Backup, Clone, Recovery and iso ?

[EagleMark]

Any good tips on backups? I have a wireless backup hard drive and software from each computer.

What I was really wondering is how to make a new image of hard drive in iso ? In case of catastrophic failure. I just got this laptop running Windows XP Pro, all the updates, all the programs all the optimization, Advanced System Care cleaned and running sweetly... is there a way to make a new image from this updated fresh install? Looks like all software to do this needs hard drive removed and OS not running. I can pull the new SSD HD easily...

[skandolis]

i use a "live"(pe installation) disk for this, (runs completely in ram) there are several programs that do this, (i use ghost) just boot into the pe installation and run ghost from there, works like a charm. i have never had a problem doing it this way.(it does not come out iso image this way though, it will be a .gho image)no clue on how to make it an iso.......

[91ss]

I've been using Acronis True Image 2009 for a few years now. I don't use the 'installed' version but rather the bootable emergency disk(s) it allows you to create. With it, I can boot and image any drive in any machine to an external or network drive. It creates a *.TIB file. I'll typically image my tuning netbook before I try new software/version on it as it has the registered versions on it.

There've been complaints about it crashing or stopping mid stream. Happened a couple of times to me. But I've found is that bad sectors on the hard drive cause the failure. If any fault in the software is that it doesn't give a reason for the crash. Once or if the drives are error free, it runs flawlessly.

And, always run the verification option to make sure the image file has not errors.

Oh, the only peculiarity to the bootable version is the time to go bars are NOT accurate.

[EagleMark]

I got a free trial of Norton Ghost with the new hard drive and gave it a shot... wish I would have read reviews first.

Found some free software and it will make the CD or DVD, I have both in one drive. Marcium Reflect free. Have to register but good stuff, no malware and they offer a paid version which is a little better. It makes a recovery CD or DVD, but then can't find my USB stick or network or? The complete backup is to big for a DVD. Ahhh... maybe just make a few DVD? I'd much rather get the USB stick to work.

The origanal windows file is .iso and when burned to DVD it installed fine. SInce this Panisonic ToughBook Bios had boot order and includes USB I thought it would be easy. It is easy to test as the hard drive caddy will just slip out so I can boot from CD/DVD drive or USB...

So far fail! :rolleye:

Complete backup is also done 2 different ways to my wireless backup drive, one is automatic constant.

But I'd like to get this foolproof with CD/DVD/USB to restore of complete failure so I can use the back up wireless drive if I had to. Last year I lost a lot when I got a virus. My 6 DVD back up was half corrupt. Did not have the wireless auto back up at that time.

[91ss]

If you have at least one western digital drive in the system, you can get their branded version of true image.

[91ss]

http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp?swid=119&wdc_lang=en

[EagleMark]

Just one Samsung 840 SSD drive in this laptop.

[jim_in_dorris]

This will make a usb recovery disk. Watch the video, it explains everything. HTH
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mAE92s-YJ8

[EagleMark]

Thanks Jim. Funny I have that program and all done on one USB stick. Can't get USB though, CD works, I must be missing drivers...

[cmaje72]

Did you have problems with Ghost? I have been using it for years in a corporate environment to create images for backup and deployment.
Works great. If you have a somewhat recent version you should be able to create a USB boot stick with Windows PE on it that will load USB drivers.

[EagleMark]

Yeah tried Ghost a couple others. They will boot from CD but not USB, even if I boot from CD it can't find USB for the rest of image. Somewhere I'm missing USB drivers? BIOS is set to USB, CD/DVD and then HDD when I do this.

[jim_in_dorris]

Are you certain that the USB is bootable? Have you tried the F12 key for boot device? I have fought trying to get a computer to boot to an alternate device before, it is very frustrating, perseverance is usually the key.

[Montecarlodrag]

I have used Norton Ghost for years with good results.

[EagleMark]

Not sure about the F12? F2 get's me BIOS and boot order on this PC has USB?

I only have a 30 day trail on Norton Ghost and was going to buy it as a permanent solution, but read a lot of bad reviews. I'll have to re evaluate as I may have read wrong product or? Since we have a couple good recomends here. Ahhh, I think this Ghost is a Samsung version and may not be full version...

[EagleMark]

Little more research on Norton Ghost makes it a really bad idea...
http://us.norton.com/ghost


An important update regarding Norton Ghost™
We’d like to share some important information with you, our valued Norton customer. As of April 30, 2013, Symantec will discontinue sales of Norton Ghost, but will continue to provide support via
phone, email and knowledge base through June 30, 2014.

[EagleMark]

Found F12 will boot from LAN!

Looked through some more free stuff and reviews of old I ended up trying True Image 2013 by Acronis. It's rated number 1 and Norton Ghost number 3... Liking it already as the first shot I had a complete backup on USB stick that does boot, and a separate copy on my wireless network hard drive!

Couple options not available in 30 day free trail I like are the non stop backup, which I could stop using the WD Anywhere backup which is OK... :rolleye: Software that came with My Book Live was as worthless as tits on a bull!

Next option is Sync! Will sync files and folders to other computers or devices.

Next is iso images without backup.

[jim_in_dorris]

Congratulations, sounds like your all set.

[EagleMark]

:thumbsup:

Actually with the hard drive in a slide out caddy, if I have a fail, the other cloned HD just slips in! :happy:

[mekkis]

Filezilla is a great option for cloning.

VMWare is your friend, too. Instead of cloning HDD/SSD you clone machines and shuffle machine images around.

[bentrod]

Are you familiar with unix or linux? Several of commands (dd, parted, fdisk etc) are available on just about every distribution. They can do everything and more than norton ghost and are free with no licenses.

If you're interestd let me know and I can get you started. Heck I can mail you a cd.

**edit** I also just read the part of your post that mentions ghost having some sort of "continuous backup" feature or something. If you're interested in that it might be time to look into RAID. Chances are your computer disk controller supports RAID 1, which will provide this continuous backup feature for free, and at a lower abstraction layer (independent of the OS).

[EagleMark]

Filezilla is a great option for cloning.
I've been using FIleZilla for years for FTP and do have the one laptop backed up to server. But no automation for backup. That's when I got a 1 TB wireless back up hard drive My BookLive, which the software sucked, it would not back up what was most important to me? bin, xdf, adx, etc... and they were not on the exclusion list. Since it was new with support WD gave me Anywhere backup software which works great. Have it running on all machines now, continuous so if I worked on a file all day and have a crash I still have my work.

I've only had 2 crashes in ? So many years I can't remember, both recent and both a day before a job! So now I have a backup laptop and also turned the wifes laptop into a backup...

Linux is something I've always wanted to do and I guess one of those old office sever Dell Optiplex sitting over at Rehab may be an answer to a duel boot system? We get 100s of old PCs and wipe hard d\rives clean, re install and refurbish them to give away to people around the community.