Disk Imaging

[LunarMist]

I want to be able to make and restore partition C: images from the computer. True Image 10 offers this and also restores the MBR and Track 0 needed for Photoshop, etc. Unfortunately in the full version it hangs on drivers after the reboot to restore C:. The safe version works fine from CD or USB drive though some unimportant drives are not seen, but there is no option to select that when running the progranm from the computer.

In the past I used Drive Image, but the last version was horrid and then purchased by Norton (became version 9?). The main problem was that images were only created in Windows and restored from the CD that ran Windows PE IIRC. Does any one use Ghost lately, version 10 and is it any different? Is there any other imaging software that you use?

Thanks.

 

[Will Rickards]

http://ghost.radified.com/ghost_1a.htm

That page has some ghost alternatives listed.
I used one call partition saving. It was free. It worked but too well.
Copied the bad sector count too.

 

[LunarMist]

Wow, a blast from the past! Whatever hapenned to Joe, or is he around under another name?

 

[ddrueding]

JTR explains where he's been somewhere around here...

 

[LunarMist]

Did you look at Joe's site? I mean Joe from SR, aka Radboy.

 

[sechs]

Any version of Ghost 8.x or earlier should be good. The latest version that I got my hands on bills itself as 11, but, except for the server stuff, seems exactly like 8.3.

 

[Will Rickards]

Wow, a blast from the past! Whatever hapenned to Joe, or is he around under another name?

I thought I saw him around here for like a single thread a while back. He was using a radsomething name.

 

[LunarMist]

Apparently he was a member here for a while, but not in a few years.

http://www.storageforum.net/forum/member.php?u=120

I was still more active on SR not long before that time.

 

[mubs]

I used to use Drive Image. Now I use Image for Dos from Terabyte. They have a Windows version as well (which is the one you buy, Img for Dos comes free with it), but I haven't used it. IFD fits on one floppy, will image to a HDD partition or a CD or DVD. It's quite fast and has restored images for me many times without a hiccup. Cost was quite reasonable - don't remember now. You can download from their site and pay for it online.

 

[Clocker]

I used TrueImage 10 Home with a SiS Sata Chipset (M1575 I think). Anyway, it SEEMS like it hangs during the reboot but it actually takes about a minute and then starts working. So, make sure you have the latest version/build and give it some time.

 

[Mercutio]

When you're using TrueImage Restore Wizard, you're booting Linux, which is easily as complex as Windows XP. You can expect it to take a couple minutes to detect your hardware and give you control of your system.

 

[LunarMist]

Oh my! The error messages fooled me. I was not allowing enough time for the OS to go though all the drivers, etc. and load. TI10 finally loads after nearly 3 minutes. Thanks.

 

[ddrueding]

Just a follow up to see what people are using these days? I'm currently after something that can do a Windows Server-class OS (2003, 2003R2, maybe 2008R2) from within windows (I'll be doing it remotely). Cheap is good, free is better, but works is most important.

Also, has anyone here tried taking an image of a drive that was completely truecrypted?

 

[Handruin]

I've done very limited work with a free tool called Clonezilla. I needed a better tool to support my HP blade servers and the older version of Ghost wasn't booting. It's supposedly supports the multicast for mass cloning of systems with PXE support. I have no idea how well it will support something that is encrypted.

 

[ddrueding]

Thanks Handy, but it doesn't look like either Clonezilla or Partimage support initiating the clone from within Windows. I'm looking for something I can install over RDC, initiate over RDC, and that the machine will come back up (fingers crossed) so I can connect to it afterward.

 

[Handruin]

Ah shit, sorry, I forgot you mentioned from within windows.

 

[Mercutio]

Thanks Handy, but it doesn't look like either Clonezilla or Partimage support initiating the clone from within Windows. I'm looking for something I can install over RDC, initiate over RDC, and that the machine will come back up (fingers crossed) so I can connect to it afterward.

TrueImage Backup and Restore Server. Only $900 a copy.
Most disk imaging programs are either going to be open source, which means they might not support a full range of operations, or they'll be commercial software targeted to desktop machines.

DriveImageXML explicitly supports backups under Windows Server 2003 and has both commercial and non-commercial licenses.

 

[ddrueding]

DriveImageXML explicitly supports backups under Windows Server 2003 and has both commercial and non-commercial licenses.

Working great so far, and much cheaper than $900

 

[LunarMist]

Almost three years ago. I'm still using the Acronis, now 2010.

At work everything is done with some Altaris software. The Helpdesk is by remote control and outsourced though.

 

[LunarMist]

What is the verdict on True Image 2011? :beye:

 

[Howell]

I'm a big fan a of 2010 with the plus pack. No opinion on 2011.

 

[LunarMist]

I have a couple of copies of TI 2010, but it still has some bugs and was hoping they were fixed. However, one of the annoyaces of TI is that the format of the tib files is not backwards compatible with older versions. orc:

 

[Mercutio]

What is the verdict on True Image 2011? :beye:

Meh. It has a lot of pointless UI changes and doesn't seem functionally different from 2010. There's some nice features for people who have used Windows Backup or actually do things with .vhd files.

2010 works just fine.

 

[time]

Mercutio, what do you recommend for scheduled shadow copies like you said you preferred for desktop PCs? What about servers?

 

[Mercutio]

I use TrueImage for both whenever possible. I'll partition a drive to reserve space for a backup, or add a second drive to store backups if I possibly can.

Newer versions of TrueImage automatically consolidate backups so it's unlikely that most users will run out of backup space. That's really very handy.

 

[Bozo]

Have you ever used Acronis Secure Zone?

 

[LunarMist]

I use it on laptops for the bootable app only. It's nice to restore via F11 in the event of screwup.

 

[Mercutio]

Have you ever used Acronis Secure Zone?

Yes, if I'm dealing with a single-drive system I use the ASZ so people don't mess with the space where their backups go.

Upon reflection I think I like the 2010 version of TrueImage Home a little bit better. 2011 has a streamlined interface, but that means that more settings are hidden and then I forget to set them.

 

[LunarMist]

Merc,

Can you determine if TI 2010 will restore TI 2011 TIB files?

 

[Mercutio]

Merc,

Can you determine if TI 2010 will restore TI 2011 TIB files?

I'm sure I'll have a chance to check soon enough.
I can say that TrueImage 10 (from 2007 or 2008) won't open TrueImage 2010 files.

 

[LunarMist]

TI 2009 will not restore TI 2010 TIBs, but one can hope that they stop the insanity.
IIRC TI 10 was 2007, TI 11 was 2008 and then they started in with the years.

 

[Mercutio]

TI 2009 will not restore TI 2010 TIBs

TrueImage 2009 is the one version I don't have installed anyplace.

I was able to open a little 2GB .tib I made on my laptop in 2011 on one of my classroom PCs in TrueImage 2010. I didn't actually restore, but the archive opened just fine.

 

[LunarMist]

Thanks. That is good news. I'm hoping that TI 20011 has better drivers.

 

[CougTek]

Well, by the time version 20011 is released, I'm sure they'll figure out how to resolve most issues.

 

[LunarMist]

It is in all the stores now. I'm trying to get it working now. :crnval:

 

[LunarMist]

This is bullsh*t.