Cold vs. Hot Imaging

Discussion in 'polls' started by Aaron Here, Jun 20, 2011.

?

Which of the following disk-imaging methods do you rely on?

  1. Cold Imaging - from a pre-boot environment

    50.0%
  2. Hot Imaging - from within the host OS (e.g., Windows)

    50.0%
  1. aladdin

    aladdin Registered Member

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    Dearest Sul.

    I found the thread, which is here:

    https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=258152

    I will look into it in few days or so.

    Again many thanks!

    Best regards,

    KOR!
     
  2. Sully

    Sully Registered Member

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  3. Hugger

    Hugger Registered Member

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    Forgive me for being somewhat dumber than a stone, but I'd like to clarify the options.

    By cold image, pre-boot environment, do you mean using an ISO disk to boot the pc and then be able to revert to a working image?

    By hot image, from within the OS, do you mean going to the imaging program and restoring an image without needing the ISO disc?

    If the above are correct, then what happens to the hot image when the system becomes so corrupt that you can't access the program?
    Thanks for your patience.
    Hugger
     
  4. Sully

    Sully Registered Member

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    IDK what everyone else means, but I only consider the creation of images as hot or cold. To me, all restorations of the system image (the OS drive) are to be done in a recovery environment. Restoration of a partition, either way.

    So in my case, as long as I have my PE disc, it will never be an issue.

    Sul.
     
  5. blacknight

    blacknight Registered Member

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    Cold imaging, taking the disk image saved in an external support.
     
  6. Aaron Here

    Aaron Here Registered Member

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    'Cold' means booting up with a Floppy, CD/DVD, or USB Flash Drive (or using Brian's method) into a DOS, Linux or Win/Bart PE environment and from there running the imaging program.


    'Hot' means creating the imaging program from within Windows, just like you typically run your other apps. Image restoration of the system drive/partition must always be done via a cold method. While some programs allow you to initiate the restore from within Windows, they then reboot into a cold enviroment in order to actually do the restore!


    It's too late then to backup - that's the time to restore your most current image via one of the cold methods mentioned above!

    Hth,
    Aaron
     
  7. nisby79

    nisby79 Registered Member

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    for me cold imaging is the more reliable method
     
  8. The Shadow

    The Shadow Registered Member

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    I just happened upon this past poll and I'm amazed as to how many of you here use cold-imaging! Is it truly more reliable than hot-imaging?

    TS
     
  9. treehouse786

    treehouse786 Registered Member

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    i use both methods and have never had a failure with either (using Active@ disk image)
     
  10. ams963

    ams963 Registered Member

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    I use hot imaging.
     
  11. Tomwa

    Tomwa Registered Member

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    I voted but accidentally chose the wrong option (It's early and I'm tired), I use hot imaging as it has never failed me before and most of my data is already redundant so I see no reason to add another maintenance step when backup is already handled flawlessly.
     
  12. ams963

    ams963 Registered Member

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    What imaging software do you use to make those hot images?
     
  13. tgell

    tgell Registered Member

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    I voted for hot-imaging because I only use that now. I have used both equally and have never had a problem with either method. I would have voted for both if possible.

    Macrium for hot images on XP. Microsoft's own hot imaging program on Win7. Both are rock solid.
     
  14. tomazyk

    tomazyk Guest

    When I make an image of my system (an verify it), I use hot imaging. To restore an image I use cold restoring in preboot environment. I use Acronis True Image.
     
  15. chrisretusn

    chrisretusn Registered Member

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    Guess I can't vote. I use both hot and cold.
     
  16. Tomwa

    Tomwa Registered Member

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    Acronis True Image is my imaging software of choice :p
     
  17. ams963

    ams963 Registered Member

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    Ah I see.
     
  18. sukarof

    sukarof Registered Member

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    Cant say ime that there is any difference. Any imaging software´s weak point is the restore. There is where it most often fails in my experience. Cant say that I ever had any problems with hot imaging (nor cold for that matter)
     
  19. nosirrah

    nosirrah Malware Fighter

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    Cold and have never had it fail because I use the correct system, don't ever restore.

    For backup do ...

    enable B -> cold push A to B -> disable A

    next update ...

    enable A -> cold push B to A -> disable B


    If you ever want to revert to the previous image just enable that drive and copy it over the problem drive.

    This way you are always 100% sure you have 2 independently bootable and fully functional OS drives and you don't ever have to worry about a restore going wrong. By disable I mean in BIOS or literally pull the power to that drive, either is fine but pulling the power can also help with drive lifespan.
     
  20. Solarlynx

    Solarlynx Registered Member

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    I use both - Cold (Clonezilla, Acronis) and Hot (Macrium, Lenovo's OneKey Recovery but have never used them to recover. So cannot vote - my choice is I rely on both.
     
  21. Feandur

    Feandur Registered Member

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    I use only cold imaging via the Shadow Protect Recovery CD disc to take complete images outside of [before boot up of] windows.

    Never use incremental's. All or nothing.

    Can't get my head around hot images...although I appreciate Win 7 does and I have used it.

    prefer my meat cold.

    <Also a "Parted Magic" fanboy!>

    :p

    feandur
     
  22. Stigg

    Stigg Registered Member

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    How many people would make cold images?
    Wouldn't most people make hot images, so surely hot must be reliable enough.
     
  23. J_L

    J_L Registered Member

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    I do it for my TrueCrypt FDE. Hot images only works with hot restore due to encryption, which requires Windows to be bootable. AX64 Time Machine is great at hot restores, but has a rare freeze bug that may render the system unbootable. Therefore I also use Parted Magic's Clonezilla as backup.
     
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