Community Newsletter: Q&A: 10/27/06 Can I make a desktop restore CD/DVD like HP or Dell does?
- 10/26/06 4:23 PM
System Restore, Win XP
by frankln2u - 10/27/06 10:37 AM In reply to: 10/27/06 Can I make a desktop restore CD/DVD like HP or Dell does? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
If you are restoring Win XP, and have legal copy of
Win XP CD, this will work.
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=189400897
the article you linked to
by jonah jones - 10/27/06 11:08 AM
In reply to: System Restore, Win XP by frankln2u
is for a "non-destructive repair" of an existing XP installation...
it won't help if your HD gets farkled...
jonah
,.,
Bootit NG is Quick and Easy!
by eye2fun - 10/27/06 11:32 AM In reply to: 10/27/06 Can I make a desktop restore CD/DVD like HP or Dell does? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
This is an excellent tool and offers a very long trial period. It's almost like Magic when you learn how to use it.
It can make a "Data Only" image that can easily be restored. I use it alot when trying out different Linux distros where I messing with things I shouldn't and that are sure to mess the system up. Then I just reboot and restore the image from before I screwed the system up!
You can either put a store img on a partition or put it on CDs or DVDs and we're not just talking about a back to original install, but back to what you had before the system messed up! This complete with all your programs and personal settings (including pictures, favorites, etc)!
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/bootitng.html
You're an idiot
by cydrenex - 10/27/06 12:12 PM In reply to: 10/27/06 Can I make a desktop restore CD/DVD like HP or Dell does? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
He obviously wants a disc that will simply put each machine in the state that it is in when he is done optimizing it. ie, clean installation of windows xp, and then all the programs that he has to painstakingly install. Instead, he would rather have a disc that not only can he give to his customers to restore their machine to that state, after backing up their personal data somewhere else, but also so he can set up the machines he builds all the more faster. not much of an answer for this, but maybe clarity on the matter will give the person who knows the answer a better initiative to share it.
That's for sure!
by EscapePod - 10/28/06 2:47 PM In reply to: You're an idiot by cydrenexI agree. Too many here seem hell-bent on doing full backups of the whole PC, data and all.
On the PCs I sell, I provide the base image on a bootable DVD made using Terabyte Unlimited's Image and Backup software:
http://terabyteinc.com/imagew.html
Then, I give them written instructions on how to back up their data later, after its created. The programs they add will just have to be reloaded. I have found that they usually don't want the programs included on the base image, because most people frequently update those anyway.
Backing up programs/data...
by gjduke - 10/27/06 12:41 PM In reply to: 10/27/06 Can I make a desktop restore CD/DVD like HP or Dell does? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Thanks for the time you took to reply professionally and in detail to the reader. I was interested in the entire article, but have a question regarding Acronis Image program. I have used Ghost 8.02 in my work to backup programs used in computers which run Automated Teller Machines. In talking with Norton Tech Support recently, they told me that the current Ghost product couldn't make an image from my laptop and restore it on my laptop if I changed anything in the configuation of the laptop (such as changing memory size). I mentioned that I often (at work) make images and restored them to different units with different configs. They said that was because that Ghost was Dos-based. It does load a PC-Dos boot disc, but I make an image of Windows software. I am confused. Will Acronis image (or any other product) provide me with a way of saving an image from my laptop and allow me to restore it to a different machine or configuration?
Thank you.
Gary Duke
gjduke@bigplanet.com
Yes you can
by jclevel1 - 10/27/06 1:07 PM In reply to: 10/27/06 Can I make a desktop restore CD/DVD like HP or Dell does? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The very simple answer is YES you can. I have done this very thing on a number of occassions. I really don't want to sound like a shill or salesmen for Symantec, but everytime I have made either a bootable CD or DVD rom I have used Symantec Ghost. The process of making this CD or DVD is rather simple.
1. Create a Ghost image (which is usually a single .gho file or the image can span multiple files and in turn multiple CDs or DVDs)
2. Create a bootable CD or DVD using your favorite "burning" software making sure to include all of the files necessary to make the media bootable, the first .gho file, and the ghost executable.
3. Ensure that your computer's BIOS setting allows the computer to be booted from the CD or DVD drive
When the computer boots from the CD or DVD, merely run the ghost program, tell it to restore your drive or partition from a file, then select the file that is located on the CD or DVD. It's that simple.
I am actually going to do this myself at home using Symantec's "new" Save and Restore software either tonight or tomorrow.
