Question reg. HDD imaging

[gator]

I have a 100 GB SATA HDD in my T60, and as of now I have about 42GB filled, including the OS and all my data. These 42 GB of reserach data is the most important that I will absolutely need incase something happens to my laptop. I also have a empty 60 GB external USB drive (with a original IBM thinkpad IDE HDD, btw). Will it be possible for me to clone my T60's HDD on this external drive using Acronis/Norton Ghost? Or is it that cloning can be done only on identical capcity drives?

[Ken Fox]

I have a 100 GB SATA HDD in my T60, and as of now I have about 42GB filled, including the OS and all my data. These 42 GB of reserach data is the most important that I will absolutely need incase something happens to my laptop. I also have a empty 60 GB external USB drive (with a original IBM thinkpad IDE HDD, btw). Will it be possible for me to clone my T60's HDD on this external drive using Acronis/Norton Ghost? Or is it that cloning can be done only on identical capcity drives?

You can clone it, however if all you want to do is to copy your data, it would be much easier and faster just to copy the data over to either the external drive, to another external drive, or maybe even just to burn it onto DVDs if the data isn't going to change much over time.

If you knew how many GB or MB the data occupied, it would be easy to recommend what form of data backup to use. Your "42GB" might well be composed of a 4-5gb service partition, 10-15gb of Windows XP and programs, plus 5-12gb of a Rescue and Recovery backup, and hence the data itself might fit on a DVD or two.

If the data is really that important, you would be better off with more than one backup, say rolling DVD backups made as often as the data changes significantly. You could even buy some rewritable DVDs and recycle them, retaining maybe the last 2 sets just to have some redundancy.

[gator]

You can clone it, however if all you want to do is to copy your data, it would be much easier and faster just to copy the data over to either the external drive, to another external drive, or maybe even just to burn it onto DVDs if the data isn't going to change much over time.

Data backup I have already done. It took me quite a while to compile, install and configure all the programs I use in my work and set up the T60 exactly the way I want it to be. It is a pain going through various open-source source code repositories and remembering which releases won't mess up Though I have a DVD backup of all the source code I use, it'd be nice to have a handy working backup incase something goes wrong. Doesn't seem it is going to happen the way my T60 is going, but I have had experiences in the past having to install things from scratch and it sucks

If you knew how many GB or MB the data occupied, it would be easy to recommend what form of data backup to use. Your "42GB" might well be composed of a 4-5gb service partition, 10-15gb of Windows XP and programs, plus 5-12gb of a Rescue and Recovery backup, and hence the data itself might fit on a DVD or two.

I don't use R & R backup - I prefer acronis (and I get it in my lab for free). I don't know if R&R can take the kind of backup I am looking for, including the service partition. Will it?

If the data is really that important, you would be better off with more than one backup, say rolling DVD backups made as often as the data changes significantly. You could even buy some rewritable DVDs and recycle them, retaining maybe the last 2 sets just to have some redundancy.

Nice idea, Ken. But it would be overkill for me, though I like the idea of rolling backups I'll do this when I start working after my PhD

[RealBlackStuff]

Acronis True Image lets you take an image now and later you can then do incremental backups, as and when needed.

Don't rely on Norton Ghost, it's not even compatible between it's OWN versions! Ghost has also been known NOT to restore, which would be a disaster in your case!

[ronbo613]

I use Acronis to clone my boot drives because I don't have time to fool around. If there is a problem, I stick the cloned drive in there, update anything that needs to be updated, then clone the working drive over to the fubared drive. There is always a working drive ready to go. You can clone a drive to another that is not the same capacity. I have a 320G drive cloned to a 120G drive. Of course there is less than 120G of stuff on the 320G drive.
All my data is backed up on other drives. Acronis does not do as good of a job of incremental backups as some other software(I use Nero BackItUp), simple copying and pasting would work if you keep track of your data.

[gator]

Thanks for the info ronbo613. That was what I was looking for. I generally am very (sometimes too very) particular in keeping my data organized, so keeping track of data is not a problem. I just want a working image that is ready to go inside my T60 anytime, with all my core data - I do take weekly data backups on my USB drive. I am going to go out of campus soon for an internship and I don't want to take any risks with my T60 (I will absolutely need my laptop working everyday).

[Ken Fox]

Acronis True Image lets you take an image now and later you can then do incremental backups, as and when needed.

Don't rely on Norton Ghost, it's not even compatible between it's OWN versions! Ghost has also been known NOT to restore, which would be a disaster in your case!

Heaven forbid I should rise to the defense of anything made by Symantec, however ghost 2003 is a very reliable program when used from floppies, and with the -ib switch when imaging a whole drive with the boot sector.

Every piece of software I've ever heard of fails on occasion. Your comment is 100% specious.

[RealBlackStuff]

Oops!
I 'sinned' by stating the not specific enough obvious.

I used Norton Utilities until Symantec screwed them over.
I used DriveImage until Symantec screwed it over.
I used Norton Antivirus until Symantec screwed it over.

So I should have said that most anything Symantec is a total POS.

My personal experience with Ghost is limited to borrowing a friend's copy years ago, to try it out. I also read up on it (lots of negative stuff). I did not like it, so I bought PowerQuest's DriveImage.
When the time came to upgrade DI, Acronis seemed to be the better alternative, so Acronis is what I'm using now.
I still keep the floppy version from DI handy though.

