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PC Cloning

R

raksasas

Limp Gawd
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Joined
Dec 14, 2002
Messages
477
I believe I am needing to update my pc cloning/imaging method. I am currently using Reatogo CD with Ghost 9 plug-in to do my cloning/imaging. I like this method since I can use the CD environment to create and restore a PC. I store most of the images on a network share and some on a USB hard drive due to systems being in a vehicle. With the vehicles I have to carry an old USB CD ROM (bulky) to boot they system to do the images. I have a slim USB DVD ROM but it will not boot to the CD environment which I don't know why.

So with my old USB CD ROM giving me issues I have been trying to find an alternative way create and restore my systems. With Flash drives being cheap and the size increasing I have been wanting to use a flash drive to create and restore images.

What method do you recommend for creating/restoring images?
 
I keep a small usb hard drive configured to boot to Parted Magic. A thumb drive can do it if it's big enough, but it might limit some of the other functions if used for Windows systems. Parted Magic has some network functionality, but it's easier to just use the free space on the usb drive. The whole thing just becomes a personal backup appliance.
 
You can also consider Acronis True Image.
You can have the boot media on a CD, USB or BartPE.
If you have a Seagate, or Maxtor, drive in your system, you can get Version 11 for free.
 
ben chi(f4) said:
I use Norton Ghost and image backup and push over the network. Works like a charm.
Click to expand...

The systems in the vehicles will never be connected to a network. And they don't want to purchase an Enterpise verson of Ghost to push images
 
MrF said:
You can also consider Acronis True Image.
You can have the boot media on a CD, USB or BartPE.
If you have a Seagate, or Maxtor, drive in your system, you can get Version 11 for free.
Click to expand...

+1 for Acronis. I have been using this software for cloning/backups for a while now.
 
MrF said:
You can also consider Acronis True Image.
You can have the boot media on a CD, USB or BartPE.
If you have a Seagate, or Maxtor, drive in your system, you can get Version 11 for free.
Click to expand...

Quikstrumental said:
+1 for Acronis. I have been using this software for cloning/backups for a while now.
Click to expand...

What verson is recommend? Echo Workstation? or would be Home verson work?
I won't be using a server to push the images but a network share to house the image files. Also, how hard is it to add network drivers to the boot environment in case the network card is not found?
 
I only have experience with True Image home.
I have no idea about the network capability.

How about using a second partition on the system for creating the image? As soon the image is created, you can boot to your OS and transfer the image on the network to where you want.

You may also want to look at the option of having the boot media on BartPE. Then, you will effectively be running the program in Windows (BartPE) so networking should not be a problem.

These are just ideas as I have no experience with imaging over a network.
 
An alternative is Clonezilla.
http://clonezilla.org/
It is free. It is updated much more frequenctly than Acronis. It is very powerful.
It is not as user friendly as Acronis.

With Acronis, you get images that represent partitions and drives, and you get help.
With clonezilla, you have to do everything in just text.
So, choose your poison. :)
 
I've used Acronis True Image Echo and it's great. Being able to make images of running systems is the best part about it. It has good compression as well.
 
I'm using Paragon HD Manager 2009 Suite, which combines image backup/restore functions with full partition-management functions. For image backup/restore only, Acronis TI10 and Terabyte IFW/IFD have worked reliably.

I regularly image two critical partitions to protected partition on my main drive, and periodically do full raw sector-by-sector clone of the main drive to a removable drive for drive-swap recovery in event of failed main drive.

Hope this helps!
 
I second the Clonezilla method. I installed clonezilla on an external 2.5" drive and boot from it to take and cast the image.
 
I use Acronis as well. Create a bootable CD/DVD with the software on it, boot from the disc, clone the drive, redo cabling, voila!
 
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