Backup of the OS as an image....

A

Hi Guys,

I have installed win xp with sp2 on my machine. I want to take the ghost image (backup) of my c:\ drive so that in case of any emergency I can restore only this image and will save the hassles of all installation again. (I have installed this machine just before 2 days and it is running absolutely fine.
)

Is there any way to do this with any freeware tool?

I have seen that for multiple installations on the machines with same configuration they do it this way. But I dunno how.

Pls guide.

Thanks and Regards,
Amit Kale.

There are two ways that OS X can create a disk image of an entire volume:

The first is a block copy. If the disk is not in use (no open files), the system can unmount it and read the raw blocks from the physical media. This is very fast; it'll basically write to the share as fast as the network will allow, so you're talking maybe 2-3 hours to back up 60 GB over 100baseT. The time might even go down if you select a "compressed" image rather than "read-only". (I don't remember if compressed was available in 10.3.) You'll note that since the disk must be unmounted, you can't be booted from it. You'll need to use another boot disk. Since you're trying to back up to a network volume, an OS installer disc probably won't do the trick. You'll need another Mac or a Firewire drive with the OS installed on it.

The second way is a file copy (this is how Carbon Copy Cloner does it, and Disk Utility will if you make an image from a folder instead of from a volume). The system initially creates a "sparse" image file (an image with a fixed maximum size, like 60 GB, that only actually takes up the amount of space that it needs, like 42 GB) and copies all the files from your source volume, one by one. This takes a long time because there is a lot of overhead. If you need to restore your entire disk from this type of image, it will also take a long time (and, for me, hasn't always resulted in a bootable volume). However, saving to a sparse image gives you flexibility; you could update it a few files at a time. CCC leaves you with a sparse image. If, using Disk Utility, you chose to create a read-only image via file copy, the system will first create a sparse image, copy all the data, then convert it to read-only. So this takes even longer, and it means the destination share must have double the space actually needed.

If you don't have another Mac or a Firewire hard drive you can boot from, making a full system dmg isn't all that useful. The reason is that you won't have any way of restoring it back to the hard drive because you'd need a different boot volume. So if you in fact don't have that equipment, it's probably best just to make disk images of /Users and keep copies of all application installers that can't be downloaded. Restoring your system will take longer, but if you don't have the extra equipment there's really no choice.

Dude these are freewares used for software backups try these :

1. Carbon Copy Cloner - *www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html
2. SuperDuper - *www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDup...scription.html

Batistabomb said:
There are two ways that OS X can create a disk image of an entire volume:

What does this thread have to do with OS X. Also I came across the same post in *forums.macosxhints.com/archive/index.php/t-46363.html. Please state source if you decide to put in someone else's idea.

@amitskale, Try DriveImage XML

You need to use Norton Ghost in order to backup your entire drive as a ghost image.
Norton 12, The latest version supports Vista also. The software product is a paid one. Dont have any freeware in mind. Go to some archive sites that host old softwares. Maybe you'll get a DOS mode based backup tool.

Norton Ghost is da easy nd most widely usedone.

A

Thanks for all the replies.

I know abt norton ghost. Bu I don't have a licensed copy of it.Thats why I was seraching for a freeware tool that will do the trick for me.

Anyway, I will check if the Norton ghost trial version will do this for me.

If anybody has some idea abt this then pls post the reply here.

Regards,
Amit.

Well, I was also surprised at the post by Batistabomb and its relevance to the query by amitskale.

One can use Driveimage XML as suggested or @amitskale you can download the Diskwizard from the Seagate website and use it if only you have a Seagate drive in your system.Have a look at this thread by anandk
*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69446

A

Ponmayilal said:
Well, I was also surprised at the post by Batistabomb and its relevance to the query by amitskale.

One can use Driveimage XML as suggested or @amitskale you can download the Diskwizard from the Seagate website and use it if only you have a Seagate drive in your system.Have a look at this thread by anandk
*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69446

Thanks for the valuable info. The problem with DriveimageXML is that it allows the image of logical drives only.

My main objective is to take the backup of c:\ drive in the form if an image so that whenever any disaster strikes I can restore the image saving the hassles of reinstalling the whole os and drivers etc.

I dunno abt Seagate disc wizard. I am currently downloading it. will check once downloaded.

Regards,
Amit.

R

You may like to see this thread *www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69446
sorry you are already downloading it

A

ax3 said:
Norton Ghost is the best bt not freeware .....

u can use "Acronis Clone" ...... its free .........

*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69446

Acronis Clone is not free. I checked the website; they charge $40 for the package.

Regards,
Amit Kale.

@Batistabomb : Bhai! Nakal me bhi akal lagani hoti hai. (Even in cheating you need mind.) :lol:

Well dont you have Nero?
It have a utility Nero Backup tool. You can use it to create DVD Backups of Hdd Partitions. The created DVD is bootable and allows you 2 do a system restore.

And why dont you try XPs inbuilt backup tool.
Go to RUN box and type : ntbackup.exe

Click Automated System Recovery.
This will help you create a ASR disk you can use to restore ur system.
You will still need you XP disk to boot by this method.

A

Quiz_Master said:
@Batistabomb : Bhai! Nakal me bhi akal lagani hoti hai. (Even in cheating you need mind.)

Well dont you have Nero?
It have a utility Nero Backup tool. You can use it to create DVD Backups of Hdd Partitions. The created DVD is bootable and allows you 2 do a system restore.

And why dont you try XPs inbuilt backup tool.
Go to RUN box and type : ntbackup.exe

Click Automated System Recovery.
This will help you create a ASR disk you can use to restore ur system.
You will still need you XP disk to boot by this method.

Well, I don't know if the methods suggested by you are quick. But I want it to be done quickly. What I have seen is that the image creation and restore using disc wizard from seagate is extremely fast and hassle free.

I will try the methods suggested by u though.

Regards,
Amit Kale.