Best Image software?

Skybird · 08-28-12, 06:51 PM

Was finished with reinstalling, even FSX and addons, all finetuning, tweaking, making all softwar ready - and wanted to create an image of my complete HD with all partitions as a backup.

Had Acronis 2011 installed, I used it last year to make an image which i did not use now becasue too much of it was outdated ( I would have needed to deleted a 50GB installation of FS2004 just to replace it with a 50 GB installation of FSX, and some more most basic changes).

To my delight, the Acronis software notified me that an update was available, and so it did. After the update, the software said that it cannot make images from my HD anymore. Som eincompatablity with my partitions. Whatever that means. The advise was to buy another update or the latest version 2013.

Just looked at Amazon and saw that customer feedback gives Acronis plenty of brown stuff.

Need an alternative for imaging a dynamic HD. Any ideas? I want a backup that gives me the complete partitions' setup as it is now, if I ever need it. Incremental backups and other luxiury items I do not need. Just the basic and most profound essentials, but that reliably: complete image of the state my HD and installed partitions are in right now while it is still new, and undisturbed.

I took me plenty of time to reinstall and finetune everything to my liking. The FSX dance alone took one whole day and most of the night. The damn Steam costed another 8 hours when reinstalling Skyrim and updating it.

There is a backup option in Windows 7, but I do not know if one can trust it? Does it form complete images, or just backups of basic files? Is it reliable?

Else, any advise on what software to pick for creating a full image of all three partitions is welcomed.

kiwi_2005 · 08-28-12, 07:10 PM

Norton Ghost trial - 30 days, nag screen. Norton ghost is tops though worth buying wont let you down.

Skybird · 08-28-12, 07:20 PM

Handles "dynamic volumes"? Practically everything that I have read says that every image software stumbles over this and has limits here. I do not even know what a dynamic drive really is and why I have it - while last year, 18 months ago, I had not, but I still had three partitions. And back then Acronis worked!? The articles describing the problem are so full of technical terms and abbreviations that it is impossible for me to make sense of it. And I do not want to waste more coins over imaging solutions that do not get the job done reliably and easily.

Skybird · 08-28-12, 07:24 PM

I just visited the German Norton Ghost trial page. No word of images there, only backups. That is not the same. Backups means saving data files. Imaging means cloning the HD, with Windows, partitions structure, installed software, files, data, everything. A clone.

razark · 08-28-12, 08:06 PM

Last time I had to clone a hard drive, I used a bootable USB drive with a Linux tool on it. I don't remember what it was exactly, but I just installed the extra drive, told it which was the source, which was the destination, and let it do it's thing. Everything worked afterward, including the system recovery tools on the partition.

Pretty painless process overall.

kiwi_2005 · 08-28-12, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skybird

I just visited the German Norton Ghost trial page. No word of images there, only backups. That is not the same. Backups means saving data files. Imaging means cloning the HD, with Windows, partitions structure, installed software, files, data, everything. A clone.

You can clone the HD with Norton Ghost - Advanced tab - Clone. You can clone an entire drive. Don't know you might be limited with the trial version tho 30 days trial that should mean full access.

Herr-Berbunch · 08-29-12, 07:33 AM

Check out the manufacturer of your HDD, they all seem to have their own version of Ghost for cloning now, and it's free.

Magic1111 · 08-29-12, 02:25 PM

Is one of this what you want?

KLICK

KLICK

Win7 Backup Tutorial

Best regards,
Magic

Skybird · 09-01-12, 02:39 PM

I bit into the bitter apple and got the plus pack of Acronis for my 2011 edition. It seemes I missed that the plus pack indeed was meant to add the ability for dynamic volumes and GDT drives. When I bought it early last year, it seems I had a non-dynamic drive then, so it worked back then. Why IU now have a dynamic one, and what the difference is, I cannot say. I don'T know.

To cut the story short: I successfully created two separate images on two separate external HDs.

Feels better now. Going back in case of emergency hopefully will be a breeze now.

I also created two images via the Windows software, which was lucky, because the Windows option is no longer avalaible once Acronis is installed.

I finally created on both HDs copies of the program file structure of all installed software on all three partitions. The idea is that if I mnaage to ruin some system file or somehow lose a file or mod-to death a file in let'S say a simulation's folder, i just can paste and copy it from the external HDs.

I have two HDs now, each offering me three different file backup and restore options. Feels also better.

