Questions about Ghost 2003

[SLB]

I just bought an ext 120gb WD HD (USB2.0} and Ghost 2003. My main
reasons for buying these is in case of a hd failure i can buy a new hd
and use ghost to copy the image i made on the ext drive to the new
(and only internal drive on system). Now the questions ( btw i have
made the ghost floppy).
1. Do i need to partition and format my new hd (and likely larger
hd)before running the ghost boot disk?
2. I want my new hd to have just 1 complete partition and will likely
be a larger hd than the previous... Will ghost by default notice my
new hd is larger and partition the whole thing or will i have a
smaller partition (from my image.. which again was a smaller drive)?
3. I notice there are a couple of optins to choose from, from the
ghost bootup...one was "image" and the other was "drive" or something
cant remember the exact name of that one... anyway for my above need,
do i ignore "image" and just go to the other option and continue?
4. Seems like an over whelming # of options in this ghost bootup
program. Are kost needed to just be left to default (he crosses his
fingers)?

 

[Rod Speed]

I just bought an ext 120gb WD HD (USB2.0} and Ghost 2003.
My main reasons for buying these is in case of a hd failure
i can buy a new hd and use ghost to copy the image i made
on the ext drive to the new (and only internal drive on system).

Fine. Thats the most practical approach to
backup today for a personal desktop system.

Now the questions ( btw i have made the ghost floppy).

1. Do i need to partition and format my new hd (and
likely larger hd)before running the ghost boot disk?

Yes, if you want to write image files to it.

2. I want my new hd to have just 1 complete partition and will likely
be a larger hd than the previous... Will ghost by default notice my
new hd is larger and partition the whole thing or will i have a
smaller partition (from my image.. which again was a smaller drive)?

You'd normally want to write IMAGE FILES to the external hard drive.

You appear to be thinking of cloning the internal drive to the
external hard drive. That isnt generally the best approach.

Ghost doesnt make it very clear that it handles image
files and direct copying of physical drives and partitions.

It stands out like dogs balls when you grasp that tho.

3. I notice there are a couple of optins to choose from, from the
ghost bootup...one was "image" and the other was "drive" or something
cant remember the exact name of that one... anyway for my above need,
do i ignore "image" and just go to the other option and continue?

No, you normally would want to create image files on the external drive.

4. Seems like an over whelming # of options in this ghost bootup program.

Yeah, its got a rather awkward and counter intuitive user interface.

Are kost needed to just be left to default (he crosses his fingers)?

The main thing to change is to compress the image, just takes up less space
and you may well be able to put more than a single image file on the larger
external hard drive so you can have a before and after image in some
situations like applying service packs etc, in case you notice a problem
with the new config after you have created the latest image and would
like to go back to the one before that etc.

 

[Simpilot]

You'd normally want to write IMAGE FILES to the external hard drive.

You appear to be thinking of cloning the internal drive to the
external hard drive. That isnt generally the best approach.

Ghost doesnt make it very clear that it handles image
files and direct copying of physical drives and partitions.

It stands out like dogs balls when you grasp that tho.

I don't think this answered his question. He was asking if you back up
a 60 gig drive for instance and restore on a 120 gig drive that has
not been partitioned, when he restores will his drive have a 60 gig
partition like the old one or a 120 gig partition like it should have.

 

[Rod Speed]

I don't think this answered his question.

Probably not.

He was asking if you back up a 60 gig drive for instance
and restore on a 120 gig drive that has not been partitioned,
when he restores will his drive have a 60 gig partition like
the old one or a 120 gig partition like it should have.

Yeah, that likely was what he was asking.

The answer is that you can certainly restore the image file
made of a 60G drive to a replacement 120G drive and have
the restored single partition occupy the entire new drive.

Thats done quite often when just replacing the 60G
drive with a 120G drive just because you need more
space, not because the 60G drive has failed.

 

[Mr. Grinch]

I don't think this answered his question. He was asking if you back up
a 60 gig drive for instance and restore on a 120 gig drive that has
not been partitioned, when he restores will his drive have a 60 gig
partition like the old one or a 120 gig partition like it should have.

