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Thread ID: 47746	2004-08-04 19:46:00	System Image to second Hard disk	Gion (5833)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
258215	2004-08-04 19:46:00	Hello I have installed a second, retractable hard disk for the purpose of backups. The disk is partitioned and my data is backed up on one partition. Now I would like to have a system image on one of the other two partitions. Is that possible and what are the pitfalls, if any? The image prog is Powerquest Image 2002. Has anyone suggestions and info on this? For the help many thanks in advance. Gion	Gion (5833)
258216	2004-08-04 22:06:00	There are no pitfalls to speak of, but you need to be able to restore using a boot disk in the event of an outright OS failure . If you are serious about getting into drive imaging, the following advice may be of assistance . It is a re-edited extract from a previous post I made some time ago: Here is the best way to set up this system: 1) Have your existing hard drive partitioned as C: and E: 2) Have a second hard drive installed and partitioned as D: and F: 3) Transfer all your data to D:, including the files for your email (outlook . pst for Outlook 2000) . Don't forget to reset the target drive for your email & other program data files so that they know where to store their data . 4) Once your computer is set up as you want it and working well, create an image of your OS and programs on C: using Norton Ghost or Drive Image and store it on the second hard drive in the F: partition . Name this file as the "original" and keep it unchanged . This is then your ultimate "return to go" option . You can keep an even earlier image of just the bare OS on its own if you like and that will save future reinstallations . 5) Make regular images (back ups) of your data on D: and store these on the E: partion of your original drive . Before creating an image, delete all temporary & redundant files, run scandisk then defrag to ensure that you have the smallest & cleanest file structure . Verify that the disk is ok by booting to make sure the OS is OK (or data checks for a data disk) before creating the image, and use Ghost Explorer to check that the files are similarly accessible after the image is created . 6) Cross-Ghosting: If you want a belt n' braces backup system, keep a copy of your current C: image on the main drive in the E: partition, and a copy of your current D: data on F: on your data drive . That way you have multiple redundancy options . I actually store spare backups on another computer on the network as well, that way if I suffer fire, theft or other (unspecified) disaster in my office, I can commandeer another computer and image it as per my defunct box inside of an hour and be back at work . Note that this will only work if the second computer has the identical hardware profile to the first . The C: drive image is otherwise only usable to restore on the original drive, or a new drive in the same system . The following advice tells you how to overcome that little problem as well: From Terry Porrit in a post on transferring your OS and programs to a new computer with a different HDD and hardware configuration: With Norton ghost you make a boot floppy with the Ghost program on it, and do all your ghosting from the floppy, with the drives hooked up as master and slave . Much more importantly though, your OS on the C: partition will spit and cough if you try to run it in the new machine after copying over, because all the hardware is different . What you want to do BEFORE removing your existing drive, OR copying to the new one, is to go to Device Manager, and remove EVERY single device from there, including all the PCI stuff, every bit, mouse last of all . Then you can copy over the partitions using Ghost images with the 2 drives hooked up as master and slave, but dont let the stripped down drive boot into windows while it is attached to the old computer or it will put all the devices back again . When the drive is put back in the new machine and booted Windows will re-detect all the hardware . Inmy case the hardware-stripped image is on CDs so I can just pop it into another computer and away I go . Of course the commandeered computer can be fully restored from its own image file once I have finished with it . If only life's hiccups were always so easy to get around . 