Restoring Vista from disk image...reliable?

[Gary R.]

I have a new Gateway laptop that came with Vista Home Premium 32 bit, and
would probably prefer that it had come with XP, but that wasn't an option
(I'm not a Vista hater, just don't need the glitz or the constant nags for
everyday things like moving a shortcut). With 2 GB and a decent dual core
processor and the bloatware removed, it should really fly, but it's just
so-so in performance. I think it will perform much better with XP, judging
from similar 2GB desktops I have. Plus no constant worries about whether an
older program will work or not, no running to the DEP settings to try to get
things to work, and no more having to answer TWO nags just to move a desktop
shortcut into a folder 8^(.

At any rate, I hoped to gather up the XP drivers for the laptop components,
then reformat and install XP. Before doing that, I'll back up the partition
to an external USB drive using Acronis TrueImage Home, in case things don't
work out, or I later decide to go back to Vista. I've used Norton Ghost
2003 on many older systems for similar backups, and have a pretty good
success rate with the restore working OK. Does Vista restore pretty
reliably using TrueImage or similar programs? I could get Ghost 12 but
don't really trust it. I've spent too much time customizing and installing
things to start over from the manufacturer's restore disks, and in case XP
doesn't work out on that machine, I want the option to go back.

So the basic question is, in general, could I expect the restoration using
TrueImage to go fine, should I need to do it? Or is Vista more difficult to
get a good disk restore from? I know there's no sure thing, but would like
to know if there's a good chance the restore will fail, or if it's pretty
likely to work fine.

Thanks,
Gary

 

[R. McCarty]

Two things, one take the Image with the option to make a verification pass
on the .tib module(s). Second split the image into 4.3 Gigabyte size chunks.
This way you can burn the image set to optical disks for long term storage.

With any OEM PC, there are partition structures to allow for the factory
state recovery. You have to be careful to image those along with the actual
Vista instance to be able to do a full restoration.

 

[jimrx4]

Good luck with installing XP. Sometimes downgrading OS can be extremely
difficult and challenging. That being said: I've used TrueImage for the last
two years, iterations from 9 through the current build 11... Never once had
a problem. ALWAYS verify the image using the program and as a backup to that
verification, verify the backup image with the rescue disk that you build. I
can't remember a problem with True Image but I'm sure you'll get some other
feedback opposing my view.

 

[Mick Murphy]

Your computer has to come with either a Recovery DVD or a Recovery Partition,
from which YOU make recovery disks.

The way to do it will be either in the Menu, a Manual that came with it, or
contact the manufacturer on how to make it.

With a late model laptop, I don't like your chances of finding XP Drivers
written for the Hardware.
Go to the Motherboard's makers website, BUT.

 

[Gary R.]

Thanks to all for the quick responses.

I'm glad to hear that restoring from an image is still pretty reliable with
Vista, as even if I don't do the XP downgrade I spend a lot of time
installing and tweaking, (and answering the constant nags about "are you
sure you want to give administrator permission to...?" 8^) and the idea of
restoring to "as it came" is not a pleasant thought. As for the
manufacturer's restore partition, I definitely will back that partition up
also. I already made the disks to recover the OS, shortly after getting the
laptop, but I would want a full current backup before I'd try installing XP.
I don't have all the drivers (yet), and if I can't find them I don't plan to
waste my time installing something that's not likely to work correctly.

Gary

 

[AlexB]

At any rate, I hoped to gather up the XP drivers for the laptop components,

then reformat and install XP.

If you are serious, this is my experience. I installed about a dozen XPs and
every time it took about 3-4 days to collect all drivers. In the end I wrote
a program that swept thru all my directories, detected all drivers as well
as inf and other files with some crazy extensions and copied them into a
separate directory on external HDD. Still there was hassle. drivers get old,
corrupted, you forget how and where they should be used, etc. Every time I
thought to myself: I should have kept a careful diary but never did.

Vista made all those pangs obsolete.

 

[Lou]

Thanks to all for the quick responses.

I'm glad to hear that restoring from an image is still pretty reliable
with Vista, as even if I don't do the XP downgrade I spend a lot of time
installing and tweaking, (and answering the constant nags about "are you
sure you want to give administrator permission to...?" 8^) and the idea of
restoring to "as it came" is not a pleasant thought. As for the
manufacturer's restore partition, I definitely will back that partition up
also. I already made the disks to recover the OS, shortly after getting
the laptop, but I would want a full current backup before I'd try
installing XP. I don't have all the drivers (yet), and if I can't find
them I don't plan to waste my time installing something that's not likely
to work correctly.

Gary

If the major reason for considering installing XP is the nags, that can be
eliminated easily. Install TweakUAC and run it in quiet mode. You system
is still protected and you will not get nags for administrator IDs, only
regular users.

Lou

 

[steve]

I have a new Gateway laptop that came withVistaHome Premium 32 bit, and
would probably prefer that it had come with XP, but that wasn't an option
(I'm not aVistahater, just don't need the glitz or the constant nags for
everyday things like moving a shortcut).  With 2 GB and a decent dual core
processor and the bloatware removed, it should really fly, but it's just
so-so in performance.  I think it will perform much better with XP, judging
from similar 2GB desktops I have.  Plus no constant worries about whether an
older program willworkor not, no running to the DEP settings to try to get
things towork, and no more having to answer TWO nags just to move a desktop
shortcut into a folder 8^(.

At any rate, I hoped to gather up the XP drivers for the laptop components,
then reformat and install XP.  Before doing that, I'll back up the partition
to an external USB drive using Acronis TrueImage Home, in case things don'tworkout, or I later decide to go back toVista.  I've used NortonGhost
2003 on many older systems for similar backups, and have a pretty good
success rate with the restore working OK.  DoesVistarestore pretty
reliably using TrueImage or similar programs?  I could getGhost12but
don't really trust it.  I've spent too much time customizing and installing
things to start over from the manufacturer's restore disks, and in case XPdoesn'tworkout on that machine, I want the option to go back.

So the basic question is, in general, could I expect the restoration using
TrueImage to go fine, should I need to do it?  Or isVistamore difficult to
get a good disk restore from?  I know there's no sure thing, but would like
to know if there's a good chance the restore will fail, or if it's pretty
likely toworkfine.

Thanks,
Gary

Staying away from Norton Ghost 12 is a wise idea. I've spent the last
5 days trying to get Ghost 12 to work on Vista32 (I'm either tenacious
or stupid), and it just isn't going to happen. The first time I loaded
it, Dec 2007, I got a good disk image ... that is the only time it has
worked. In January 2008, Norton introduced a LARGE update for Ghost
12, and since then, Ghost has not worked on Vista32.

I've stripped at rebuilt my system 4 times, and each time I load Ghost
12, LiveUpdate downloads an update for Ghost. The update install
crashes, gives a LiveUpdate error (LU1812), and Ghost will not backup
the system. I've used Microsoft's ".msi logging", and the logfile for
the Ghost update install is full of errors. If you try to run Ghost
after the failed update, Ghost runs to 95% completion (disk image),
and then reports "Server threw an exception".

Many reports of this issue can be found via Google, but of course
Symantec has no knowledgebase for Ghost, and offers no help.

When the LiveUpdate for Ghost crashes, if you follow the link in the
error window (for LU1812), the Symantec website will download a tool,
ask you to repeat all of the above so they can collect a log. I've
collected the log 3 times, but each time the log is complete, the
transmission of it to Symantec crashes.

I've used Ghost for 6 years, but I won't buy it again. It doesn't
work, and these guys don't even test it, let alone support it on Vista.