Save and Restore
by spectrum9 - 10/28/06 4:16 PM In reply to: Yes you can by jclevel1Well, good... but did it work? And should this be used in place of Norton Ghost?
Good answer
by ryanusze - 10/27/06 5:06 PM In reply to: 10/27/06 Can I make a desktop restore CD/DVD like HP or Dell does? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Good answer but to complicated for novice. Need to break it down into dumb persons vocabulary.
Acronis True Image
by paultarcha - 10/27/06 8:04 PM In reply to: 10/27/06 Can I make a desktop restore CD/DVD like HP or Dell does? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Will H.
What is the version/build of the Acronis True Image software that you are using? I am having problems getting a bootble DVD using the downloaded copy that I purchased recently.
Paul T.
Wow, An Acronis Plug...??
by comicfan - 10/27/06 10:26 PM In reply to: 10/27/06 Can I make a desktop restore CD/DVD like HP or Dell does? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Ok, I am not sure but it seems this was a tutorial on Acronis, not how to back up. For one, being if it's Emachines and\or HP, and there are OEM installs, this goes against the limits of what you can or can't do. Was this even mentioned? Sorry if I missed it. By the title, it seems if using a full XP version that a slipstream at least w\updates would be a valid suggestion to that. Obviously if you want to make a restore CD\DVD there is more to it if not Acronis, I suggest backing up to another media of some type even more than worrying about making a restore DVD. This way it is safe in another place as well. What I do is backup my data to DVD, a disk or two , plus on a shared drive on home network and extra drive on same pc and I have created a slipstream disk with latest updates. If I get a crash or if things get out of hand, I typically like a fresh install anyway so that's why I do it this way. I did get paragon Exact image for free. I don't know if still offering it but it'll create a copy of your partition and restore the image. Works great I may add. Bootable disk option as well. I did read some options so I won't cover them here or re-hash postings and while Acronis is good, it's not the ONLY thing there is out there. I apologize as I am not slamming the winner here, but I could look up an Acronis tutorial and compare with winning answer. I think more should have been covered.
Paul
Re Restore CD
by JimVine - 10/28/06 8:19 AM In reply to: Wow, An Acronis Plug...?? by comicfanI have been following this discussion closely. I have a HP with OEM software and was wondering if you can install just Windows XP on an OEM machine without all the manufacturer crap that comes with it.
I found this article that tells how to make a Windows installation disk from your recovery partition.
http://www.easydesksoftware.com/recovery.htm#update
I haven't tried it (yet) and was interested to know if it would work.
Backup Apps.
by nhiep nguyen - 10/27/06 10:40 PM In reply to: 10/27/06 Can I make a desktop restore CD/DVD like HP or Dell does? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
There are so many softwares for backup that an agerage user is lost when trying to choose one.
Is there any comparison charts somewhere for the pros and cons of at least the main stream ones?
Thanks
Very interesting post by Will H.
by rfriendship - 10/28/06 5:31 AM In reply to: 10/27/06 Can I make a desktop restore CD/DVD like HP or Dell does? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Just read thru Wills' posting regarding backing up using Acronis.
I started using this a couple of years ago and, like Will, can thoroughly recommend this excellent piece of software.
It really couldn't be easier to use, both to create an image of your drive(s) or to restore them.
What is also useful is that the disc image can have a drive letter assigned to it so that you can access files and folder contents, although you are denied access to the My Documents folder, (the software assumes this is not for sharing) but I too use a separate drive partition for My Documents so that a format of the boot drive doesn't loose you your personal files, if thats where you normally keep them.
Thanks Will, for your informative posting on this subject.
Image restore
by Jauchart - 10/28/06 8:47 AM In reply to: 10/27/06 Can I make a desktop restore CD/DVD like HP or Dell does? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I liked your suggestion. I have bought three generations of Norton Ghost over the years, and have never succeeded in getting one to actually work. One time I thought I did, but, as you mentioned in your proposal, when the critical moment came that I actually needed to restore the system, the backup copy woul not install.
Just to make sure I understand: my home-built computer is now about two years old and is starting to develop some quirks. It is time to F-disk it and reinstall everything from the OS up. I don't have an image, so this time I'm going to have to do it the hard way, but I want to simplify the process so that in the future I can do this every year or so. I want to reinstall my OS and all software applications, then create an image of that. Your suggestion to use Acronis True Image will allow me to do this, right? So that in a year I can just drop in my back-up DVD and come out with a clean installation?
Thanks,
Robert
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