I was moderating a forum for virus- and spyware-removal for two years ('04-'05), and really came to hate Symantec!
So I am biased, yes, hence I'll never advise anyone to use any of Symantec's crappy bloatware.

Enough of that Symantec-bashing for one day.
Next time I make comments, I'll go for the jugular, OK Ken?

[JaneL]

Next time I make comments, I'll go for the jugular, OK Ken?

Take a deep breath, and calm down, instead.

[Ken Fox]

Oops!
I 'sinned' by stating the not specific enough obvious.


Enough of that Symantec-bashing for one day.
Next time I make comments, I'll go for the jugular, OK Ken?

Only thing is that you're preaching to the choir with me on Symantec. Ghost 2003 is the only program they make/have made that I would use, and that only because it has worked for me. They are the most egregious bloatware producer on the planet and they trick people (mostly people who know little about computers) into buying their software based on paying manufacturers to preload it onto systems.

And, by the way, and unfortunately, they have purchased Acronis so they will undoubtedly ruin True Image as well.

[ronbo613]

Take a deep breath, and calm down, instead.

Backing up data brings out the worst in everybody. It's a pain in the butt.
I have about 20K digital image files plus all my files used for my business, including two websites, that need to be backed up on a regular basis. The digital image files are backed up on at least two hard drives because when the hard drive goes, you could lose years of irreplaceable work. Archiving photographs has always been an issue, now we have a digital version of that process.
Having a cloned boot drive ready to go saves me a lot of time should something go wrong. It's worth the couple hundred bucks to keep my three computers running all the time.

[tomh009]

And, by the way, and unfortunately, (Symantec) have purchased Acronis so they will undoubtedly ruin True Image as well.

Ken, where did you see this information? Based on everything I know (and even double-checking just now), Acronis remains independent. Or is this not-yet-public information?

[Ken Fox]

And, by the way, and unfortunately, (Symantec) have purchased Acronis so they will undoubtedly ruin True Image as well.

Ken, where did you see this information? Based on everything I know (and even double-checking just now), Acronis remains independent. Or is this not-yet-public information?

I think I had a brain fart. Symantec has acquired a great many companies in the last few years and I thought that one of them was Acronis. After going through the last few years worth of news stories on the Symantec website, I now think they acquired a company with a similar sounding name, but not Acronis itself.

[tomh009]

I think I had a brain fart. Symantec has acquired a great many companies in the last few years and I thought that one of them was Acronis. After going through the last few years worth of news stories on the Symantec website, I now think they acquired a company with a similar sounding name, but not Acronis itself.

Whew! I think we can all be happy about this!

[Ken Fox]

I picked up a Ximeta Net Disk enclosure from a Frys in San Diego a couple of months ago. This is a freestanding enclosure that allows use of a hard disk via USB2 OR on your network via ethernet cord rather than through a share. I paid about $30 after rebate, assuming the rebate ever comes.

Anyway, it came with a software disk that included, among other things, a dumbed down version of Acronis True Image. This is not the full program as it will not back up to optical disks or perform incremental backups, but it will image whole drives or whole partitions onto other hard disks, be they in an ultrabay, a USB enclosure, or whatever. You can have the program break the backup files into DVD or CD sized chunks for archiving onto optical disks via your other optical disk burning software if you want. For disk cloning, the limited functionality of this program should be much more than adequate.

If you are looking around for buying a freestanding disk enclosure, a freestanding disk, an optical disk drive, or other similar products, you may find that you can get a free but limited version of this software thrown in with the hardware. It's worth considering when you look at enclosures and drives that might logically be purchase by individuals wanting to back up their systems, as that is where you'll find it as a freebie.

[RealBlackStuff]

You can currently get Acronis V9 on eBay for about $20-25.
I picked up mine for only $9.- (just official disk + CD-key ) a few months ago.

[JaneL]

http://www.nothingbutsoftware.com/Catal ... 64&ai=2591

[Kyocera]

I can image a 60/80 gig sata or pata HD in around thirty minutes with Acronis 9 and a firewire enclosure. I don't see what could be simpler. I have the complete set of Norton Ghost I bought a little over a year ago for around $80 bucks, what a waste of money. Has anyone checked the HD Clone thread.

[Ken Fox]

I can image a 60/80 gig sata or pata HD in around thirty minutes with Acronis 9 and a firewire enclosure. I don't see what could be simpler. I have the complete set of Norton Ghost I bought a little over a year ago for around $80 bucks, what a waste of money. Has anyone checked the HD Clone thread.

Current versions of Norton Ghost are regularly available on websites like buy.com with various rebates that bring the net price to zero, which is approximately what the newer versions (v9, v10) are worth. I would not recommend the newer versions, period. Ghost 2003, which many already own or may own through having been sold as part of (ancient) Norton Systemworks 2003, will create boot floppies that work well. The last one I bought, v9 (which included a separate ghost 2003 disk in the box) came to -$5 after all the rebates got paid. In fact, they screwed up and sent me an email denying a rebate but the check arrived 2 week later. I protested the denial and they sent me a SECOND check. I could have made $25 on whole deal had I been a little bit dishonest and cashed it

The relative merits of any of these programs over any other ones is unclear to me. I think there are also some decent freeware programs available off the internet if all that is needed is simple disk cloning.