Casper XP's a winner

[Timothy Daniels]

I've been playing with the downloadable free trial
version of Casper XP. For my purposes - making
bootable backup clones of my WinXP system -
it works quite well. Unlike Accronis True Image,
it can clone a single partition from one HD onto
unallocated space on another HD and keep the
clone the same size as the original (or some other
size if desired). With True Image, the entire original
HD is copied to the entire destination HD. And unlike
Partition Magic, it doesn't shift around the partitions
on the destination HD to compact them. And unlike
Ghost 9.0 (and Drive Image 7.x), it doesn't need
..NET Framework to be installed. The only drawback
that I've noticed is that it's not as fast as Ghost -
when Ghost worked on my machine. But since Ghost
causes my machine to freeze, Casper XP is the only
game in town. And it's not a bad game. Check it out:
http://www.fssdev.com/products/casperxp/

*TimDaniels*

 

[Peter]

I've been playing with the downloadable free trial

version of Casper XP. For my purposes - making
bootable backup clones of my WinXP system -
it works quite well. Unlike Accronis True Image,
it can clone a single partition from one HD onto
unallocated space on another HD and keep the
clone the same size as the original (or some other
size if desired). With True Image, the entire original
HD is copied to the entire destination HD. And unlike
Partition Magic, it doesn't shift around the partitions
on the destination HD to compact them. And unlike
Ghost 9.0 (and Drive Image 7.x), it doesn't need
.NET Framework to be installed. The only drawback
that I've noticed is that it's not as fast as Ghost -
when Ghost worked on my machine. But since Ghost
causes my machine to freeze, Casper XP is the only
game in town. And it's not a bad game. Check it out:
http://www.fssdev.com/products/casperxp/

I use ghost32.exe (8.0 or 8.2) with WinPE (UBCD4WIN).
Fast, flexible, no issues yet.
Non intrusive (no installation required).

 

[Michel S.]

Timothy Daniels a émis l'idée suivante :

I've been playing with the downloadable free trial
version of Casper XP. For my purposes - making
bootable backup clones of my WinXP system -
it works quite well. Unlike Accronis True Image,
it can clone a single partition from one HD onto
unallocated space on another HD and keep the
clone the same size as the original (or some other
size if desired). With True Image, the entire original
HD is copied to the entire destination HD. And unlike
Partition Magic, it doesn't shift around the partitions
on the destination HD to compact them. And unlike
Ghost 9.0 (and Drive Image 7.x), it doesn't need
.NET Framework to be installed. The only drawback
that I've noticed is that it's not as fast as Ghost -
when Ghost worked on my machine. But since Ghost
causes my machine to freeze, Casper XP is the only
game in town. And it's not a bad game. Check it out:
http://www.fssdev.com/products/casperxp/

*TimDaniels*

Thanks for the info.

Does the product allow to create a bootable CD from which it can be run
as a stand alone backup/recovery tool ? I don't see any mention of
this in the specs.

How does the speed compare to True Image ?

Do you know how well it handles disks containing IO errors ?

 

[Timothy Daniels]

Timothy Daniels a émis l'idée suivante :

Thanks for the info.

Does the product allow to create a bootable CD from which
it can be run as a stand alone backup/recovery tool ? I don't
see any mention of this in the specs.

The User Guide makes no mention of a bootable CD. The
purpose of Casper XP is to make bootable system clones on
hard drives - either on the same hard drive or other hard drives.
This suits my purposes exactly, but I understand that most
people do things differently.

How does the speed compare to True Image ?

It seems about the same as True Image and much slower
than Ghost/Drive Image. This may be due to my anti-virus
or firewall software running at the same time, or it may be
due to my use of an IDE controller card for my hard drives.
The speed varied between 500MB/min and 1GB/min for an
average of about 700MB/min. Drive Image 7.x seemed to
do the job at a speed of about 3GB/min (when it worked at
all).

Do you know how well it handles disks containing IO errors ?

The documentation makes no mention of technology pertaining
to bad sectors. The documentation does say to run chkdsk or to
use the WinXP scan utility to correct errors.


For my purposes - making system clones on backup hard
drives - Casper XP is ideally suited. It's intuitive and simple and
it doesn't need .NET Framework, it can clone individual partitions,
it doesn't shift the partitions around on the destination drive, and
it's cheaper than Ghost. It will also do incremental backups to
existing clones to save time in maintaining a backup system
(a feature I don't need given the small size of my entire system).
But if you need to make image files for storage on CDs or DVDs,
or if you want to do "repairs", look to another utility.