7) Every time you make a significant change to your OS or programs, such as installing a service pack or video driver update, create an new image and store this in F: along with the most recent backup . Once you have verified that the update is OK you can delete the previous image (but not the original "return to go" image) . Kep your hardware free image up to date as well . Using this system, if your OS or program files get corrupted or one or the other drives fails completely, you can be back to normal in no time at all . For example, if your C: & E: drive dies, you can have a new drive installed and partitioned, then dump across your C: image from the still working F: partition and away you go . Similarly, if your D: & F: drive fails, you can install and partition a replacement, then dump your data back from the image on E:, and transfer your current C: image I have been using this system for some years now on all my computers and I have never had to reinstall an OS or programs . However, I have used images several times, mostly on my children's computers as a quicker option than finding what was wrong, especially for failed software installations . You can also configure Ghost to ignore certain file types such as . tmp, . gho (so that you don't try to image your Ghost images), . swp (swap file) or any other file type for which you don't need backups . You may want to exclude certain directories as well and although I have not looked deeply into that, I am pretty sure it can be done . I developed this regime after my original computer needed reformatting and reinstallation of programs once every six weeks for about a year . The cause was finally diagnosed, but I bought the original Ghost Personal Edition the minute that it was first released and I have never looked back since . It offers great peace of mind! Cheers Billy 8-{)	Billy T (70)
258217	2004-08-04 22:14:00	good idea and there are no pitfalls just make sure you make the bootable floppies afterwards	kiwibeat (304)
258218	2004-08-05 00:07:00	Thank you Billy This is a fantastic reply and it will keep me going for a while. I read through the first part and been able to sort of follow but I am sure I need to read a couple more times. As for Norton Ghost; I did try a few days ago but during the process I was not sure so I interrupted and a weard thing happen!! A new partition called VPSGHBOOT got build and after serching the Google it told me; such an accident can increase your HD size by a lot, have a look on the net?! Anyway that put me of Ghost, and I don't feel save with it? I will try a.s.a.p to make an image on one partition on the second drive. Once more thanks to you both and if things go bad I may try to contact you again. Cheers Gion	Gion (5833)
258219	2004-08-05 09:23:00	After all that impressive and learned comment I am a bit nervous about asking a simple question. The above shows how marvellous the support and advice is here on PressF1 !! My simple query is - what is a retractable hard disk ? I have looked up the Merriam- Webster On Line dictionary and am told retractable means "To draw or pull back" , which is much as I expected. After all, the cord on most vacuum cleaners is called retractable when it draws out and goes back into the main body. Does it mean that the drive is removable, and if so, what is the difference between that and a removable hard disk ? I did a search on Google and got lots of answers re retractable but they started off with "modem cords" and "USB lamps". Nothing on retractable hard disks ! Misty	Misty (368)
258220	2004-08-05 15:28:00	There are no pitfalls to speak of, but you need to be able to restore using a boot disk in the event of an outright OS failure . Billy . T have you ever done similar with a raid array . Why the c-e d-f arrangement ? Please .	drb1 (4492)
258221	2004-08-06 08:21:00	Hi Misty O well, I am not an english speaker-it is my third language so sorry about the "wrong" word! Interesting enough Billy knew exactly what I mean which says something about each of us!!! For me both words are more or less the same; it means a removable hard disk. I hope that helps you. Thanks for your support!! Regards Gion	Gion (5833)
258222	2004-08-06 08:55:00	Thanks Gion Good luck Misty :)	Misty (368)
258223	2004-08-06 09:32:00	> Have you ever done similar with a raid array. No, that is outside my league I'm afraid, and as I understand it, genuine RAID rather negates the need for disk imaging anyway. > Why the c-e d-f arrangement ? Please. If you made your partitions consecutively, your C & D (programs & data) would be on the same HDD. Ergo, a failure would take out both! By setting them up so that D is on the second disk, then logically E will be in the C disk and F on the D disk. That is also the logic behind "cross ghosting" (or cross-imaging if you prefer) so that the image for your program partition C is stored on the second (D & F) HDD, and the image for your data is stored on the first (C & E) HDD. Should either disk fail, you have all your programming and data intact on the second disk. You can go one step further and ensure that both backup images ( C & D) are stored on each HDD so that you have belt and braces if either disk should catastrophically fail and an image file is corrupted. It almost takes longer to type all this than it does to transfer the extra images to implement the extra protection. Cheers Billy 8-{)	Billy T (70)
258224	2004-08-06 14:04:00	I have used Norton Ghost for many years- No problems and has never failed. I am currently using PQ Drive Image, only because I was given it. The Interface is easier but performance the same. Both have a facility for making boot floppys with a Dos version on them. Remember to set the image file size incase you wish to transfer them to CD.	Mzee (158)
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