Chaps/chappesses..

I'm considering using a drive image util - for the usual safe than sorrry reasons; and would like some advice which to use (please).

It will be used for both versions of XP; also W2K... (W2K and chums on a Dell; XP alone on Acer Aspire.)

Considering a both a full drive image approach and a specific partition image approach. I have one system that has a multi-boot environment (each OS in its own partition - and a small dos 6x primary for all boot-files). Other systems are two partitions each; one for OS etc., t'other for data...

Vaguely familiar with Ghost, and also with Acronis (the latter by name only - mainly from here).

Is there much to choose between the two?

As both utils appear to offer the same facility, and generally most people here seem to go for Acronis, I'm inclined towards Acronis...

Presumably both offer the option make a bootable (CD/DVD) image too? And presumably there is an option to re-apply a working OS image to blank disk (partition) via a suitable boot-disk boot-up?

Is there anything I "orta" to know/consider etc. before I go spend my pennies...?

As always all advice/input appreciated.

And an early "happy noo yer" to all our reeders...

trvlr

http://www.computing.net/windowsxp/...

Hi "orbital":

I'm familiar with those post... but thanks nonetheless.

Really looking for more specific comments re' ease of use, facility (what it really can do as opposed to alleged...); and which is generally the better (and safer to use) util...?

trvlr

I have been using ghost 8.0 for years for hdd to hdd backup using only the clone function from the dos boot disk.I tried the 9.0 and didn't like or trust it. It has never failed me and clones a 40 gb data in about 30 minutes. I tried Acronis once and it didn't work for me. but that's a personal thing.

http://ghost.radified.com/

I use DI7 (now under the Symantec umbrella) & primarily for system disk imaging - haven't had the need to reinstall XP in about three years.

Pros: Ease of use, Reliability, Flexibility, Intuitiveness & Minimal (in my case zero) problems.

Cons: Only bootable media type restoration.

I am in to bootItNG as a boot managaer and image /backup utillity..A little more on the techie side but has been great for working with the various multiboot systems and extra drives that I have on this computer.

In The Matters Of Style,
swim with the current;
in matters of principle,
Stand Like A Rock

"People demand freedom of speech to make up for the
freedom of thought which they avoid."

ghost 8.3 all the way for me.

Today's subliminal thought is: 'Calm down ... it's only ones and zeros.'

Go here http://eu.acronis.com/homecomputing... for a trial of Acronis. Personally I use ghost 2003 to a separate partition on my main drive, then copy that image to a usb drive.
I didn't like the reviews of ghost 9 or 10. Go to http://ghost.radified.com/ for a ghost user guide. Or http://radified.com/cgi-bin/YaBB/Ya... for more info on ghost

Thanks pholk for input thus far..

Ghost (2003 - ka Ghost-8?) seems to be the current favourite???

Is Ghost 2003 still around - as in to actually "buy" - i.e. pay pennies...?

A brief trawl on the www doesn't seem to suggest so...?

trvlr

Found this.

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_...

I've used this on my older system with 4 partitions XP, Me, 98SE, and linux.

http://www.v-com.com/product/Partit...

Forgot about this one.

http://www.ranish.com/part/

Bear in mind, ghost 2003 is not very good at backing/restoring directly from a usb drive. Also there are no updates, Symantec no longer support it. The last version is 2003.793. It doesn't do incremental backups.
Whereas ghost 9 & 10 do backups while in windows, while you carry on using your pc.
I still use 2003.

tak for all input:

Overall Ghost2003/Ghost-8? appears to be the preferred util - even with its limitations and now lack of support?

Et voila... discovered I have a "copy" of Ghost 2003 (aka Ghost-8?) donated a while back by a chum... Will give it a try - using Radified site as a good guide/how to etc.

Will also consider carefully the limitations of Ghost-8 as noted by some of you above. May even "try/test" out some of the other similar utils suggested too.

Time for a gentle learning curve experience...

Per:

When I went a brief trawl for it on the www could not get into PriceGrabber N.Am site; thus missed the very cheap offers there. In fact could only find a single UK reference for it at the time... and that one (in the UK only) was around £45 ($90!!!) Talk about rip-off Britain... So in event if I need actually to buy a new fresh copy (as in spend pennies...), I will follow your link/refs. for which many thanks; better than the UK sources!

Again many thanks pholks/esses for input.

For future reference, ghost 8.3 is on hirens boot cd. Ghost 9 & 10 does not support FAT32. Ghost 2003 does FAT32 & NTFS.

Glad to help. Happy New Year.

"clive": tak for that additional input; more thynges of whyche to be aware...