*TimDaniels*

 

[Rod Speed]

Michel S wrote

The User Guide makes no mention of a bootable CD.
Urk.

The purpose of Casper XP is to make bootable system clones on hard drives -
either on the same hard drive or other hard drives. This suits my purposes
exactly, but I understand that most people do things differently.

Yeah, that approach has real downsides in most situations,
mainly that its a clone and so much bigger than an image
and the only real advantage is that its quicker if you need
to boot the clone, and very few need that except when
upgrading the hard drive, and its better to clone from a
bootable CD if you're upgrading the hard drive.

It seems about the same as True Image and much slower than Ghost/Drive Image.

That doesnt make a lot of sense. True Image 8
can clone a physical drive a lot quicker than Ghost 9

This may be due to my anti-virus or firewall software running at the same
time,

Thats the main reason why cloning best done from a bootable
CD, so you can ensure that there is none of that involved.

or it may be due to my use of an IDE controller card for my hard drives. The
speed varied between 500MB/min and 1GB/min for an average of about 700MB/min.
Drive Image 7.x seemed to
do the job at a speed of about 3GB/min (when it worked at all).

The documentation makes no mention of technology pertaining
to bad sectors. The documentation does say to run chkdsk or to use the WinXP
scan utility to correct errors.

Which basically means that it cant handle them itself.

So its useless for cloning a drive or partition for safety
before attempting to repair a stuffed drive or partition.

For my purposes - making system clones on backup hard drives - Casper XP is
ideally suited.

But that really doesnt make a lot of sense for backup.

It's intuitive and simple and it doesn't need .NET Framework,

Big deal.

it can clone individual partitions,

So can ghost 2003.

it doesn't shift the partitions around on the destination drive,

Neither does any decent drive cloner.

and it's cheaper than Ghost.

Dont believe that. Ghost 2003 as part of
systemworks pro 2003 costs peanuts.

It will also do incremental backups to existing clones to save time in
maintaining a backup system (a feature I don't need given the small size of my
entire system).

Then you also dont actually need to clone individual
partitions. You'd be much better off using images instead.

But if you need to make image files for storage on CDs or DVDs, or if you want
to do "repairs", look to another utility.

Or if you just want to use images on hard drives too.

 

[Timothy Daniels]

Timothy Daniels wrote


That doesnt make a lot of sense. True Image 8
can clone a physical drive a lot quicker than Ghost 9

My True Image 8 took almost 2 hours to clone
what Drive Image 7.03 (virtually Ghost 9.0) used to
do (when it worked) in 4 minutes. For some reason,
True Image seems to abandon DMA when used in
my system.

Thats the main reason why cloning best done from a bootable
CD, so you can ensure that there is none of that involved.

Yup. I've also read that copying in Safe Mode can
be a help with that.

Which basically means that it cant handle them itself.

So its useless for cloning a drive or partition for safety
before attempting to repair a stuffed drive or partition.

I don't know. Maybe it just copies the system, errors
and all, because it does sector copying, not file copying.

But that really doesnt make a lot of sense for backup.

It does for me. I just abandon the failed or corrupted
drive, and boot up a backup drive. If it's just a data file that
got corrupted, I can drag 'n drop it from a backup hard
drive in seconds.

Big deal.

Yup. Why keep an entire virtual machine and runtime
environment installed and running just to make partition
copies?

So can ghost 2003.

So is Drive Image 2002. But what's currently produced
and supported matters to some people.

Neither does any decent drive cloner.

The truth of that depends on whether you call
Partition Magic a "decent drive cloner".

Dont believe that. Ghost 2003 as part of
systemworks pro 2003 costs peanuts.

Cheaper than Ghost 9.0, then.

Then you also dont actually need to clone individual
partitions. You'd be much better off using images instead.

I can't afford to wait an hour or more to copy an
image back to a hard drive. With a bootable clone,
it's virtually just a re-boot.

Or if you just want to use images on hard drives too.

Agreed. Casper XP doesn't make image files that have to
undergo a "restoration" copy process to retrieve a working
system. It makes only bootable clones of a system that need
no "restoration" step in order to function. Drive Image 7.x (and
Ghost 9.0) used to do that for me, but now it (they) just freeze
my PC.

*TimDaniels*

 

[Rod Speed]

Rod Speed wrote

My True Image 8 took almost 2 hours to clone
what Drive Image 7.03 (virtually Ghost 9.0) used todo (when it worked) in 4
minutes.

You must have stuffed something up very comprehensively
when I got the opposite result, TI cloned the entire 120G
drive to a 160G, adjusting the partition sizes in the process,
much more quickly than Ghost 9 did just one of the partitions.

