Image based backups that can mount volumes

Other than Ghost, True Image, and (I ASSuME) Save and Restore, which
image based backup programs can mount the backed up volumes, so the volumes can be treated
as normal volumes in Windows Explorer.

I am talking about mounting, not just recovering files.

 

Image for Windows/DOS, from Terabyte Unlimited, if you install their free component TBIView.

EDIT: I'm not certain, though, that it meets your definition of "mounting a volume", Howard. It's got its own "explorer"-like GUI which shows the imaged drive and its structure by itself.

 

But can it mount volumes that can be accessed separaely when TB is not runnning? This is not clear from the following:

 

No, you have to run TBIView to see the "volume", thus it's not the same as mounting a volume in ATI or the others. My bad.

 

THanx.

I've sent StorageCraft email asking them.

 

that looks interesting
there appears to be no price on the web site.
2.9mb dl !! small

Is this the first real application of the MS "volume imaging"

Heh; will trial with FD-Isr snapshot first.
What about FDISR preboot and VSM pre-boot image conflict ??
Peter, any info?

(so many snapshots being taken my HD will get a swelled head LOL)

 

I use a multiboot system for such testing.
I install in a non-main OS, play with the toy for a bit, then restore the partition.

I just got the following response from StorageCraft:

Guess I'll download the demo.

 

You can definitely mount volume images using StorageCraft's ShadowProtect. You count not only mount one image but multiple images, assinging them either drive leters or as mount points. The mounting capability of the product is such that you can mount hundreds of images simultaneously with little impact on your machine.

Further, you can mount them as read or read/write. The later being nice if you want to make changes to the files in the image, such as virus scaning, etc.

ShadowProtect is also the only registered VSS provider, Ghost and Acronis are not. This is important for use on WinXP, Server 2003 and going forward to Vista and Longhorn. The backups work with the VSS framework to ensure good backups of programs like Exchange, SQL 2005, etc.

To see a list of true VSS providers on a system you can type the following from the command prompt “vssadmin list providers”. Only StorageCraft's snapshot driver is a VSS provider.

It is definitely worth looking at if you are considering a backup/imaging product.

http://www.storagecraft.com/products/ShadowProtectDesktop/

 

Yes, it looks like a better product than Ghost 10, but, there's my big butt again, perusing their web site, I have a concern that it may have the same weakness as Ghost 10 in incremental updates ant multiple backups.

I just posted a query at the pre-sales forum at StorageCraft. Interestingly, the forum was established 6 Jan 2006 and I was the FIRST poster in that forum.

My query was:

Also, see

http://forums.hardwareguys.com/ikonboard.cgi?s=4492619c5fa1ffff;act=ST;f=13;t=4573

 

I'm not impressed by the lack of response/activity in the StorageCraft support forums.

Hopefully, I'll get a timely response to my questions.

 

@Howard Kaikow

Any response?
Did you trial? How goes?

Longboard

 

No response yet to ANY of the questions I posted in the StorageCraft Pre-SAles forum.

Such poor response to pre-sales questions leaves me wondering about their support. not to mention they disappeared for the 4 July weekend. I can understand that for a sole proprietor, but not for a real company.

 

Spot reading the user's guide for the desktop edition, I would say:

1. Shadow Protect is much better than Ghost 10.
2. I may have found the answer to the question I posed in http://forums.shadowstor.com/Forums/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=157m
but if I do not see any evidence of prompt response to pre-sales queries, ferget it.

Looks like much of the management came from Powerquest.

 

I just sent the following to ShadowCraft support via email.

Last week, I did get a prompt reply to a question I submitted by email.
Let's see what happens now.

But, there's my big butt again, if they ignore the forums, caveat emptor!

 

Hello, everyone I just wanted to put my 2 scents in. I have been using Shadowprotect desktop since March without any problems or worries. It is a very simple and affective way to create full and incremental backups, I must confese that I have not had the need for incremental backups. For my usage I find it easier to do full backups (c stored on a external harddrive.

There is no performance hit or storage space take up providing you put your backup on an external drive. If not you must deal with space requirements of another c: drive. Mounting volumes are easy and can be accessed through the progams gui or a simple right click will bring up a quick mount option.

I have tried and own a copy FDR-ISR, and would recommend it to anyone. I did not like the size hit (149g down to 120g) of the image that were created by this program. That was the only reason and the fact that counterspy deleted a couple of files that rendered the program unusable that I made the switch.

I am an average user with no technical expertise so I can not tell you about the nuts and bolts, only that it is a quality program that has not failed me

Thanks,
Ptah

 

Although the product looks good on paper, the lack of response in their supportt forums, especially to pre-sales questions makes me wonder.

I did get prompt email respnes earlier today:

1. It was stated that they had changed the forum software and there had been problems.

That does not excuse their not answering my postings, especialy as they have now acknowledged seeing the postings.

And what about the poster, posting on 30 June 2006, stating that no response had been received to his request for support of 10 daze ago (I expect that means 20 June 2006)?

2. Earlier today, I received an email stating that I would be receiving an email with a response to my queries. I just sent a message asking for a resend.

One of my queries was answered via email, but I've not seen a response in the forum so others can share.

 

ShadowCraft has finally responded to my queries in their forum, but I had to prod them via email to do so,

 

I read the user guide tonight.

Page 64 indicates cannot mount read-only in win 2000.

 

Read the user guide for Shadow Protect.
Has the same weakness as Ghost for incremental updates.At least Shadow Protect is upfront about this.

I got, to be accurate, incompetent responses from Symantec Tech "support" when I asked about this a few months ago.

However. it might be possible to have multiple backups another way with Shadow Protect. See the first Note on page 54 of the newest user guide. I posted a follow up in the StorageCraft forum. Let's see how long it takes to get an answer.

P.S. The Shadow Protect License explicitly lists their forum as a support mechanism, so they really cannot ignore the forum.

 

Might it make sense to move all the StorageCraft posts to a separate thread, including only a link here at their first mention?

 

I've been a busy Beaver!
http://forums.shadowstor.com/Forums/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=23

 

LOL
Go Go Go HK
You are putting them on notice !!

 

Drive Snapshot offers this feature and consists of just one 190KB file, no installation needed (though there is a package available including a bootdisk maker if you prefer it).