Backup OS

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ray
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Ray

I would like to backup the OS for future use and have leant that Ghost is
commonly used for this purpose. Can some experience users advise how to
accomplish it and any minimum hardware and software in need.

Thanks,

Ray
 
How to perform a disk-to-disk clone
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/ghost.nsf/pfdocs/2001032917165825

Animated Shockwave tutorial with sound
http://www.symantec.com/techsupp/tutorial/ghost_2002/2001032917165825_s.html

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

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:

| I would like to backup the OS for future use and have leant that Ghost is
| commonly used for this purpose. Can some experience users advise how to
| accomplish it and any minimum hardware and software in need.
|
| Thanks,
|
| Ray
 
Norton GHOST can indeed backup a disk partition, even if it has an operating
system on it. It can also bakcup an entire disk, with multiple and diverse
partition types. Further, it can "clone" a partition or a disk to another
partition or disk, such as when replacing one hard drive with a larger hard
drive.

GHOST 2003 and earlier are best run from a DOS boot floppy, which the
windows installation of GHOST can make for you. GHOST version 9 is really
based on Drive Image, which Symantec bought last year. It can save an image
from within windows, then restore it from a bootable CD.

The following apply to GHOST 2003 and earlier, not to GHOST 9:

For a simple backup, just place the GHOST floppy in the A:\drive and reboot.
You should pop into GHOST. Chose the options to create an image from a
partition. Accept all defaults. In general, avoid the options related to
imaging a whole disk, even if you have only one partition on the disk.
These options tend to limit the recovery options.

One of the limitations of GHOST 2002 and earlier is that they can not write
to NTFS partitions. They can make an image of an NTFS partition, but they
have to write to FAT16 or FAT32 partitions. Further, these older versions
do not support USB or firewire, so you pretty much have to backup one
internal hard drive to another internal hard drive, or CD, or ZIP. GHOST
2003 has limited support for both USB and firewire.
 
In
Ray said:
I would like to backup the OS for future use and have leant that
Ghost
is commonly used for this purpose. Can some experience users
advise
how to accomplish it and any minimum hardware and software in
need.
Click to expand...


No, it doesn't backup "the OS," it backs up the entire drive (or
partition).

If that's what you want to do, it comes with a manual and help
files that will tell you how to do it.

Regarding hardware, many people back up to a second drive or
(even worse) a second partition on their only drive. But I don't
recommend backup to a second non-removable hard drive because it
leaves you susceptible to simultaneous loss of the original and
backup to many of the most common dangers: severe power glitches,
nearby lightning strikes, virus attacks, even theft of the
computer.
In my view, secure backup needs to be on removable media, and not
kept in the computer. For really secure backup (needed, for
example, if the life of your business depends on your data) you
should have multiple generations of backup, and at least one of
those generations should be stored off-site.

My computer isn't used for business, but my personal backup
scheme uses two identical removable hard drives, which fit into a
sleeve installed in the computer. I alternate between the two,
and use Drive Image to make a complete copy of the primary drive.
 
Ken Blake said:
In


No, it doesn't backup "the OS," it backs up the entire drive (or
partition).

If that's what you want to do, it comes with a manual and help files that
will tell you how to do it.

Regarding hardware, many people back up to a second drive or (even worse)
a second partition on their only drive. But I don't recommend backup to a
second non-removable hard drive because it leaves you susceptible to
simultaneous loss of the original and backup to many of the most common
dangers: severe power glitches, nearby lightning strikes, virus attacks,
even theft of the computer.
In my view, secure backup needs to be on removable media, and not kept in
the computer. For really secure backup (needed, for example, if the life
of your business depends on your data) you should have multiple
generations of backup, and at least one of those generations should be
stored off-site.

My computer isn't used for business, but my personal backup scheme uses
two identical removable hard drives, which fit into a sleeve installed in
the computer. I alternate between the two, and use Drive Image to make a
complete copy of the primary drive.
Click to expand...
Great advice Ken. One of the most common mistakes people make is to store
the backup at the same site and often in the same room as the original. What
happens if there is a fire or another catastrophe?
 
In
Harry Ohrn said:
Great advice Ken. One of the most common mistakes people make
is to
store the backup at the same site and often in the same room as
the
original. What happens if there is a fire or another
catastrophe?
Click to expand...



Thanks, Harry.
 
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