Recommendations for Disk Imaging Software?

Discussion in 'backup, imaging & disk mgmt' started by MarcGabi, Apr 13, 2011.

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  1. MarcGabi

    MarcGabi Registered Member

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    Hello.

    I'm interested in purchasing separate disk imaging software and I've read Top Ten Reviews of such software but I'm a bit wary of their reviews, generally speaking.

    I am a "newbie" when it comes to PCs generally speaking.

    Any suggestions will be appreciated.

    Thank you again.
     
  2. napoleon1815

    napoleon1815 Registered Member

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    Hello! There are tons of imaging solutions out there, some paid, some free. Can you tell me what you are looking for? Are you looking to do, say, a weekly full image, or are you looking to do dailys with features like incrementals, etc.? Also, you mentioned you are a PC newbie...can you elaborate on your comfort level? They will help steer you toward a product that will work for you! Thanks.
     
  3. Sully

    Sully Registered Member

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    I am sure you will get many great advices here, as there are many who love to share. Almost any of them will work for you I would imagine.

    That being said, perhaps you would like to test drive a few of them and see for yourself. That is what I would do. Let me suggest that when you do you include Macrium Reflect Personal Edition. It is free to use, just limited in what it will do (of which may fit your purposes fine). I have found it to be very reliable myself, and fast. That is all I need it to do.

    But don't stop there, give a few of them a spin and see. Many people use something other than Macrium, and with good reason I will venture.

    Good luck. You are about to embark on a journey that could radically change how and what you do. You will know what I mean once you get used to imaging - it opens up many new possibilities :)

    Sul.
     
  4. jonyjoe81

    jonyjoe81 Registered Member

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    Make sure which ever you choose works on your computer, give the trial version a good trial. I tried many software but I always go back to true image. The newer versions are bloated, but I only use the backup and restore functions of that software and that always works excellent. I'm using it on my acer netbook and it works very well with it, you can even put the recovery bootcd in a pendrive instead of a cd.
    One of the strengths of true image is the ability to recover into smaller drives/partitions, some of the other imagining software will only let you recover to a drive/partition that is the same size or larger.
    Paragon is also reliable but it's UI is very cluttered, it shows too much information that can confuse someone who is new to doing backups.
    shadow protect when I tried it wouldn't restore to a smaller partition, but many people recommend it as the best.
    Macrium reflect once refuse to restore one of my backups, and I stopped using it after that incident. It was the only software I tried that ever gave me an unbootable restoration.
     
  5. acuariano

    acuariano Registered Member

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    what version of true image you think is best jonyjoe81
     
  6. napoleon1815

    napoleon1815 Registered Member

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    None. I use to work there. Trust me.
     
  7. lodore

    lodore Registered Member

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    Hello,
    I have used image for windows for ages now and it has never let me down.
    support is very quick and helpful for any questions.
    I use the image for linux boot disc for restoring which comes free with image for windows.
     
  8. moontan

    moontan Registered Member

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    you don't mention what OS you are using.
    if you are on Windows 7 you can use the built-in imager.

    it's always been rock-solid for me.
     
  9. Osaban

    Osaban Registered Member

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    My experience: Acronis, Paragon, Keriver, Vista's own, ShadowProtect. They all work well, I've never experienced a failed restoration, but ShadowProtect is my pick mainly for its simplicity and speed, unfortunately it is also the most expensive.
     
  10. J_L

    J_L Registered Member

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    You mean Windows 7 right?
     
  11. Osaban

    Osaban Registered Member

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    No, I have Vista Ultimate which also offers its own imaging. I have no idea how different it is from Win7, but I need the Vista installation DVD to restore.
     
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2011
  12. andylau

    andylau Registered Member

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    I think they are the same thing
    maybe the versions are different.:D
     
  13. valnar

    valnar Registered Member

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  14. napoleon1815

    napoleon1815 Registered Member

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    I second that (Terabyte's products). However, depending on your comfort level (you said you were a newbie), I would check out these tools I think are easier to setup if you aren't too savvy or don't have the time to delve into manuals:

    R-Drive Image 4.7: http://www.drive-image.com/
    - Never had an issue with this one. The website has some nice screenshot-based walkthrough to set things up, etc.

    Eazy Image (AKA Drive Cloner RX, Keriver): http://www.eazsolutions.com/en/easyimage.php
    - Pretty basic, no frills tool that works perfectly in my testing. Cheap too...$19.95.
     