I think the answer is, "it depends".

Ghost has two types of images, disk and partition. If you do a disk image,
there is no need to create partitions on the drive you restore to. It will
make everything for you. If you restore a partition only, then you will
have to specify the location of the partition to restore to.

In both cases, Ghost will let you resize partitions I think to use up the
extra disk space.

 

[Jeff]

I know this isn't what you're asking, but if I may suggest, this is what I
prefer to do:

1. Partion your hard drive such that C: is not that big (large enough for
your applications), and your D: drive is the remainder of your disk space.
(Or install two hard drives, one partition each, smaller being the primary
drive.)

2. Install Windows with a special installation script to put the Documents
and Settings folder on the D: drive.

3. Install the rest of your applications, drivers, etc. All of this belongs
on the C: drive.

4. Setup program defaults to the way you like everything. Get all of the an
annoying "click here to not be bugged by this crap again" messages. Tweak
your system, and set all the default data save paths to the D: drive
partition.

5. Create a ghost image of the C: drive and burn it to a CD.

This way if your computer ever toasts itself, all you have to do is restore
the image to the C: drive. All of your documents, e-mail, data, music,
videos, etc. will remain in tact on the D: drive partition.

It saves a lot of time. No more diagnosing stupid software problems. If
something breaks, throw the CD in and within 15-20 minutes, it's fixed.

-Jeff

 

[Rod Speed]

I know this isn't what you're asking, but if I
may suggest, this is what I prefer to do:

1. Partion your hard drive such that C: is not that big
(large enough for your applications), and your D: drive
is the remainder of your disk space. (Or install two hard
drives, one partition each, smaller being the primary drive.)

2. Install Windows with a special installation script to
put the Documents and Settings folder on the D: drive.

3. Install the rest of your applications, drivers,
etc. All of this belongs on the C: drive.

4. Setup program defaults to the way you like everything.
Get all of the an annoying "click here to not be bugged by
this crap again" messages. Tweak your system, and set all
the default data save paths to the D: drive partition.

5. Create a ghost image of the C: drive and burn it to a CD.

This way if your computer ever toasts itself, all you have to do is
restore the image to the C: drive. All of your documents, e-mail,
data, music, videos, etc. will remain in tact on the D: drive partition.

But you'll lose all sorts of config stuff in Win, and all
the favorites, registry rollback points, etc etc etc.

Better to do that CD burn say monthly too.

 

[Jeff]

But you'll lose all sorts of config stuff in Win, and all
the favorites, registry rollback points, etc etc etc.

Better to do that CD burn say monthly too.

No, all you lose is the crap that got added since the time your computer was
setup and working exactly as you wanted it to.

-Jeff

 

[Rod Speed]

Yep.

all you lose is the crap that got added since the time your
computer was setup and working exactly as you wanted it to.

Bullshit. Very few systems are anything like that static.

 

[Jeff]

Bullshit. Very few systems are anything like that static.

When I make my ghost image, I have setup the machine PRECISELY how I want it
to be. Everything workse perfectly. All of my software is installed and
running. All of my settings are just the way I want them to be. The only
thing that I want to change is the contents of my documents, e-mails, audio,
video, and other data files stored on a seperate partition.

Whether or not Windows decides to change by itself is of no concern to me.
If there are any changes it can either be: A) Unimportant, or B) Not Good.
The only case in which it would be an improvement is if I had intentionally
installed it, and if I did, I would have done so right after restoring the
ghost image, so I can make a new one to update it.

So quite frankly, I don't give a crap if Windows changes by itself. I don't
care if it gets restored to a perfect state and these self-mutating changes
are lost. All I care about is that the system is restored to exactly the way
it was when I set it up--when everything worked fine.

-Jeff

 

[Rod Speed]

When I make my ghost image, I have setup
the machine PRECISELY how I want it to be.

Not even possible with XP which keeps track of all sorts
of things behind your back once you have done that.

