Posted on 12/08/2004 12:33:25 AM PST by chuckles
I have had to format C: so many times, I need a new way to get my computer back quickly. I have a dial up connection so updating my Windows packages and Norton virus definitions and other such stuff is a real pain. I have tried several backup meathods and none so far are satifactory. I would love to be back up in a few hours instead of days with all my software installed with the proper serial numbers with all the updates and settings that I like, down to my wallpaper and file locations. I want one of those restoral disks like the name brand boxes have so I can just reboot with the CD in the tray and be done.
I know somebody out there has the answer I'm looking for. Norton Ghost worked like I want when I was using 98, but since going to Win 2000 and then XP, it doesn't work. I will be doing it this weekend.
powerquest drive-image
Maxtor has an external one touch backup hard disk .
True Image from Acronis is the current top imaging program according to PC Magazine.
Have you bought the latest version of Norton Ghost? The early version does NOT work with Windows XP.
Can prepare recovery CDs - pretty much anything you want. Only problem I've had with it is that, about once a month, the auto-scheduled backup routine just hangs up and stops. Doesn't stop the computer, just the backup of one of the systems. A stop/restart of the app gets it going again; company is working on this bug - others have reported it too. Not a big glitch, though.
http://www.acronis.com/
Inexpensive, works well, lots of features.
I run with only zone alarm as my firewall without anti-virus protection and I am great.
If anything gets by Zone alarm once in a great while, zone alarm lists it as a program trying to access the net, you do a search of recent files downloaded that day and delete the program files downloaded that day.
I have all my programs on disk for reloading and all work product from programs are kept to writable CD-roms, not on the computer.
If the worst happens, I don't fart around, F-disk, reformat, load my many programs again and have my work product disks on had to move on.
If you quit screwing around with trying to fix what you can't, you can reload your business and go at it in under three hours if you are slow.
Best solution, get a raid
Chuckles:
Dude, Just stop the Pain.
You should format ONCE for the life of the computer.
If you are doing anything more than that, copy the
stuff you want to CDrs, Pick up up your windows disk
stick it (standing up in a sliced) paper cup and put
it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Great light show.
Then run down to the computer store and purchase a
boxed set of SuSE Linux 9.2 , install per directions
and NEVER have to format again, or worry about Viruses,
spyware, crashes etc. My linux machine has been running
for 6 months without a reboot, and that was only due to
a power failure. It comes with every piece of software
you will ever need.
Google "Slipstreaming XP" and "Unattended XP format". It takes a lot of work to get set up (took me around 2 hours to find necessary programs online and to finish the process), but afterwards, you will have a fresh XP disk with service pack 2 and all of your windows updates integrated. Just pop it in and everything will be installed. You can even include your favorite programs on the disk (the .exe installation files), and they will be loaded automatically with the format.
I have had no problems with Norton Ghost on my WinXP system. As others have mentioned, you may wish to consider trying the latest version of the program.
I've heard lots of good things about both PowerQuest Drive Image as well as Acronis but I haven't tried them.
It's unusual for someone to have to format so many times with a WinXP system....usually some of the simpler recovery options, including System Restore, work just fine for the rare troubles that crop up.
You may wish to consider what's going on with your system and pursue a strategy to fix things rather than endlessly reformatting and reinstalling....what you're doing really shouldn't be necessary. Have you had a tech look over your system?
Norton Ghost 9.0 just came out. You may want to pay for the upgrade, or just download the shareware version to try it out. It may be more effective with XP than the older version.
Raid protects against drive failure, but if you get a virus or have something stupid happen then raid dutifully copies the problem to both copies. Raid does not perform the same function as archiving.
Aside from having a RAID setup, here's the system I use on other computers that I have and a few of the systems I built for the office....
The best media to back up to is... another local (on the same computer) hard drive. They're fast and they're still the cheapest storage medium in terms of bytes per dollar. You can use a networked drive, but restoring a system would still require installing the OS and getting it up on the network. Too slow!
A good backup system has two facets... (1) A daily backup that only copies new and recently changed files using most any file-copy utility and (2) imaging the drive (or only the partition containing the Boot Sector and OS since all other files can simply be copied) only when major changes have been made. Either recent versions of Norton Ghost or PowerQuest Drive Image will work fine with imaging Windows XP (note that Symantec now owns PowerQuest).
If you don't make frequent major changes to your OS (like installing new software, patches, service packs, etc.), there's no need to make frequent images. Any file copy program can be used to back up and restore regular non-system files without any hassle.
If you go with an extra drive for backup purposes, make sure that the drive isn't used for anything else so to prevent corruption. Don't rely on an external drive since performing a restore might require installing the OS and drivers first unless your BIOS can access it directly. An internal hard drive is preferred.
With this system, I have brought back computers from catastrophic hard drive failures in usually less than 1/2 hour after replacing the faulty drive. Every setting and every file is restored just as it was when it was last backed up.
Dude - get a Dell. Or Sony. Or SOMETHING that works!
If you have to reformat your hard drive all the time, you have a piece of cr@p computer system.
Agreed.
Firewalls prevent unwanted intruders from accessing your equipment by using subverted communication channels. On the other hand, virus protection examines the documents YOU have invited into your machine by downloading, visiting web sites, or opening email. ZoneAlarm can do nothing about a virus in an email attachment.
You may be great :), but if your machine is still intact, you are simply lucky.
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