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backup software win2k3

S

sdadept

Limp Gawd
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Jul 3, 2004
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I need to do a bare metal backup / restore from my SATA raid 0 array to a SATA raid 1 array. I have a large 300 gig single drive that I want to use to back things up to. I do NOT want to reinstall windows or anything of the kind. What is the best way to do a backup of an NTFS hard drive? I assume that whatever I do it will have to run from DOS as I don't want to OS running while I'm backing it up.

I've heard of a few things like norton GHOST but I don't see it mentioning support for windows 2003.

also, I've come across a few programs out there but their win2k3 versions cost infinitely more because they assume its a server (it's a workstation).

any recommendations would be much appreciated.
 
Have you tried using system state backups with the Windows backup utility?
 
That's very funny. The day windows backup utility does bare metal backup and restore....

anyone else have suggestions?
 
The Windows backup utility can do System State backups, it's one of the options. There's also Veritas BackupExec, but sounds like it's out of your price range.
 
dd is designed for this... Why, back in my day, tar was all we had... "info cpio"

But seriously, ghost or windows backup should handle this. Ghost just knows it's ntfs, it doesn't matter what's on it.

 
mage, so you think ghost is a good way to go? I've heard some bad things about it but if it doesn't care what's in the NTFS then that sounds like exactly what I need.
 
Ghost should do it. Windows backup is free, though, so keep that in mind. The home edition of Ghost has a very annoying limitation with a key you have to write down when you take the image, and then enter it to restore. Windows backup has no such limitation.

 
One of the best tools i know for harddrives Paragon Harddrive manager. It beats the crap out of ghost and similar tools by far for the same or a lower price tag.

Anyways, if that doesn't fit the bill, use a cheap DVD backup program like NTI Backup Now 4.0, which also works nice in Windows 2003.
 
Since my favorite vendor is now out of business (PowerQuest - yes, I know they were bought by Symantec but that appears to have been a typical Symantec competition buy & shelve routine they like to do) I recently purchased both of the Acronis Packages.

From a feature standpoint, they are great. You can optionally install a pre-boot and set a side a partition for your master image storage. Much like certain manufacturers disaster recovery. Not having to find a CD or floppy to restore is great! Just hit F11 at bootup.

Acronis also has the best, most trouble-free, hands-off no-config Network support I've seen. It just works. Might be because I'm using standard Intel Pro/1000MT Adapters everywhere. This was always a nightmare with Ghost and DriveImage, especially if Novell was involved.

Now, with that said, while the features are very nice, the speed is NOT!

Acronis is painfully slow. Maybe it's more careful than the others, I don't know. But it's definitely a start at bedtime scenario.

Also, for some odd reason, Acronis will not burn directly to DVD. I don't know WHAT they were thinking.

Demo's are available. See if it works out.

BTW... If you use Ghost, and you have a way to get it legally, use the Enterprise Edition.

Finally, I have to say one thing about PowerQuest DriveImage. That software went from a truly useful and powerful tool (version 2002) to the most useless, over-done, bloated, product-activated (in a majorly annoying way) piece of shit I've ever used.

No wonder they sold out to the King of Buy & Shelve.

-Larry


ScYcS said:
One of the best tools i know for harddrives Paragon Harddrive manager. It beats the crap out of ghost and similar tools by far for the same or a lower price tag.

Anyways, if that doesn't fit the bill, use a cheap DVD backup program like NTI Backup Now 4.0, which also works nice in Windows 2003.
Click to expand...
 
so, the question is. Since I just want to do a dumb bare metal backup, why would I want to get the server version? If it's just ntfs? I plan to back the machine up not while it's running, so do I really need something with 'server' attached? I hate paying $999 just for something that is going to do a backup restore while I change physical disks.
 
Pickup Ghost 03.

Ghost 9 is rebadged drive image and it sux. Yes Ghost 03 supports ANY file system, it does not care what OS is on it. Period. When you boot from the created floppy, it just copies whatever is there.

You are not supposed to be able to install Norton Ghost in a Server OS install, but it can be done (first hand experience). But like I said, it doesn't matter once you make the boot disk, ghost could really care less what is on the drive.

The only problem I see is compatibility with your RAID controller, although I have only seen issues with the latest SATA2 RAID controllers. If you are moving to a different raid controller, I would recommend installing/enabling it and installing the drivers for the controller before you try to transfer the image from one raid set to the other.
 
hardwarephreak said:
Pickup Ghost 03.

Ghost 9 is rebadged drive image and it sux. Yes Ghost 03 supports ANY file system, it does not care what OS is on it. Period. When you boot from the created floppy, it just copies whatever is there.

You are not supposed to be able to install Norton Ghost in a Server OS install, but it can be done (first hand experience). But like I said, it doesn't matter once you make the boot disk, ghost could really care less what is on the drive.

The only problem I see is compatibility with your RAID controller, although I have only seen issues with the latest SATA2 RAID controllers. If you are moving to a different raid controller, I would recommend installing/enabling it and installing the drivers for the controller before you try to transfer the image from one raid set to the other.
Click to expand...

Good to know!, not like it matters since my company paid the bill for symantec..lol Which was a biotch to figure out how to use and REALLY doesnt like raid controllers at all. (and old adaptec from about 2 years back)
 
Standard software doesn't generally not-work on servers for technical reasons. It generally doesn't work for MONETARY reasons.

The developers hear "Server", and they automatically think "Corporation" and big $$$.

Some non-server 'catagory' software is disabled from running on servers for this reason alone.

-Larry

sdadept said:
so, the question is. Since I just want to do a dumb bare metal backup, why would I want to get the server version? If it's just ntfs? I plan to back the machine up not while it's running, so do I really need something with 'server' attached? I hate paying $999 just for something that is going to do a backup restore while I change physical disks.
Click to expand...
 
If Ghost 9 is based on DriveImage 10, I have no doubt it sucks.

DriveImage 10 was deplorable. DriveImage 2002 was the last good version PowerQuest had.

-Larry

hardwarephreak said:
Pickup Ghost 03.

Ghost 9 is rebadged drive image and it sux. Yes Ghost 03 supports ANY file system, it does not care what OS is on it. Period. When you boot from the created floppy, it just copies whatever is there.

You are not supposed to be able to install Norton Ghost in a Server OS install, but it can be done (first hand experience). But like I said, it doesn't matter once you make the boot disk, ghost could really care less what is on the drive.

The only problem I see is compatibility with your RAID controller, although I have only seen issues with the latest SATA2 RAID controllers. If you are moving to a different raid controller, I would recommend installing/enabling it and installing the drivers for the controller before you try to transfer the image from one raid set to the other.
Click to expand...
 
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