And whatever you might or might not do, there's
no way that the average user, like the one you
suggested use that approach to, would do it like that.

THEY will inevitably add stuff like favourites, and other minor
config stuff without even being aware that XP is doing that
behind the scenes, and would lose that on a restore.

That can be quite crucial stuff like digital certificates etc too.

Everything workse perfectly. All of my software is installed and
running. All of my settings are just the way I want them to be.

And there are bugger all normal users that do it like that.

The only thing that I want to change is the contents
of my documents, e-mails, audio, video, and other
data files stored on a seperate partition.

And there are bugger all normal users that do it like that.

THEY arent generally aware that Win does keep
track of less imporant config details transparently.

Whether or not Windows decides to
change by itself is of no concern to me.

But may well be to the sort of user you were suggesting that approach to.

If there are any changes it can either be: A) Unimportant, or B) Not Good.

Mindlessly superficial, particularly with that type of user.

The only case in which it would be an improvement is if I had
intentionally installed it, and if I did, I would have done so right after
restoring the ghost image, so I can make a new one to update it.

And it makes a lot of sense for that level of user to make a new
image occasionally so stuff that has got changed is saved too.

So quite frankly, I don't give a crap if Windows changes by itself.

But plenty of users like that do, and get rather
pissed off when the restore loses those changes.

I don't care if it gets restored to a perfect state and
these self-mutating changes are lost. All I care about
is that the system is restored to exactly the way it
was when I set it up--when everything worked fine.

What you may or may not care about is completely
irrelevant when suggesting that approach to others.
Its what they care about that matters.

Many wont even be aware that when they do something
a bit differently as a result of a suggestion from someone,
that that change will get lost on a restore and they may
well not even remember all the detail of how they did it.

 

[Jeff]

THEY will inevitably add stuff like favourites, and other minor
config stuff without even being aware that XP is doing that
behind the scenes, and would lose that on a restore.

But stuff like favorites are not lost when I do this. All that is stored in
the Documents & Settings folder on the other partition.

-Jeff

 

[Rod Speed]

But stuff like favorites are not lost when I do this. All that is
stored in the Documents & Settings folder on the other partition.

Pity about all the rest which aint.

And pity about that level of user that is unlikely to be
able to configure their system so the favourites dont
get lost on the restore like you do.

 

[Jeff]

Pity about all the rest which aint.

And pity about that level of user that is unlikely to be
able to configure their system so the favourites dont
get lost on the restore like you do.

I've helped a number of "average" users set their computer up like this. Yes
indeed, it is somewhat confusing to get setup. However, all of them have
been highly thankful for it afterwards. Previously when their computer had
some quirk or was behaving downright unruley they had no way of fixing it.
Now when their computer acts up on them, these average people I know simply
stick that ghost image CD in the drive and restore things to how they were
before when it all actually worked.

Anyway, I've had enough of this thread. Next.

-Jeff

 

[Rod Speed]

I've helped a number of "average" users set their computer up like this.

Yes, but its unlikely many will be able to manage that unassisted.

Or even look for a web site that spells it out either.

Yes indeed, it is somewhat confusing to get setup. However,
all of them have been highly thankful for it afterwards.

Easy to claim. And you're unlikely to admit to the situations where
they have lost other config stuff in the restore process anyway.

And some of the situations where the brown stuff will hit
the fan with that approach arent all that commonly used too.
Doesnt mean that it aint a major problem when it happens
tho. Most obviously when they decide to encrypt and discover
that the restore prevents access to what has been encrypted.

Previously when their computer had some quirk or was
behaving downright unruley they had no way of fixing it.

Oh bullshit. That aint the only way of fixing stuff.

Now when their computer acts up on them, these average
people I know simply stick that ghost image CD in the drive and
restore things to how they were before when it all actually worked.

And thats gunna bite one of them eventually. Guaranteed.

Anyway, I've had enough of this thread. Next.

Presumably even you have noticed the hole you have dug for yourself.