Ghosting

[Larbac]

Hi,

I have finally got my Pc in the configuration I want. I would like to save/backup/ghost ( i do not knwo how to call it) in order that I something goes wrong I will Have the image so I can boot it and Install and recover.

I hear about ghost norton and so on but I have no idea how to create such disk where I will just boot and it will install autimatically.

Can you help?

Thanks alot

[Tripredacus]

This is how I use Ghost:

I have a Server (computer) that has the Ghost Server software installed. I make a session to "Dump from client" which will save the GHO (Ghost file) in a folder. It is connected to a LAN where the other computer is. I have a USB Key (UFD) that has the DOS version of the Ghost client, and have the applicable NDIS (Network driver for DOS) driver in the config.sys. I boot to the key and run Ghost. It gets an IP address and I type in the name of my Ghost session. It then sends the volume image up to the server using whatever compression type I choose.

Of course you have other options with ghost, like you can clone one hard drive to another without being on a network. Or there are other options that I don't actually use.

[maggotspawn]

I use a freeware app called Drive Image XML

It'll back up your system drive, or any drive for that matter. When you want to reinstall, you boot from a CD and reinstall your disk image.

Full instructions at the link.

[IcemanND]

You could use Windows Images (WIM), free from Microsoft.

http://www.msfn.org/board/GUIDE-Creating-W...st&p=674778

[Ponch]

IcemanND, why don't you refer to (your) sticky about imaging software ?

[IcemanND]

Because I always forget about that one. And I use that WIM guide on an almost weekly basis personally so it's fresh in my mind.

http://www.msfn.org/board/Disk-Imaging-Software-t100299.html

[jaclaz]

I have some perplexities on the "extent" of the "free" related to imagex used as an imaging tool/backup:

http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...9355&st=134

jaclaz

[IcemanND]

Ah yes, but it's tough to recover something without first backing it up. And as Larbac wants to be able to restore or recover his windows operating system.

[jaclaz]

Ah yes, but it's tough to recover something without first backing it up.

Exactly my point.

jaclaz

[spacesurfer]

Haven't done extensive testing in Vista but with XP, I've used ImageX with success and with some snafus.

On my laptop, which only has one partition, I have backed up my install and recovered with ImageX without formatting. It works well but your registry will be reverted to the previous one, of course; and your prog files, although present, will not launch, in lieu of missing registry entries.

On my desktop, I actually tried to format the partition, then recover for a dual-boot XP setup but I had problems logging on after recovery saying my profile was not accessible. I had to boot to BartPE, format, then recover and it worked fine.

As far as choosing a good product, Acronis True Image is a fine product. What I love about it is that you can create a bootable media CD or flash disk; then you can perform all the backup tasks using the bootable media, even if it's not actually installed on your OS. I like that as I don't like too many unnecessary progs on my OS.

The best all time app is Norton Ghost 2003 version. It can run from a floppy or a virtual floppy image! Disadvantage is it doesn't support incremental backups or differential backups.

Edited September 12, 2008 by spacesurfer

[Tripredacus]

On my laptop, which only has one partition, I have backed up my install and recovered with ImageX without formatting. It works well but your registry will be reverted to the previous one, of course; and your prog files, although present, will not launch, in lieu of missing registry entries.

This is true of any file-based recovery. It isn't an issue with Imagex, but more with the method. Fortunately, if you wanted to run a restore of this nature, you can either remove the registry files from the WIM or put them into the exception list so they aren't captured in the first place. Of course if you have a corrupt registry you are stuck either way.