How to create an image of my T42?

[baldyguy]

Hi everyone,

I recieved my laptop today, and I was wondering if there is a good way of making an image of a laptop? I have Norton Ghost and I'm trying to figure out a way to do this. The only way I can think of is to buy a laptop to IDE adapter, but there must be an easier way. Thank you all!

[Marc_G]

Depending on which version of Ghost you have, you may be able to create an image directly onto a CD/DVD or series of CD/DVDs. I've done this; works fine. However, I found I disliked Ghost and have started using Acronis True Image. Interestingly, it does not let you burn directly to plain old DVD-R disks, though it will write using UDF format to preformatted disks. I usually write images from one partition onto another, then use NERO within Windows to burn to DVD. I also use Acronis to write directly to an external USB2 drive.

Marc

[baldyguy]

I have the Dos version of Ghost as well as Ghost 9.

How do you perform this procedure?

So say on the T42 laptop that I have, just install Ghost 9 on the C:/ partition and I can copy the whole partiition if I choose the destination drive over a network or an external hard drive?

Depending on which version of Ghost you have, you may be able to create an image directly onto a CD/DVD or series of CD/DVDs. I've done this; works fine. However, I found I disliked Ghost and have started using Acronis True Image. Interestingly, it does not let you burn directly to plain old DVD-R disks, though it will write using UDF format to preformatted disks. I usually write images from one partition onto another, then use NERO within Windows to burn to DVD. I also use Acronis to write directly to an external USB2 drive.

Marc

[Marc_G]

Hi Baldyguy-

Ghost comes with some pretty good documentation, but basically if you install Ghost9 within windows, it will let you create an on-the-fly image on CDs/DVDs, all within Windows, of either a single partition or the whole hard drive.

However, many of us don't quite trust the imaging of the hard drive while XP is running. There are technical reasons behind this. However, I've found that it works ok for my purposes. Nonetheless, I recommend making the Ghost recovery CD, booting from it into the Ghost9 recovery environment, and making your image from there. Just follow the onscreen prompts. It's easy.

The Symantec/Norton website has lots of documentation about the process.

Marc

[p0ser]

Marc_G - have you succesfully restored an image from a ghost backup before?

[Marc_G]

Yes, on several occasions. It worked fine. However, in one case, somewhere along the process, my partition table became slightly corrupted, and partition magic 8.01 would no longer touch it. I can't specifically say this was Ghost's fault, but I'm suspicious.

I use True Image now. So far, so good.

[baldyguy]

In theory, Do you create a second parition to store the image while it's being imaged?

Also, do you perform these creations of images while XP is active?

Yes, on several occasions. It worked fine. However, in one case, somewhere along the process, my partition table became slightly corrupted, and partition magic 8.01 would no longer touch it. I can't specifically say this was Ghost's fault, but I'm suspicious.

I use True Image now. So far, so good.