Best way to backup laptop hard drive? (drive imaging utilities)

[Joe Blo]

This is the first time I have owned a laptop. It took me dozens of
hours to setup Windows XP, install my applications and customize my
environment. I backup my data files often, but this doesnt help me if
my laptop is lost or stolen or my hard drive fails. I will have to
start from scratch to reinstall and tweak my setup on a new machine. I
want to avoid this potential problem as I am currently in school. I am
considering using a hard disk imaging type of backup program such as
Norton Ghost or Power Quest Drive Image 7.0. In theory this would
allow me to restore the configuration I had on my previous laptop to
my new laptop in very little time. Which of these types of programs is
best?
I have a 40gGB hard drive with about 20GB filled. When these type of
backup utilities create an image of one's hard drive, how much space
is typically needed for the Hard Drive image files? I ask this,
because I want to know if it is best to get one of those external USB
hard drives or if it is practical to burn to multiple CDROMs.
To anyone who has set up a data recovery system as I describe, please
provide some advice. Thanks

 

[Rod Speed]

This is the first time I have owned a laptop. It took me dozens of
hours to setup Windows XP, install my applications and customize
my environment. I backup my data files often, but this doesnt help
me if my laptop is lost or stolen or my hard drive fails. I will have to
start from scratch to reinstall and tweak my setup on a new machine.
I want to avoid this potential problem as I am currently in school.
I am considering using a hard disk imaging type of backup program
such as Norton Ghost or Power Quest Drive Image 7.0. In theory
this would allow me to restore the configuration I had on my
previous laptop to my new laptop in very little time.

No theory about it, it works fine in practice too.

Which of these types of programs is best?

There isnt a clearcut best. Ghost 2003 is quite usable, but doesnt
have the most intuitive user interface. Very very cheap tho if you
buy SystemWorks Pro 2003 off ebay. Got to be the Pro to get Ghost.

The user interface with Drive Image is rather better and since
you are running XP you'd be better off with their V2i Protector
which includes Drive Image 7. That allows full incremental
backup as well, and operates at the XP level, no farting around
with DOS. Not as cheap as ghost bought most cheaply tho.

I have a 40gGB hard drive with about 20GB filled. When these
type of backup utilities create an image of one's hard drive, how
much space is typically needed for the Hard Drive image files?

Depends on how compressible the data files are. Some are
very compressible and others arent very compressible at all.
You should see about 10GB image files tho unless its all
mp3s etc and you dont bother to keep old assignments etc.

I ask this, because I want to know if it is best
to get one of those external USB hard drives

Yes, but you need USB2 or firewire to be practical.

USB1.1 is just too slow.

or if it is practical to burn to multiple CDROMs.

Its possible, but a pain compared with
an external USB2 or firewire drive.

Depends on how careful you are tho, it isnt hard to lose the
laptop and the external drive if you arent careful enough to
make sure they wont both get stolen at the same time.

To anyone who has set up a data recovery
system as I describe, please provide some advice.

I'd got the external drive route myself just for the speed and
convenience. But its really only practical if you are sure that
you wont allow them to be both stolen at the same time.

Thats feasible if you backup to the
external drive and secure that properly.

 

[Guy]

Hard disk image is no good if your laptop is stolen/broken and you buy a
different model, which is what you'll have to buy!!! Chances are that the
new laptop will have a different hardware features and the older image will
not be adequate.

Dr Guy Disk

So taking an image of the entire drive is good for

 

[Rod Speed]

Hard disk image is no good if your laptop is stolen/broken and
you buy a different model, which is what you'll have to buy!!!

Wrong. You can just restore image and then
repair the XP installation and that will work fine.

Chances are that the new laptop will
have a different hardware features
Yes.

and the older image will not be adequate.

Wrong. Thats what the XP repair function can handle fine.

People do it all the time when upgrading their PC etc.

Dr Guy Disk

Wota silly little wanker.

So taking an image of the entire drive is good for

Cant even manage to quote properly either.

 

[Michael Kimmer]

Wrong. You can just restore image and then
repair the XP installation and that will work fine.


Wrong. Thats what the XP repair function can handle fine.

People do it all the time when upgrading their PC etc.