08-28-12, 06:51 PM	#1
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,605 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	Best Image software? Was finished with reinstalling, even FSX and addons, all finetuning, tweaking, making all softwar ready - and wanted to create an image of my complete HD with all partitions as a backup. Had Acronis 2011 installed, I used it last year to make an image which i did not use now becasue too much of it was outdated ( I would have needed to deleted a 50GB installation of FS2004 just to replace it with a 50 GB installation of FSX, and some more most basic changes). To my delight, the Acronis software notified me that an update was available, and so it did. After the update, the software said that it cannot make images from my HD anymore. Som eincompatablity with my partitions. Whatever that means. The advise was to buy another update or the latest version 2013. Just looked at Amazon and saw that customer feedback gives Acronis plenty of brown stuff. Need an alternative for imaging a dynamic HD. Any ideas? I want a backup that gives me the complete partitions' setup as it is now, if I ever need it. Incremental backups and other luxiury items I do not need. Just the basic and most profound essentials, but that reliably: complete image of the state my HD and installed partitions are in right now while it is still new, and undisturbed. I took me plenty of time to reinstall and finetune everything to my liking. The FSX dance alone took one whole day and most of the night. The damn Steam costed another 8 hours when reinstalling Skyrim and updating it. There is a backup option in Windows 7, but I do not know if one can trust it? Does it form complete images, or just backups of basic files? Is it reliable? Else, any advise on what software to pick for creating a full image of all three partitions is welcomed. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

08-28-12, 07:10 PM	#2
kiwi_2005 Eternal Patrol Join Date: May 2004 Location: Aeoteroa Posts: 7,382 Downloads: 223 Uploads: 1	Norton Ghost trial - 30 days, nag screen. Norton ghost is tops though worth buying wont let you down. __________________ RIP kiwi_2005 Those who can't laugh at themselves leave the job to others.

08-28-12, 07:20 PM	#3
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,605 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	Handles "dynamic volumes"? Practically everything that I have read says that every image software stumbles over this and has limits here. I do not even know what a dynamic drive really is and why I have it - while last year, 18 months ago, I had not, but I still had three partitions. And back then Acronis worked!? The articles describing the problem are so full of technical terms and abbreviations that it is impossible for me to make sense of it. And I do not want to waste more coins over imaging solutions that do not get the job done reliably and easily. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

08-28-12, 07:24 PM	#4
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,605 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	I just visited the German Norton Ghost trial page. No word of images there, only backups. That is not the same. Backups means saving data files. Imaging means cloning the HD, with Windows, partitions structure, installed software, files, data, everything. A clone. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

08-28-12, 08:06 PM	#5
razark Ocean Warrior Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 2,731 Downloads: 393 Uploads: 12	Last time I had to clone a hard drive, I used a bootable USB drive with a Linux tool on it. I don't remember what it was exactly, but I just installed the extra drive, told it which was the source, which was the destination, and let it do it's thing. Everything worked afterward, including the system recovery tools on the partition. Pretty painless process overall. __________________ "Never ask a World War II history buff for a 'final solution' to your problem!"

08-29-12, 07:33 AM	#7
Herr-Berbunch Kaiser Bill's batman Join Date: May 2010 Location: AN72 Posts: 13,203 Downloads: 76 Uploads: 0	Check out the manufacturer of your HDD, they all seem to have their own version of Ghost for cloning now, and it's free. __________________

08-29-12, 02:25 PM	#8
Magic1111 Silent Hunter Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Germany - Sailing on U-552 in North Atlantic Posts: 4,429 Downloads: 783 Uploads: 0	Is one of this what you want? KLICK KLICK Win7 Backup Tutorial Best regards, Magic __________________

09-01-12, 02:39 PM	#9
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,605 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	I bit into the bitter apple and got the plus pack of Acronis for my 2011 edition. It seemes I missed that the plus pack indeed was meant to add the ability for dynamic volumes and GDT drives. When I bought it early last year, it seems I had a non-dynamic drive then, so it worked back then. Why IU now have a dynamic one, and what the difference is, I cannot say. I don'T know. To cut the story short: I successfully created two separate images on two separate external HDs. Feels better now. Going back in case of emergency hopefully will be a breeze now. I also created two images via the Windows software, which was lucky, because the Windows option is no longer avalaible once Acronis is installed. I finally created on both HDs copies of the program file structure of all installed software on all three partitions. The idea is that if I mnaage to ruin some system file or somehow lose a file or mod-to death a file in let'S say a simulation's folder, i just can paste and copy it from the external HDs. I have two HDs now, each offering me three different file backup and restore options. Feels also better. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.