It's time to image...I think

I just treated myself to a brand new XP machine in my den. It's all mine
no other users. The best part is that the new machine has
two installed 160GB HDDs. My old machine had only one 40 GB drive.
The new machine has an ATH3500 CPU & 1 Gb RAM.

Over the years, XP got reinstalled on that old machine about 15 times,
as a result of my playing with various software. It seems now is
the time for imaging software, about which I know absolutely nothing.
From a little searching, it seems that ATI and Norton Ghost are
quite popular. I think what I want to be able to do is take a picture
of XP with all my applications and settings installed, and restore it,
then update any changed data files.

Could some of you experts point me at some websites or forum threads
where I could learn a bit about such software? Any and all
comments and recommendations of any kind would be most welcome.

Thanks.

 

This one by Paragon is gaining in popularity here at Wilders in addition to the ones you mentioned. Here is a mini review. http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/downloads/2169682/paragon-hard-disk-manager

 

ShadowProtect Desktop ($70) is fast and reliable.
http://www.storagecraft.com/products/ShadowProtectDesktop/

FirstDefense-ISR (Immediate System Recovery, not Image Backup)
http://www.horizondatasys.com/253715.ihtml
This is optional and luxury of course, but Image Backup is a must.

I use both because I want to be invincible.

You also need a tool to zero or wipe your harddisk, because the killdisk virus seems to make any Recovery CD useless, unless you zero/wipe your harddisk first completely and then the Recovery CD will do its job.

PS: don't install Acronis True Image and ShadowProtect at the same time, they don't like eachother.

 

Hello,
I'm using ATI and I'm liking it.
http://eu.acronis.com/
Mrk

 

Hello!

I personally use ShadowProtect Desktop (i just bought it yesterday) and i combine with it FirstDefense-ISR (Immediate System Recovery, not Image Backup). I have also used Acronis, it is also good. I didnt had any problems with it.

 

I'd love to get ShadowProtect (it seems the logical patner of ShadowUser), but I've been using ATI for a long while now, and it hasn't failed once. In principle I don't collect programs.

 

Acronis trueimage is definitely best imo. I use it on all my systems. If you have seagate hard drives you can download seagate discwizard for free. Its basically a rebranded trueimage 10.

 

Here is a thread about shadowprotect here at wilders.
I too am a Shadowprotect user, it is a great app, fast and extremely reliabel ime. Some might find it a bit expensive though
If you dont want to spend that much money I can recommend Image for Windows (and DOS) another extremely reliable imaging software. I´ve used it for a year or so and was very happy with it. Shadow protect is much faster and have incremetal backup possibilities that made me buy it.

 

I notice that Nothing But Software has TI 9.0 for $17.95.
http://www.nothingbutsoftware.com/Catalog_type.asp?ProductCode=36787

Is that a good deal?
Regards,
Jerry

 

Yes the price is normally $50. An upgrade from v9 to v10 costs $30, but I didn't want that upgrade because of the bloat. I added $40 to $30 and bought ShadowProtect, which has no bloat, only usefull additional functions that improve backup/restore. The only advantage of v10 is compatibility with winVISTA. I hope this helps. LOL.

 

The 'advantage' of ATI 10 over ATI 9 is that v10 will work with Vista. However, I choose not to use Vista and v9 works very well with XP, so I have no need for v10. $18 is a very good price for v9 if it's a legal copy (otherwise you won't be able to register and download updates)!

 

FadeAway,
Whatever Image Backup software you will choose, don't buy it immediately, trial it first as long you can.
Test the backup and above all the restore in the trial period as many times as possible. If it works properly, then buy it.

 

Hi all

Thank you for the replies thus far. Being totally ignorant about
imaging software, I am not yet prepared to make any comments or ask
any intelligent questions. I will first need to follow up on all the info
provided by each responder.

By way of clarification, the drives are Seagates, but cost is not
an issue. Being a computer user, and not a computer hobbyist, I always
seek products which are solid, reliable, and uncomplicated. Whatever
the cost, just consider it as part of the price of the new machine.

The hardware is Vista compliant, upgrading to Vista is an option,
but there are no plans on doing it soon, so Vista compatibility
is not important at this point.

I would like to get something installed fairly soon while I know
the machine is perfectly clean. It is custom built, and has only
been three days since it arrived from the shop.

 

Well, the best Image Backup Softwares have been mentioned, the choice is upto you.

Backup and restore aren't that difficult.
Backup is taking an image of your harddisk and store that image on another harddisk (external or internal) and restore is the opposite.
You can compress the image during the backup.
You can encrypt the image during the backup, if it's available.
You can also restore single files by mounting the image.
You can schedule these backups or not.
The best softwares guide you with wizards to make it even easier.

