Disk Imaging Software

Can someone recommend a good hard drive imaging program?

 

Acronis True Image, hands down.

bb

 

excellent...both Cnet and PC Magazine seem to like it alot. That is good enough for me.

Thanks a bunch

 

You'll probably get recommendations for Ghost from Norton/Symantec which is pretty much the only competition. I've used both over the years, and my recommendation comes from knowing Acronis is more suited to home users (hence me providing a link to their Home version 10 which now supports Vista fully also).

Ghost has been around for some time and is a capable product, but if you're a Windows user, the first time you use Ghost you're going to be staring at a bluish-gray screen with a bunch of hard to read text that is pretty difficult for a 1st time imaging software user to understand.

True Image looks like a Windows app, works like a Windows app, and a 1st time imaging software user will feel right at home immediately without issues. Point, click, type an image name, sit back while it does it's job and then get back to work. Ghost simply isn't that easy, it never was, and I doubt it ever will be.

YMMV, however. I think True Image will work wonders for you...

bb

 

I'd recommend True Image over Ghost. But they both work. If you used Linux, I believe you can actually copy byte for byte like an image file just through the console.

 

And I hope by saying "Ghost" people don't get me mixed in there. My nick is actually br0adband but here I chose bbz_Ghost - br0adband's Ghost, aka bbz_Ghost like I'm here, but not really here...

bb

 

I use Norton Ghost, and while I am not a beginner, I have only had to use this hard to read crap to do a restore. The nice part about it is that it is straight forward and easy to read and follow. I think that Ghost is a capable product, and it is well rounded and for backups its fine. From what I can tell Acronis True Image is a little more advanced in its capabilities, but also is a little harder to use.

 

bbz, I had heard about Ghost previously, but heard some things that I did not particularly like. I should have been more clear that I was looking for alternatives to Ghost...my bad. This is what I get after not sleeping for 60+ hours, huh..

Thanks again everyone

 

Only 60+? HEHEHEHE I know the feeling, quite well, but now that I'm about 6 months from the big "4-0" I simply can't do that much anymore. My longest stretch was 105 hours, actually... and even when I finally did get to bed I wasn't tired or "mentally incapacitated" in the least. Very weird... and I don't do drugs/drink/smoke/etc... it was the first time I ever got on IRC way back in 1989 and 4 days passed by in the blink of an eye... that was a long time ago...

Anyway, I think True Image will handle all your imaging needs exceptionally well. I've been using it since it first appeared years ago, having previously used Drive Image from Powerquest. Symantec bought up Powerquest and ruined yet another fantastic product, so my allegiance switched to True Image because it's simply a better product all the way around.

YMMV, again, as always...

bb

 

I've only used Norton Ghost so far.
But from my experience with Norton Ghost, I would say it's quite easy to use.
From using the Wizard, it's fast and quick to use.
And it works great so far.

It does sound quite interesting, Acronis True Image.
I'll probably try to test that software out.

 

dd

The original drive imager (if you're not a Linux dork, just ignore me. If you are, you should be giggling now)

 

I like Ghost, while admitedly I use the DOS screens for running it, and it is a bit of a pain to use (on occasion) I like the fact that it's never given me issues.

Acronis seems to have too many reviews out there that say "I made images for X months and then needed to restore and found none of the images were good".

 

I've never heard of read any such thing myself, and I've been using True Image since it was first created - I'm also a beta tester for Acronis and have been for several years now.

I know that some people use CD/DVD media to store their images, and the sad fact of the matter is that people tend to choose cheap media from those "100 pack spindle of CD or DVD media, only $7.99!!!" type of sales at local retailers that tends to attract a lot of buyers, you understand - and then suffer the consequences over time when they can't get their data off those cheap discs anymore.

That becomes an issue of cheap media and not True Image's responsibility, so I'm pretty curious now. Can you provide links to such claims or give me some direction where to find 'em? I'm sure the Acronis people would love a head's up if you or I can provide one or several.

Thanks,

bb

 

Im assuming with this type of software once you buy it then you have it for life?? no renewing subscriptions at the end of the year?

when installing winXP from scratch is there a best time to install the imaging software? eg. after all drivers are loaded or before?

i havent used an imaging software before... was thinking about getting Acronis... i would like to get an image of the HD after winXP and drivers are installed... that way i dont have to do it all from scratch when i want to do a spring clean...

 

Correct, once you purchase it, it's yours forever. There is no subscription type service involved; it's a standalone product.

Here's the typical usage:

1) Back up your current personal data and whatever else you want to keep on your machine.

2) When all your "good stuff" is backed up and safely stored someplace else (another hard drive, burned to CD/DVD, tape drives, etc) then decide on how you want your hard drive(s) laid out.

3) Break out your Windows CD (or whatever OS you intend to use) and the Product Key if you need it and reinstall the operating system nice and clean. During the initial text mode setup in Windows (the blue screen with white text portion), you'll agree to the EULA, then the installer will say you've already got Windows installed, so you press Escape to get past that notice.

It'll list your drive(s) and partitions on the next screen, choose the one you want to install on and read the onscreen instructions very carefully, especially if you've never installed Windows before using this method. You'll have the opportunity to clear off the partition(s), or even wipe the entire hard drive clean at this point so BE VERY CAREFUL every time you're about to press a key - and read everything twice onscreen before committing to anything.

I've done so many installs I can do it without even looking at the screen anymore, but that's not necessarily your experience. So just make sure to read all the stuff onscreen - it will tell you everything you need to know before committing to any particular step. But once you commit, you can't really back up, so be careful.

4) Once you've either chosen or deleted and created the installation partition, next step is to format it on the next screen after you make the choice.

Quick Format is what you'll want to do. In the old days hard drives were formatted sector by sector which typically didn't take that long - but that was in the past. Do a "normal" format on a 500GB hard drive and you could practically be waiting 6-10 hours to be able to use that drive again.

Quick Formatting is perfectly acceptable, and does everything necessary to prepare a hard drive for use and operating system installation. There is no practical reason to choose a "normal" format anymore, so save yourself a lot of wasted time and just choose to Quick Format (NTFS is the recommendation, and if you don't know why, then choose NTFS anyway).

5) Next screen will show files being copied to the drive, takes a few minutes. Then the system will reboot and start the next phase of the setup, the GUI mode meaning the part where it starts to look more like "Windows." You'll input your name, the key most likely, provide some networking info, etc.

Realistically all most people need to do is click Next when given choices to make, but again, read what's onscreen and modify the options if you feel it necessary to do so.

After all is said and done, the machine will reboot again and then ask you to do some more options, then input your username and wham, then you're done.

7) Install all the drivers just mentioned so that your Device Manager is clean and shows no alerts or yellow exclamation points.

8) Install all the software you want on that machine, your most commonly used stuff, etc. This is also the point where you'd install True Image. You can install it earlier and make an earlier image if you want; in some respects that's not a bad idea.

9) Once you have it all set up exactly the way you want it to be, then you image it and save that image either on another hard drive, burned to DVD media, etc.

Using that image you can start over anytime you want and return the laptop to your "Factory state" - meaning the way you just set it up - in a few minutes instead of the hours it'll probably take to do it this one time.

Hope this helps...


bb

 

Fantastic! thanks mate