Bare-Metal Restore O&O Software

I've been trying out bare-metal restore software. I recently had some hardware issues that made me reconsider this kind of imaging. I know that ShadowProtect can do what I'm looking for, as can Paragon. But I was suprised to find out that O&O Disk Image can as well. The below was taken from this pdf:

Also, another reason why I am a little excited is that they offer student discounts (see here) which means that it only costs $22.47 USD.

Any opinions of DiskImage?

 

It was discussed here a little:

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=197605

Don't almost all disc imaging programs come with a boot CD that allows you to image the system without installation, even if it won't boot? I think thats all its offering unless I've misunderstood it. I certainly saw nothing new with it when I tested it...

 

with trialing imaging software you have to test recovery of system partition ( recovery CD),if thats not supplied then IMO its worthless. With SP you can request a full evaluation to also test the recovery process !

 

It's not like ShadowProtect; you need to purchase it before you get the recovery CD. There is no trial. When you say you've tested it, I'm inclinded to believe that you did so without the CD. In which case you're going to find it lacking.

That's true. But keep in mind that SP is $70 USD, which is more than three times the student price of DiskImage. Also, I've tried it and have gotten VSS errors that I have not been able to resolve.

 

n8,

Do you think O & O DiskImage can restore to different hardware? I can't find a reference to that feature.

 

Read the PDF I referenced (here). Also, the user manual (here) pages 6-7 indicated that.

This is from the producy info pdf:

Perhaps I'm being overly optimistic, but that sounds like what the recovery CD for SP does.

 

n8,

I did read the manuals and my opinion is the same. It's just a standard restore to a new HD, not to different hardware.

How do others interpret, "Bare metal?"

 

I guess I don't understand how it can be viewed any other way than undeed being able to do "bare-matal" restoring. If that were not the case there would be no need to load drivers, as they would already be in the image file.

Again, to me that sound like exactly what ShadowProtect offers with their recovery disk.

 

Bare-Metal means restoring your "data" when there is no OS present. ie restoring an image to the same or a new HD.

Loading drivers means getting the rescue CD to work. ie loading SATA and NIC drivers so the CD can access your hardware.

I can't find any reference to "different hardware."

 

I dont bother with install,everything is done with the recovery CD,backup and restore so at least no conflicts with the OS,it work for me flawless.

 

Think there is some confusion here-if we are talking about a Shadow Protect HIR,almost certainly O&O cant do it.

Obviously it can restore an image-so can many others.

 

Apparently this is the case; O&O DiskImage 3 Pro can indeed reimage reguardless of hardware. I've been in contact with support and I was told that this is probably the case. He will verify and get back to me. Fingers cossed.

The magic is, as it always is, in the recovery CD. I was told that bare metal and hardware independent restore equate to the same thing.

I sure hope all you buzzkills are wrong.

 

Peter is right.

Hardware Independent Restore = Bare Metal Restore of an image preconfigured with Microsoft's System Preparation tool

Panagiotis

 

I think the buzzkills will save you $22.47 USD.

Heard from that rep yet?

 

I'd rather pay than than $70 for SP.

Not yet. There are a company vased on Germany, so it might be a while.

 

Hi Peter,

Yes, I know. It was only an example that the results of Storagecraft HIR are the same with baremetal+sysprep.

Shadowprotect and similar programs "call" the sysprep function during or after the restoration of the image through the pe enviroment.

Panagiotis

 

Well, it appears the naysayers are right. I just got a response from O&O software that confirms that DriveImage cannot restore to different hardware.

Their English is not very good and, I think, as a result there was a little confusion in semantics. Oh well. On to test Paragon Drive Backup Pro. I just found out they offer a 50% competeitive discount.

 

I was personally involved in the design and development of ShadowProtect's HIR functionality, and so I can tell you, definitively, that ShadowProtect's HIR feature does not use sysprep in any way, shape, or form. There are very good reasons for this, but I'm not at liberty to disclose them.

 

I can see how you would arrive at that conclusion, however it's simply incorrect. ShadowProtect's HIR functionality doesn't make use of SysPrep in an way, for very good reasons which I cannot disclose.

 

Hi grnxnm,

I'm sorry, I did not want to imply that Shadowprotect or the other products are using sysprep; only that they perform a similar function with sysprep for cleaning the hardware database of the OS. (the problem when someone talks/writes in a non native language)

grnxnm may I pm you? I 'd like to buy Shadowprotect but I'm a little confused/worried about the licensing module that you use (because of some earlier posts).

Panagiotis

 

Sure, feel free to PM anytime. However, please be patient with me if it takes me a day or two to respond.