Once you have choosen an Image Backup software, members can help and teach you how to work with the choosen software, faster than the manual, but you have to choose first.
If you don't like the software, uninstall it and trial the next one.

 

OK ... First Question:

Is this how it happens:

1. Image software program is installed on C:\ drive (master)

2. Windows OS and all other applications are on C:\

3. All my data files (Photo albums, Docs, spreadsheets, installers, etc.)
I save to E:\ drive (slave)

4. I tell Image program to image drive C:\, & save image to E:\

5. I need to restore broken Windows on C:\

6. I tell Image program to restore E:\saved image
(do I need to wipe C:\ before restore?)

7. All OS and application programs on C:\ are deleted and replaced
by saved image from E:\

8. Data files originally saved to E:\ remain intact and untouched.

9. I reboot and am back to before Windows got broken

If something prevents the imaging software from running, there is some
kind of emergency boot CD

 

Op said HDD are Seagates. Seagate offers free rebranded stripped down ATI.

 

1. That is the right place for installing an Image Backup software.
You will also have a Recovery CD to restore an Image. You can create that Recovery CD with a function of the Image Backup software.
If your partition [C:] is corrupted, you will need that CD to restore an image from [E:], because your Image Backup software won't work anymore.

2. That is also very normal.

3. Saving your data files on another partition [E:] is also good, I do the same thing.

4. That is possible and good, although I would save the image on an EXTERNAL harddisk.

5. That can happen, because partition [C:] is the most vulnerable partition.

6. That is what you have to do in order to restore the system partition and can be done.
No you do NOT have to wipe your partition [C:] before restore.
The backup software will replace your harddisk with the image.
After a serious destructive malware attack (killdisk virus) I usually wipe out my harddisk
first before I restore. I feel better when I start with a clean harddisk.

7. That is correct

8. That is correct, because you restored the partition [C:], not the partition [E:]
So partition [E:] remains UNCHANGED and also the image of partition [C:] is still on [E:]

9. That is correct.

I also have a question : your partition [E:] contains all your personal data.
Where are you going to store the image of partition [E:] ?
Losing your personal data is a much bigger disaster than losing your Windows and Programs.
Harddisks can crash (physical damage) and when partition [E:] crashes and you don't have an image, you will lose ALL your personal data.

 

Hi ErikAlbert

Thanks so much for the helpful, detailed reply. I was editing my post as you
were making yours (see the comment added after point 9 of my last post).

With everyone's help, I now feel confident to begin trialing some products.
When that begins (tomorrow), I'm sure I will be back with questions.

As to personal data, I back it up quite regularly on encrypted CDs, and always
keep three versions back.

 

Since you are new to backup don't start with Terabyte's Image Backup software, because that software is not userfriendly.

 

So far so good, but I have another question.

After studying all the info provided in this thread by you generous
members, I have downloaded and installed Seagate's DiscWizard, which
is ATI rebadged for Seagate.

The program Wizards make it really EASY!

Thus far I have created an image of primary drive C:\ and saved it to
internal drive 2, which is E:\.

Then, following the Wizards, I created an emergency bootable CD.

I am now ready to test a restore of C:\. About half way through the
restore wizard, it asks whether or not Track 0 and the MBR should
be restored with the image. I do not know enough to be able to
answer that one, and cannot figure it out from reading the Help files.

Before I attempt a restore, and mess up the works, could someone help
me answer that option correctly?

If I decide to go with ATI, I will move future questions to the Acronis
forum, if that is appropriate.

Thank you again (feel free to add any other comments).

 

I always restored the Track 0 and MBR, never had a problem with it and I think it is a good habit too in case you have softwares that change the MBR.
It's logical that you restore the MBR from the image, otherwise you might have another MBR.

In the past when FirstDefense-ISR still used the MBR (not anymore), it was very important to restore the MBR also; otherwise the Pre-boot was disabled.

 

Fadeaway,

All support from this private labeled program must come from Seagate.

If you were to post your question on the Acronis forum, my guess is that the "volunteers" would try to help you but there would be no help from Acronis Support and they might even remove your post--but that's a guess on my part.

Check my guides below and they may help. The private version is limited in functions.

More info about this private label version can be found here by Mustang
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showt...php?t=175584#7

 

Thanks for that info. I am brand new to imaging software, and trying
to learn it. The Seagate version is my first attempt, with the expectation
that more will be trialed. I may end up with the full ATI paid version,
or something else. Too early to tell.

I have downloaded your guides and bookmarked the links, and will
read them before I continue.