Imageing Software

[SwiftSniper232]

Whats the best Imageing software so I can speed up how fast window's reinstalls? Any pointers, tips headsup?

Thanks

[atholon]

I would like to know as well. Especially if there is a free version

[IcIshoot]

I use acronis True Image home edition.

Seagate has for download a free lite version of Acronis for seagate drives, which is what I used until I needed to take an image of a non-seagate harddrive.

The full version supports any drive.

Its fast, even when saving the image through the network.

home site lists it as $49, you can get it for around $35 from newegg.com

Homepage:

http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing...s_scid=acronis|1909334627&gclid=CIiZ4u_7rZQCFSQbagodWAYMtw


Newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16832200004


I have used norton ghost in the past, never liked it. To slow, plus it is more expensive.


1 persons review, highlighting the pros and cons of ghost and acronis:

http://www.techsupportalert.com/driv...ng-reviews.htm


IcI

[atholon]

Does it take the ENTIRE partition or just the space used?


That would be such a waste to create an image of 120 gb partition with only 10gigs being used...

[SwiftSniper232]

ici what do you use now

[Steve]

Originally posted by atholon
Does it take the ENTIRE partition or just the space used?


That would be such a waste to create an image of 120 gb partition with only 10gigs being used...

there is different ways of doing it and it depends on the software but yes you can backup just used space.



i mostly use ghost boot floppy disk because i know it works well and ive had few problems with it. the newer versions of acronis are very good indeed, Acronis Universal Restore is a phenomenal feature, you can restore images to completely different hardware, it even installs the drivers needed for the new hardware when loading the image

i've had both work and both fail, one will be fast and the other fast on other setups. i think the computer you are working on is the biggest factor for speed. i had ghost take 6 hours to backup 4GB of data one time, the hdd was fuxored and Acronis wouldn't even begin to clone it.

[IcIshoot]

I use acronis - and it can do the entire partition, entire drive or just selected folders.

It also has a feature to automatically run incremental backups, and can upload those backups to an ftp server

[SwiftSniper232]

Thanks guys, I'm trying it out momentarily.

I have ghost, never realized this was the intent of it. I had just used it for partitioning.

Acronis sounds promising so I'm giving that a go too.

[IcIshoot]

lol I dropped ghost the day I backed up my system to over 10 cd-roms, only to find out it was corrupted. for a while I didn't use any imaging software until I discover the free tool for seagate drives, then acronis.



that being said -

I am very familiar with the enterprise version of ghost. I used to volunteer at a library in the tech department, it was cool being able to send a ghost image to 20 computers at once from the ghost server console, we never had any problems with images then.

[Hellfighter]

my all time favorit is "RestoreIT 7"

if you ever use Goback it work basic the same way.

*restore as go by Bois settings
*back up on the go when you bootup or restart your system it record the whole system all area's

you can make check point or from desktop or pass the bois system you have a screen with option.

save me a lot of times from system wide crashes, and it network as will.

avg around USD-40.00 about it really counts were you buy it from.

Cnet has it for download link: http://www.download.com/RestoreIT/30...-10586419.html

Farstone.com link: http://www.farstone.com/software/restoreit-pro.htm

Farstone has it cheaper in price listing do more as will "RestoreIT® 7 Pro" version

details:
RestoreIT is a powerful data recovery utility that automatically backs up all files on a computer. After a malware attack, a Windows crash, or a problem caused by human error, RestoreIT lets you roll back your system to a point where it was last working properly. Since it loads before Windows, RestoreIT will launch even when Windows does not boot and recover all files, system and personal.

free to try Limitations: 15-day trial

best part it only record as you ether restart the system or boots up the system, don't hog the system ether. great to play games and not have something butting into it.
=================
but if you really like to boost your system like mad fast check this out, free to try for 30days

Virtual Hard Drive 2 Pro
Create a RAM disk drive from unlimited memory! Now with Vista support!
Virtual Hard Drive Pro takes a portion of your system memory and creates a RAM disk drive, which functions like a physical hard drive, only with much better access rates.

A RAM disk bypasses the system hard drive, which is the slowest part of a computer. Freeing your data storage and retrieval from this mechanical disk gives your system an immediate boost.

link: http://www.farstone.com/software/virtual-hard-drive.htm

sweet item to use

[IcIshoot]

But does it take a full image of the harddrive?


with ghost or acronis, you can take an image of your drive. You could then take your drive smash it to bits and buy a brand new never used drive. Restore the image to the drive and be fully up and running. With out having to re-install the OS or any drivers.


Based on what I read in your post, it seems more like a glorified system restore - makes copies of files/settings that can be restored if they get corrupt, not a true disk imaging software.

[Steve]

i should drop ghost simply because it's made by symantec

[SwiftSniper232]

^ agreed

[Hellfighter]

Originally posted by icishoot
But does it take a full image of the harddrive?


with ghost or acronis, you can take an image of your drive. You could then take your drive smash it to bits and buy a brand new never used drive. Restore the image to the drive and be fully up and running. With out having to re-install the OS or any drivers.


Based on what I read in your post, it seems more like a glorified system restore - makes copies of files/settings that can be restored if they get corrupt, not a true disk imaging software.

they all so have backup on network so you could back it on another FTP or some were on a Network as will

you should go there see what their full line products are. they have many option to use as will for backing up your HD as will

Originally posted by Steve
i should drop ghost simply because it's made by symantec

hate symantec they really don't have a clue about Image backup files like Roxie or some others backup software makers. look they spend million buy go-back and what they do sh*tcan it, and give a Hip on Ghost i think it nice but give me a headaches trying to use the fool thing

P's about: Farstone> Virtual Hard Drive Pro
it take a small part of your "Ram Cards low 60mb or max 1024+mb" and make a Virtual Hard Drive out of it, so items load up faster is all. will not act like a extra Ram card ????MB or page files

[SwiftSniper232]

I like acronis, seems very easy to use, very straightforward... just tried it out

[atholon]

I'll have to give it a shot...I tried Clonzilla once... didn`t get far.

[atholon]

Just got Acronis from Best Buy....the backups it makes are only for space used on the hard drive. It compressed 6 gigs to 3.5 w00t

[SwiftSniper232]

excellent isn't it?

[atholon]

I have not done the restore part yet but the rest was nice. It just images the used space so you don`t waste a bunch of HDD space