Ghost can search its image - can ATI?

Hi.

I have used Ghost for a long time. To check that an image is usable, I reload a small test file back to my desktop from the image.

With Ghost, I can search for this file by name in the image. I have not found a way of doing that with ATI. I am using ATI 9. I created an ATI archive, but when I was doing my reload file test, I had to look through many levels of folders to get to the correct place. It did reload correctly, but I'd like to get there more quickly and more conveniently.

If I missed such a feature, please tell me where I can read about it ... cheers, drl

 

It sounds like you are using the Files Backup. I'm not aware of a way to search for files within those. I found the files backup to be rather unfriendly and (a few versions ago) marginally unstable, so I quit using it. Instead I created a "Documents" partition. All files/documents that need to backed up are kept in this partition. I then schedule a full image backup of that partition. I can then plug that image, search it and copy files from it. The scheduled data backup includes a pre command that copies some outlook express files from the c:drive to the Documents partition. I do a separate periodic image of the boot drive.

Bill

 

Hi, Bill U.

Thanks for the reply. However, I backed up the entire disk (containing only one partition), and then tried to look through the image, but I saw no method for searching ... cheers, drl

 

From inside Acronis True Image you can plug the backup file as "extra-drive". After plugging the image you can browse and copy the drive through windows explorer like every physical drive.

 

Hi, VolkerNadolski.

Thank you for your reply.

Yes, I see how that works. I tried it and was able to search.

I notice the following difference between ATI and Ghost (2003). The Ghost procedure is a bit simpler: in Windows Explorer, I double-click the ".gho" file and Ghost reads in the file (if the image has been split, it cordially asks if I want to load the entire image -- I usually do). From that point I can search with a built-in mechanism in Ghost.

With ATI, I fire up the program (say from the Start button where I have placed a shortcut) and select the option to do the plug-in> Then ATI creates a drive ("G" in my case), does some fiddling, and then I can use the system search to look for a file/folder by name. I did not see any built-in ability in ATI.

In both cases, the majority of the wall-clock time is probably consumed in "loading" the file, whether as a newly-created drive with ATI, or more directly with Ghost. However, the entire process seems a bit smoother with Ghost, since I don't need to then invoke the system search.

I do like the fact that ATI uses an idiom from the system (a "drive"), which makes it familiar to Windows folks, and the external search ability gives a few more options. After I was done searching, I then "unplugged" the drive, and the drive letter seems to have gone away (I mention this because I once installed a utility that left a drive "hanging around" -- it was a CD caching utility as I recall). I am not sure what would happen if I neglected to do the unplug -- I am not asking about that, I'll try that next time. I am, however, pointing out that there seems to be more "manual" steps in the ATI procedure.

Thanks again for the pointer to the information ... cheers, drl

( edit 1: grammar )

 

Hi drl,

With TI 9, it can be made slightly easier by right clicking a disk/partition image file from within Windows Explorer and selecting "Plug".

Regards

 

Hi, Menorcaman.

Yes, I see now that as a new-and-apparently-only-for-tib-files RC menu selection.

Thanks for the tip. If I continue to use ATI, I'll almost certainly use that as a convenience ... cheers, drl

 

This comparison thread had been moved to the appropriate forum.