Overkill for my situation?

Hi, Dazed_and_Confused

No that is wrong You do not have to exit Windows to create an Image with Ti,
But you can not restore an Image of your OS in Windows because it would not have Exclusives use of the HDD.

To restore the OS that must be done with the BootDisk.

But if you see read this part of my last post to you Daisey you will have understand more of what f123 might have meant.

I hope this is some help.

Take Care,
TheQuest

 

To create a perfectly good image file, the imaging software must "lock" the source partition. This can be a problem if you are trying to backup an active partition or a partition that is in use. That's why it's always best to create AND restore the image file OUTSIDE of windows. While in DOS or Caldera DOS (with NT OSes), the imaging software can copy everything in the partition, without worrying about stuffs changing.

True Image and Image for Windows use a program to lock the partition during image creation. Hence the claim that one can create the image file from Windows. For optimum performance, I would still prefer to make the image file OUTSIDE of windows. The PC normally must exit windows to restore a partition.

Some imaging software use windows task scheduler to generate the image file. If the PC is ON, then task scheduler should be able to do its things.

 

This is just my own experience: I've made thousands of images from within Windows. Some were servers, some were laptops, many were desktops. If Trueimage said it made an image, it did. The image was always (yes, always) valid in every way. YMMV

 

When I use TI I use it from within Windows XP but when I use Ghost I set it up within Windows and then Ghost re-boots to create the image.

I find TI a lot easier to work with for my more frequent backups but is the image not 'good' if I have made it in the active partition? If this is the case how do I create an image with TI without being in the active partition i.e. where XP is?

I know I have to use the boot disk as The Quest so kindly detailed to me previously if I wanted to restore my image but I thought my image of 'C' would be OK even though I have created it in the active partition. I am setting up a new HD and want to image my set up when completed but would be grateful for advice when I am doing this with TI. I will create a Ghost image also but am now confused about TI

 

Your image of the active partition (the one with XP) made from within Windows should be fine. Use the "Verify" function to check it for your peace of mind.

 

Agree. The image file of the active primary C partition should be okay if TI can achieve a LOCK on the C partition. It's best to close all programs in windows and let TI do its thing. One big draw back with TI is that it resets the cluster size of the imaged partition to a preset value. For example, if I imaged my C partition with 2K cluster and restored this image file, then restored partition is formatted with the default 4K cluster size! Remember that an imaging software is suppose to restore the partition to the exact state....

TI would be a very good program if it allows the user the option to create/restore image files outside of windows without the need of boot disc. There is no need for boot disc unless the OS is seriously hosed. The ability to create image files from windows is a good selling point, but it only takes about 40 seconds to reboot. I'd rather go the extra step to assure that the image file can copy everything in the partition. Note that TI must boot out of windows to restore an active primary partition.

It is possible to create/restore image file with TI outside of windows with the TI boot disc. However, you would have to insert the boot disc each time you want to run TI outside of windows...too clumsy for me.

I like to KISS. Do everything in DOS or Caldera DOS. Drive Image 5 fits this bill.

If you start out with a new HD, then I would recommend that you keep ONLY the OS in the C primary partition. Put games and programs in another extended logical partition. Add another extended logical partition to house important, frequently changing data that you cannot lose.... The OS and program partitions don't alter much over time. I imaged them prior to installing new patches, programs, and hardware. The data partition should be imaged at least once a week.

Bootitng combines a partitioning tool and imaging tool in one $35 package. It's a little harder to install and use. Probably not ideal for a novice PC user.

 

The product was introduced in 2001 by Powerquest (now part of SYMANTEC). I'm not a big fan of the latest version of drive image...modern trend to do everything in windows. Perhaps a search on google may reveal a working download link for DI5. DI4 is also very good but it may not load with WXP. Note that these products may not support the latest firewire and USB protocols. Gigantic HD (>120GB) may be a problem, too. Don't know if Symantec could shed more light on the availabilty of DI5. My impression over the last two years is that this is a very greedy company. Pay first before you receive any support.

BOOTIT NG is the closest modern day "relative" of Drive Image 5. It works outside of windows. Includes partitioning stuff n boot manager and will support the latest goodies. Make sure you have a complete image file of your HD BEFORE you install BOOTIT NG. You can seriously hose the EMBR and drive lettering with BOOTIT NG if you choose the wrong option (especially if you have a multi-boot PC). Definitely not a tool for the novice PC user. Try it for 30 days. $35 to keep. READ n REREAD the manual several times before loading the program.

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/bootitng.html (600KB download file).

I think most modern imaging software try to be a jack of all trade by adding bells and whistles...incremental backup, partial recovery, etc. I follow a very simple rule: image the partition only when the partition is not in use.

 

OK. I've got all of my questions answered. Thank you.

I can see some advantages to imaging software over conventional backup software, although I'm not sure it's still the better option for me. I think I'll go ahead and buy a copy and give it a try. It's only money. I just hope the user support for TI is just as good (actually, excellent) as the other vendor products on this site (DCS / ESET).

 

Just stating my personal preference and backing it up with data if possible. I would go with Bootit ng if I have a new, top of the line PC today. It's a very robust software with boot manager/loader, HD partitioner, and drive imager in one $35 package. The download is only 600KB.

PC enthusiast should invest in a cheap HD to try out all the features of Bootitng for free during the first 30 days. This is the safest way to test drive software that could potentially wipe out data in the HD. Consider investing in an internal hard drive quick release bracket while you're inside the PC. Makes changing a HD a 1 minute job.

 

Just my tuppence worth (old money I know, but rolls off the tongue better 'n two pence) 'Course most guys on this forum would likely use two cents worth
Anyway, I've used Disk Image 7 and its previous incarnations for ages and have been quite happy with its performance. Also used Ghost. No matter what software you use for imaging, I think they are worth their weight in gold if you know how to use them.
Certainly ATI seems to be very good and easy to use - as I found DI was over Ghost when I switched. IMHO, having an image of my OS (fully patched) is my last line of defence when things go belly-up, you know how long it takes to DL all those MS patches using ADSL ? Too long. Also I have a couple of images, namely XP barebones, XP + Office and XP everything, ie all security SW etc.
If anything goes wrong I can decide how far back I want to restore to. As I have found, like everyone else who uses PC's, it's not the OS installation that takes time - even if you use slipstreaming, it's the personalisation and installation of everything else. Get a disk imaging/cloning software and learn how to use it, I promise you, you'll wonder how you could do without it.

 

Dazed and Confused,

Please read my post in 'Acronis Ti a strong product?'.

I have emailed Acronis support team numerous times over the past few months and not had a single reply!

I've lost stacks of data. Try a more reliable, mainstream program.

 

Thanks for the response, Steve. I actually read through ALL of your posts here at Wilders. It appears most of the problems you encountered were NOT with TI, but with hardware.

 

Hi Dazed and Confused,

Initially that was true to some extent, but all of my hardware is A1 now, yet still the same old problems with TI.

By all means try the software, it must work for some people. Just giving you the benefit of my experience.

By the way, the help you'll get on this forum is first class.