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General discussion

Frightened by Ghost

May 2, 2005 3:42AM PDT

On a brand new Laptop I'm thinking of creating a hard drive image by using Norton Ghost. I understand some pc have a hidden partition that is used when one needs to restore to.

Q1 - Can I create an image using Ghost onto a cds and not the desktop or harddrive.

Q2 - By using Ghost to copy back to the laptops harddrive (from a cd hopefully) will that completely format first and wipe out the hidden partition. or will i end up with 2 hidden partitions!

Discussion is locked

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I can't speak specifically to ghost
May 2, 2005 10:21AM PDT

but wiping an entire drive is not likely if you restore the partition as imaged and do not opt to change the size. The image made is of selected partition(s) and not drives. When you restore, the software will read the image and know the partition size. It will be able to delete the partition on the drive you restore to and leave the other intact. But, it will allow you to alter the size of it and this is where you could mess up other partitions if you have not preserved their contents. I must admit that I've not backed up a laptop this way but have used imaging software on desktops only. Usually all goes well.

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Ghosts
May 4, 2005 6:11AM PDT

Thanks. Then there's no need to call in the Ghostbusters then Happy

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Ghost in tray
May 13, 2005 4:03AM PDT

Does Nortons Ghost have to be running in system tray all the time?
Can I remove it from start up (not uninstall) and still be able to load the ghost backup DVD discs?

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I'll take a WAG at it
May 13, 2005 10:27AM PDT

You may find an option to not load into the tray but I have no idea where it may be. You can look in Start/Programs/Startup to see if it's there and just delete it. You can also run "msconfig" and look at the startup options for a reference to it or you may find it runs as a service that starts automatically and you can change this to manual. Unfortunately, you need to know or find the executable or startup option that drops it there. My guess is msconfig is where you'll find it.

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(NT) Norton Ghost a good backup option for some computers.
May 22, 2005 12:48PM PDT

I have norton ghost and I have windows xp and I created restore disks and all that. Took 16 cds to make a backup image, but as for the second question I can't say I have never done that. You should contact Symantec before you buy, because Norton Ghost will not work with all cdrws. Tell them what cd burner you have and they should know if it will work right or not.

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Ghost
May 23, 2005 3:43AM PDT

I copied mine onto DVD. It should read off that. besides If Ghost is not hogging my resources I will leave it running. I've disabled other hogs like anti-virus etc since I'm never using the internet on the laptop. (must be the only one!)

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Spooky Subject
May 23, 2005 9:01PM PDT

Hi,

I have no experience with Laptops, only desktops that I use Ghost on. You can't save an image to your hard drive unless you have a separate partition (drive) to save to. I have a 40Gig HD and have created several partitions, I run the OS, XP Home with SP2 in a 5 Gig partition/drive on its own and only load applications that refuse to install else were in that partition. I have a separate partition/drive for programs another for data and one to store ghost images. The reasoning behind this is that I can image the OS to 2 CD's likewise the Programs. Otherwise with about 20 Gig on only one partition it would be like feeding coins into a slot machine feeding in CD's to record the image.

Hope this is of some help.

Max