Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

System Image......How Tos

Aug 6, 2005 3:53PM PDT

I have just started building systems for enthusiasts and every day users. The average is one syetm a day basing upon different specs.The one thing my clients
require is a full system recovery option (one button recovery solution)I would like to do the following:

- Create a samll partition on my hard drive for drive image and be able to hide it as well.

- After fully installing and optimizing Windows XP Pro alongwith system drivers create a full-system image (like the OEMs)

- Be able to access the image upon boot (like that one-button recovery stuff used by OEMs) whenever I want to resort to a full system restore.

- Also, please advise me on which software should I be using for this purpose which should be reliable and professional.

Help will be appreciated!!

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Miserable solution.
Aug 6, 2005 11:38PM PDT

I only need to listen (or read) to compalints about hard disk based backup failures to learn that such is an ok idea for a spare or fast copy but is too unreliable to be called professional. Maybe some bootable CD with an image would work.

Bob

- Collapse -
True
Aug 7, 2005 12:40AM PDT

This is something you, me and few others may understand but most people like the idea of "one-button recovery with no-disks-to-lose solution" and probably dont consider the CONS. I initially gave them the idea of a single DVD-ROM based recovery solution and I think I'll press on with it. So whats your advice on this one??

- Collapse -
My fav is...
Aug 7, 2005 12:49AM PDT

The restore CD I taped inside the case. It's never lost unless they lose it. As such, it's never an issue if they have to pay up for it.

-> Such restore systems are not free unless you are a programmer. Most will pay homage to Acronis or another company to add in such a feature.

Are you a programmer?

Bob

- Collapse -
Not Really
Aug 7, 2005 4:33AM PDT

I wasn't one but I thin i'll have to start off with something. Just integration. How about Norton Ghost 9.0? What do you think?

- Collapse -
Pricey.
Aug 7, 2005 4:50AM PDT

Have you asked them for the numbers? It's a shocker.

Linux images are a fav but I can't teach that here. It's a trick of linux and it's fdisk, dd and maybe gzip. When it works it's a great thing and the price is time to make it work.

http://www.dantz.com/en/products/express.dtml is another software I find on some laptops and more of those external USB drives for restoring an image. Again, you pay for such a priviledge.

- Collapse -
True Image
Aug 8, 2005 8:25PM PDT

Well, to my experience True Image is excellent for making a backup image of OS. I always use it, and I think it'll completely satisfy your requirements. You could create a small hidden partition (called Secure Zone - because of its inaccessibility to any other software) for strongly compressed drive image and further incremental backups. After fully installing and optimizing Windows, drivers create a full-system image. You'll be able to access the image upon boot, whenever you want to resort to a full system restore. But I think the best way to make sure in it to read review about most popular backup software. reviews.cnet.com

- Collapse -
Thanks...
Aug 8, 2005 11:13PM PDT

This is quite relevant to my requirements.