying terabyte tonight and hope it works.

If anyone knows how to fix either the TrueImage or the Ghost problem, it would be appreciated.

the_guy

[darph]

from my own experience i can say acronis did a realy good job.

The build in tool from windows is not so good but it works.

[IcemanND]

Ghost will not image the drive if you are running it from the OS you are trying to image you have to be booted from another partition or external media. Acronis can do this.

[RickSteele]

"I plan on trying terabyte tonight and hope it works."

I garanfreakin'tee ya' you will not be sorry....any concerns, email them and subscribe to their newsgroups in Outlook Express-directions on their website; both are awesome, prompt replies and help are the defacto standard with this outfit.