Wota silly little wanker.


Cant even manage to quote properly either.

Wrong. You can just restore image and then
repair the XP installation and that will work fine.

Wrong. Thats what the XP repair function can handle fine.

People do it all the time when upgrading their PC etc.

This may work, not always!

Not a reliable thing to say that a restore to a hardware different
environment will bring XP back on its feet simply by running a 'repair'.
Lots of cases that a repair failed when the stop error indicated a
0x0000007B error (INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE). Better advice for the future
would be to run a SysPrep prior to creating an image meant for deploying
purposes.

--
M.f.G.
Michael Kimmer

"Ein Tag an dem Du nicht lächelst ist ein verlorener Tag"
"Eine Nacht in der Du nicht schläfst ist eine verschlafene Nacht"

 

[Rod Speed]

This may work, not always!

Near enough. And if it doesnt work, the worst you have to do is
a clean install of XP on the new laptop and get the crucial stuff
out of the image using the imaging app's explorer type ute.

Not a reliable thing to say that a restore to a hardware different
environment will bring XP back on its feet simply by running a 'repair'.

Lots of cases that a repair failed when the stop error indicated
a 0x0000007B error (INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE).

Bugger all in fact with XP.

Better advice for the future would be to run a SysPrep
prior to creating an image meant for deploying purposes.

'deploying purposes' werent even being discussed.
What was being discussed was an image that can
be used if the laptop GETS STOLEN/BROKEN etc.

 

[Michael Kimmer]

big cut

'deploying purposes' werent even being discussed.
What was being discussed was an image that can
be used if the laptop GETS STOLEN/BROKEN etc.

I know, but XP is not able to determine the cause: either stolen/broken or
hardware change...
'Deploying' an image is actually an extension to solely creating a backup
image...

M.f.G.
Michael Kimmer

"Ein Tag an dem Du nicht lächelst ist ein verlorener Tag"
"Eine Nacht in der Du nicht schläfst ist eine verschlafene Nacht"

--
M.f.G.
Michael Kimmer

"Ein Tag an dem Du nicht lächelst ist ein verlorener Tag"
"Eine Nacht in der Du nicht schläfst ist eine verschlafene Nacht"

 

[Rod Speed]

I know, but XP is not able to determine the cause:
either stolen/broken or hardware change...

Hardly ever. The correct repair option is
basically a full reinstall hardware wise.

'Deploying' an image is actually an extension
to solely creating a backup image...

No need for that.

 

[Louis Bybee]

This may work, not always!

Not a reliable thing to say that a restore to a hardware different
environment will bring XP back on its feet simply by running a 'repair'.
Lots of cases that a repair failed when the stop error indicated a
0x0000007B error (INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE). Better advice for the future
would be to run a SysPrep prior to creating an image meant for deploying
purposes.

How would one run "SysPrep"?

Thank you.

Louis--
*********************************************
Remove the two fish in address to respond

 

[Andrew Morton]

See link near end of this article:-
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;240126

Andrew

 

[Cyrus Afzali]

This is the first time I have owned a laptop. It took me dozens of
hours to setup Windows XP, install my applications and customize my
environment. I backup my data files often, but this doesnt help me if
my laptop is lost or stolen or my hard drive fails. I will have to
start from scratch to reinstall and tweak my setup on a new machine. I
want to avoid this potential problem as I am currently in school. I am
considering using a hard disk imaging type of backup program such as
Norton Ghost or Power Quest Drive Image 7.0. In theory this would
allow me to restore the configuration I had on my previous laptop to
my new laptop in very little time. Which of these types of programs is
best?
I have a 40gGB hard drive with about 20GB filled. When these type of
backup utilities create an image of one's hard drive, how much space
is typically needed for the Hard Drive image files? I ask this,
because I want to know if it is best to get one of those external USB
hard drives or if it is practical to burn to multiple CDROMs.
To anyone who has set up a data recovery system as I describe, please
provide some advice. Thanks

If you get one of the USB external hard drives, make sure your laptop
is or becomes USB 2.0 capable because the difference in file transfer
speed will be hugely noticed. If your laptop isn't USB 2.0 capable,
you can get an add-on PCMCIA card for about $40.