Bootable image for a clean reinstall....

Hi,
I have the following wish and I hope Acronis True Image can solve it.

I would like to do this on a new PC:

1) Install XP or Vista and 2 partitions C and D
2) Install on C all windows updates and service packs available.
3) Install Office 2003 on C and all update and service packs available.

At this point I would like to have an image on a bootable DVD to eventually restore all these things without reinstalling the stuff once again in case I need to reformat the hard drive.

Is this possible with TI? If yes, can you please link me or guide about how to do so?

Thanks in advance

Regards

 

Yes TI can do all of those things. WWW.acronis.com has links to download demo's and user guides and stuff.

 

Hi bimbobo, yes indeed, thats how I began using TI - started an installation from scratch and the first image i did was of a basic XP system with all updates on C and wireless internet enabled , having created 4 other logical partitions for data.

Then as I built the system up kept taking images which is basically what I'm still doing. So if I really wanted to I could go back to the very beginning in less than half an hour.

I back up to a secure zone on a 2nd HDD, but that only contains the last three images at any one time, I have all the images on DVD too. ITs up to you where and how you keep the archives.

 

Forgot to mention installing TI first and creating a boot cd

 

I think your main concern is having the image on bootable DVD. The answer is yes, but it is not easy to find the particular feature as it is buried deep down in the menu structure. When you install True Image, ask again and someone will point you to its location.

But here's a "gotcha". Using DVDs or any optical media as the location for the backup image is slow as heck. It is slow in creating the backup and even slower in the restore process. The restore process does not call for the dvd discs in the order they were make, but will have you swapping them out in a neverending process, especially if the size of your image requires 4 or more dvd discs.
Here's how one user described his experience using dvds:
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=183442

 

My system backups still only take one 4.7Gb DVD, just, I don't find it all that slow to backup or restore.
I don't think I'd want to make bootable DVD images though.

 

Hi all,
thanks for all the answers.

I intend to keep it on 1 DVD, I do not have another HDD to copy images to.

So what I like to know is...

How to make this bootable DVD image
How can I install on a new formatted harddrive (rescue CD?)

I am not an expert, but not a 100% newbie in computers.

Can you give me some guide, links, suggestions?

I have a trial copy of TI installed and have 15 days to learn.

Please keep it simpl for me, and I will do the job

Regards

 

Don't know if this helps you or not, but you really don't have to make a "bootable dvd image" when you insert the "rescue" disk and once it is booted and in the full/safe mode it is now loaded into the RAM memory of the computer and you can remove the Rescue disk and insert your DVD with the image on it and restore from the ".tib" files on this DVD.
You did make a rescue disk??

 

As dbknox says you don't need to make yor backup image DVD bootable, you create a boot CD quite easily from within TI. In the tools menu you will see 'Create bootable Rescue Media'. This will open a window asking you what you want to place on the CD.

True Image will already be selected and you can add anything else that is there. Follow the instructions and it will write a CD that you can boot from and run TI from a menu.

TI will write a backup image directly to a DVD if you want it too, just follow the instructions in TI.

To restore your system all you need to do is boot with the boot CD, select True Image, and let it load. Once loaded (full screen will show), you can remove the CD and insert whichever DVD backup you have. Then go thru the restore instructions on screen.

It would take ages to go thru every single step but if your unsure about anything or want more details just ask, there is plenty of help here.

 

Hi guys,
thanks again to all..

It sounds like it's not a very difficult thing, I will give it a shot as soon as I have to reformat.

Is this also possible ona another PC? or is it only working for a new install on the same hardware...?

Maybe I'll get soon a new computer, and it would be smart to "quick" set it up as the one I have now.

I am glad that there is a lot of help to get here ..

Regards to all...

 

Its the way I would set up my new machine if I had one , I'm sure db or Dwn will know more about that.

 

My personal preference for a new machine is to re-install the OS (it may come with its own OS) and all programs. This way I don't bring over to it all the junk that gets stored in the registry on the old machine after time. Registry cleaners just do not get all the unnecessary items out of the registry.

 

You are right of course, there is nothing quite like a fresh install, well almost.
Desktop Meastro does a decent job to clean the registry but there is only so much any software can do.

 

all good info above! but registry cleaners can and do most times remove too many keys and leave something else broke, you cant beat a fresh install for a backup image of any computer, new or old.

for me the best media for a stored image is a high quality hard drive [3 to 5 year warranty], with smart enabled, myself i use a dedicated drive with nothing else on it and i never defrag it, never defrag a a backup drive.

acronis is excellent software, but you havt to have the determination to work through it, solve problems and determine whats best for your application

 

I make an image when I first install the OS.
Then I download all the patches and the software that I know I would be using no matter what and make another image.
If I ever want to reformat I usually restore to the patched/necessary program image. Usually this is quite small and takes a matter of minutes.

 

Hi Guys, Like Bimbobo I am also using a 15-day trial version (TI Echo Workstation) – I’m a home user with XP/SP2.

Sparkymachine wrote:
> My system backups still only take one 4.7Gb DVD, just, I don't find it all that slow to backup or restore. I don't think I'd want to make bootable DVD images though.
-- Hmmm… what am I missing? (I’m a True Image newbie) 4.7 Gb seems so low (my system’s image is 70 Gb)… Is your >4.7 Gb image just for the OS? Or was the image simply that of a new machine, without applications yet loaded?

Bimbobo wrote”
> Is this also possible on another PC? or is it only working for a new install on the same hardware...? Maybe I'll get soon a new computer, and it would be smart to "quick" set it up as the one I have now.
-- Yes, to be able to restore onto a new hardware profile is precisely why I am trial-testing TI Echo Workstation (extra $20 over TI-11) – see find.pcworld.com/58928. The thread on this is on the ‘sticky’ "Acronis True Image WISH-LIST" – message #789.

 

Ooops... for TI Echo Workstation also check:
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=196464

 

That image is just of the system partition which is usually between 9 to 10Gb and with high compression it usually squeezes onto 1 DVD. Everything is installed on the system, thats about normal for me - I keep it lean and mean, delete all the windows update folders and anything else I can. All my user data is elsewhere.

 

Sparky,

Thanks for expanding my horizons about the possibilities!

 

Your welcome, I've just installed Nero8 and its taken me well over 10Gb now so I think I'll be in 2 DVD territory now . What the heck!

Other things I use are a junk file cleaner found in Revo Uninstaller, the cleaner in TI (the only one I know of that empties the 'prefetch' folder), in Desktop Meastro, in PerfectDiskRx, and I think that may be it. I also uninstall or remove the bits of Windows I never use.

 

Thanks for the leads (www.revouninstaller.com etc) because my machine is loaded with crap. Rather than go off-topic, is there another forum where this is discussed?

 

You could try the 'software & services' forum in here, but i haven't looked in there yet. The Revo software is pretty good, well i like it especially since its free. Its main function is to clean things up after an uninstall.

 

Hi again
I would like to specify that on the new PC I will make a fresh install and not from the image.

I also have Vista Ultimate but so far I am more pleased with XP Pro and I look forward to SP3.

So, the image will be made after a fresh install and updates of XP Pro and Office 2003 and updates... so in case the system goes down, virus or else... I took the worst part of reformat using the image.

Another plan is also to buy a NAS 320GB.. so at that point making a new image with more "software" will be even easier.

Regards to all..

 

A quick warning.
It is advisable to take the image before installling your antivirus/firewall software as it can get very upset if you reinstall from the image and the dates are all screwed up.

 

Yes.. I would not dream to install Zone Alarm Pro or Antivir and then making the image.
That was a good point, thanks

Regards