Ghosting a Clean WinXP Installation...

[mjs]

I've had to re-install my WinXP three (3) times and counting in the past
week alone. I'm about to shoot myself. The Outlook email account setup alone
is depressing me (I have 7 accounts).

Can someone tell me what the quick and easy way for me to make an image of
my clean OS (once I've put in all the account info) is? With free software
if possible. I was told I can keep the image on another HD just as I would a
zip file.

I'm off to re-install now, but hopefully once that's done, a kind soul will
have explained to me how to make sure I can return to this point more easily
in the future. All this re-installing is really beating me up.

Thanks.

 

[Thee Chicago Wolf]

I've had to re-install my WinXP three (3) times and counting in the past

week alone. I'm about to shoot myself. The Outlook email account setup alone
is depressing me (I have 7 accounts).

Can someone tell me what the quick and easy way for me to make an image of
my clean OS (once I've put in all the account info) is? With free software
if possible. I was told I can keep the image on another HD just as I would a
zip file.

I'm off to re-install now, but hopefully once that's done, a kind soul will
have explained to me how to make sure I can return to this point more easily
in the future. All this re-installing is really beating me up.

A clean install of XP and Outlook shout fit on a DVD-R 4.7GB easily as
a Ghost image. I think there is a freeware disk cloning app but I
forgot what it was called. Try checking on Sourceforge for "disk
cloning" or "disk imaging."

- Thee Chicago Wolf

 

[Xandros]

I have been creating hard drive images for over 10 years and have used
nearly every imaging program one can find. While not free I'd suggest
Acronis TrueImage 11. It has a number of excellent options for making disc
images and can also backup individual files and folders including your
e-mail and settings if you only want to back those up periodically. I have a
plain vanilla install of Windows and I regularly backup my e-mail and
settings. If I want I can revert back to Windows without any installed apps
but very quickly get my e-mail restored. TrueImage will also enable
scheduled backups, incremental backups to folders, files, e-mail or the
entire system state. It has many more excellent options.

 

[Bob Cramer]

Does TrueImage require for a domain controller to be present in order for a
disk image to be created?

I ask because I wanted to create an image of a disk so that I could reimage
my dev box periodically... I tried with Norton Ghost - and it required for
the image to be created from a workstation to a domain controller. Their
advertising didn't say anything about it - so I'm now in the market or
something else and don't want to rely on the documentation as it can be
misleading or full of omissions - like "oops, we forgot to tell you that you
can only create an image to a domain controller (as was the case with
Ghost).

My objective is to create an image of my development workstation - OS,
drives, applications - everything - and have that image go onto a DVD so I
can reinstall everything from the DVD.. Then periodically "format" the hard
drive and reinstall the image. I'm a developer and frequently try beta
software etc - so the dev box gets junked up after a couple of months.

Thanks.

 

[mjs]

I have been creating hard drive images for over 10 years and have used
nearly every imaging program one can find. While not free I'd suggest
Acronis TrueImage 11. It has a number of excellent options for making disc
images and can also backup individual files and folders including your
e-mail and settings if you only want to back those up periodically. I have
a plain vanilla install of Windows and I regularly backup my e-mail and
settings. If I want I can revert back to Windows without any installed apps
but very quickly get my e-mail restored. TrueImage will also enable
scheduled backups, incremental backups to folders, files, e-mail or the
entire system state. It has many more excellent options.

Thanks, but you lost me at "not free" ;-)

Anyone else have something free they've used and can vouch for that can make
a backup image of a clean OS?

 

[Timothy Daniels]

Can someone tell me what the quick and easy way for me
to make an image of my clean OS (once I've put in all the
account info) is? With free software if possible. I was told
I can keep the image on another HD just as I would a zip file.

If the working HD and the archival HD are by the same
manufacturer, you might be able to download a free cloning
utility from its website. Seagate/Maxtor is an example of
that. This particular manufacturer uses a stripped-down
version of Acronis's True Image, but it checks to see that
the HDs have Seagate or Maxtor model nos.

As with all clones of Windows NT/2K/XP, don't let the
clone see the "parent" OS when the clone is started up
for its first ever run. The easiest way to do that is to
merely disconnect the HD that the "parent" OS is on before
booting up with just the HD that has the clone. No fiddling
with jumpers or connector-shifting is necessary as the
sole remaining HD will automatically assume the boot drive
role. Thereafter, you can boot either OS with the other
OS visible, and there will be no problems.

*TimDaniels*

 

[Xandros]

With all due respect Bob you asked for free "if possible". I take my back
ups seriously and try to use the best tool for the job. When it comes to
backups the saying "you get nothin' for nothin' and damn little for 2-bits."
really does apply.

Anyway pick your poison here
http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=freeware+backup+programs&btnG=Google+Search&meta

 

[Bob Cramer]

I never asked for free - possible or otherwise. That was "mjs".

I'd be happy to pay for a simple imaging utility that does not require a
domain controller.

-Bob

 

[RMD]

I've had to re-install my WinXP three (3) times and counting in the past
week alone. I'm about to shoot myself. The Outlook email account setup alone
is depressing me (I have 7 accounts).

Can someone tell me what the quick and easy way for me to make an image of
my clean OS (once I've put in all the account info) is? With free software
if possible. I was told I can keep the image on another HD just as I would a
zip file.

I'm off to re-install now, but hopefully once that's done, a kind soul will
have explained to me how to make sure I can return to this point more easily
in the future. All this re-installing is really beating me up.

Thanks.

You can download a trial version of Acronis TI, then create the TI
boot CD. Use the boot disc to image your installation.

Free.

TI is so cheap you ought buy it. How much is your time worth?

Ross