  15. jack90125

    jack90125 Registered Member

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    if you have a seagate or western digital drive they have an image backup (acronis) fr free download. not the fastest but in my years of using them never had a problem with them.
    I just create the linux boot cd boot it at bedtime and start the image process.
    never a failure to restore. plus it will let you restore files or dirs if need be.
     
  16. TheKid7

    TheKid7 Registered Member

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  17. moontan

    moontan Registered Member

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    same here.
    i have tested maybe 5-6 imaging apps from different companies.

    their products are not only well done, they are very fast as well. :thumb:
     
    Last edited: Apr 24, 2011
  18. MerleOne

    MerleOne Registered Member

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    While TB IFW/IFL is rock solid and the support efficient and very helpful, I would either recommend :
    • MacriumReflect, it's the fastest one for me (in diff/incr mode)
    • Active@DiskImage 5 (personal version) : the recovery media is the best one and can be easily configured
     
  19. TheKid7

    TheKid7 Registered Member

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    I would recommend Image for Windows for a Novice. If they keep their System Partition "lean", it would be feasible to Image to DVD(s). It would be quite easy for them to do a Restore from the DVD(s) since the 1st DVD is bootable.

    If a Novice would like to Image to and Restore from a USB hard drive, they would probably be more comfortable using a WinPE CD to do the Restore. Which Imaging product would you recommend that would meet the following criteria?

    1. Highly Reliable
    2. WinPE CD for Restores
    3. Easy to use
    4. Not Expensive or Free

    Would Active@DiskImage meet the above criteria?

    Thanks in Advance.
     
  20. Feandur

    Feandur Registered Member

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    MarcGabi:
    I have used both ATI and, on a different computer, Shadow Protect. I prefer SP, and use it regularly.

    Notes:
    1. Be careful if you intend installing SP as they are / were mutually exclusive. ATI was known to leave a driver [Snapman.sys] behind in the un-install that conflicts with SP. So be prepared to live with what ever you first install. Of course, if you don't install, but just use the product's Recovery CD, then there is no problem / conflict that I am aware of.
    2. SP does not require installing if you are only going to use it manually to take and restore a full image of the OS [C drive].
    Each month I go off line, boot off SP's Rescue CD [having set BIOS boot sequence to boot off DVD first], browse to the C-drive image file I took last month, restore C-drive to that image, go on line and do all software and M$ Security updates, clean up [Ccleaner, defrag], reboot, then [off line] manually take an image of the clean updated OS, and store this on an independent HHD...and repeat again next month. [I use Light Virtualisation - Shadow Defender - for day to day comfort. All SP imaging is done with Shadow Defender virtualisation turned off!]​

    3. Phone up StorageCraft [In Australia it is 02 8061 4444 ] or , in the USA, go to the web site http://storagecraft.com/contact_information.php where the contact number is given as 801 545 4700 in Utah. Ask to be posted a copy of “the full evaluation Product and Recovery CD for Server,SBS & Desktop Edition”. A user guide can be downloaded here ........ http://forum.storagecraft.com/Community/files/ .
    In Australia [and presumably in the USA also] Storage Craft are prepared to post this CD free of cost. The CD is without time limit and you'res to keep for ever and ever, and can be used indefinitely. You just can't install the software unless you have purchased a key. I have purchased the 1 year licence, plus the 3 year maintence support licence renewal, but continue just to use SP without installing it. ​

    4. If you want to purchase a licence then, at least in Australia I had to find a local re-seller. That may be your only problem, as they can be hard to find. Just ask around. It's all good.

    Feandur
     
  21. MerleOne

    MerleOne Registered Member

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    IMNSHO it does. I must say though I have performed less restorations with A@DI than with IFW or Macrium Reflect so fat.
     
  22. moontan

    moontan Registered Member

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    i tried Active@Disk Image.
    it is very good, although not quite as fast as IFW.

    unlike IFW, you do need a disk to restore.
    IFW can work with or without a disk.
     
    Last edited: May 1, 2011
  23. MerleOne

    MerleOne Registered Member

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    You don't need at all to boot from a disk to use A@DI, if that's what you mean. It now performs hot backup very easily, relying on VSS. It may be slower than IFW, but not by much. Anyway, it must probably depend on the H/W config in some cases.
     
  24. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    TheKid7,

    You mentioned IFW for image creation. You can restore images with IFW from a CD or USB flash drive. It is a WinPE and is very easy to create.

    http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/howto/tbwinpe_tutorial.htm
     
  25. moontan

    moontan Registered Member

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    i was talking about restoring.
    i should have been more precise.
    my bad.

    i edited my initial post.
     
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