For some reason, True Image seems to abandon DMA when used in my system.

Then your general claim about TI and Ghost is clearly just plain wrong.

Not necessarily a bootable CD either, just a non OS boot too.

Yup. I've also read that copying in Safe Mode can be a help with that.
Sure.

I don't know.

Its obvious from the instruction to correct errors before using it.

Maybe it just copies the system, errors and all, because it does sector
copying, not file copying.

If thats all it did, there is no need to correct errors first.

And sector copying has real downsides too, you
have to copy everything, not just the used sectors.

And there isnt just file or sector copying either, the other
approach is to just copy the sectors that have anything
useful in them, dont bother copying the free sectors.

It does for me.

Nope, you've always got that wrong.

I just abandon the failed or corrupted drive, and boot up a backup drive.

And you dont need that instant switch, it makes
a lot more sense to use images instead.

If it's just a data file that got corrupted, I can drag 'n drop it from a
backup hard drive in seconds.

You can move a file from an image in seconds
too with any decent modern imaging app.

Nup.

Why keep an entire virtual machine and runtime environment installed and
running just to make partition copies?

No need for that with a decent modern imager.

So is Drive Image 2002. But what's currently produced and supported matters
to some people.

And most have enough of a clue to realise that
cloning partitions doesnt have any advantage.

The truth of that depends on whether you call Partition Magic a "decent drive
cloner".

It aint a drive cloner, its a partition ute.

Cheaper than Ghost 9.0, then.

That aint true either. You're using list
prices, they aint the only prices available.

I can't afford to wait an hour or more to copy an image back to a hard drive.
With a bootable clone, it's virtually just a re-boot.

Pity that if you actually need an instant recovery from a problem,
you dont get it when any failure in that PC will see you without
anything useable for much longer. You need a standby PC, not
just a clone of the boot partition which is one of the least likely failures.

Agreed. Casper XP doesn't make image files that have to
undergo a "restoration" copy process to retrieve a working
system. It makes only bootable clones of a system that need no "restoration"
step in order to function.

So can all the other cloners.

Drive Image 7.x (and Ghost 9.0) used to do that for me, but now it (they) just
freeze my PC.

Then you need to fix that problem, not desperately
hunt around for something that doesnt freeze.

 

[Rod Speed]

You must have stuffed something up very comprehensively
when I got the opposite result, TI cloned the entire 120G
drive to a 160G, adjusting the partition sizes in the process,
much more quickly than Ghost 9 did just one of the partitions.


Then your general claim about TI and Ghost is clearly just plain
wrong.

Not necessarily a bootable CD either, just a non OS boot too.



Its obvious from the instruction to correct errors before using it.


If thats all it did, there is no need to correct errors first.

And sector copying has real downsides too, you
have to copy everything, not just the used sectors.

And there isnt just file or sector copying either, the other
approach is to just copy the sectors that have anything
useful in them, dont bother copying the free sectors.



Nope, you've always got that wrong.


And you dont need that instant switch, it makes
a lot more sense to use images instead.


You can move a file from an image in seconds
too with any decent modern imaging app.


No need for that with a decent modern imager.



And most have enough of a clue to realise that
cloning partitions doesnt have any advantage.



It aint a drive cloner, its a partition ute.



That aint true either. You're using list
prices, they aint the only prices available.



Pity that if you actually need an instant recovery from a problem,
you dont get it when any failure in that PC will see you without
anything useable for much longer. You need a standby PC, not
just a clone of the boot partition which is one of the least likely
failures.


So can all the other cloners.


Then you need to fix that problem, not desperately
hunt around for something that doesnt freeze.

Bet its the stupid removable drive bays and round cables.

 

[Timothy Daniels]

"Rod Speed" wagered:

Bet its the stupid removable drive bays and round cables.

I have two HDs for backup - one in a removable tray
and one permanently mounted internally. The freezes occur
when I try to clone the primary system partition to either of
them. The problem lies with the primary system which is
not in a removable tray. The PC also freezes if I double-click
on a wave file without first starting up Windows Media Player.
So the problem seems to be with software conflicts or timing.

*TimDaniels*

 

[Rod Speed]

Rod Speed wrote

I have two HDs for backup - one in a removable tray and one permanently
mounted internally. The freezes occur when I try to clone the primary system
partition to either of them.

OK, then you need to try it with a standards compliant flat ribbon cable.

The problem lies with the primary system which is not in a removable tray.
The PC also freezes if I double-click
on a wave file without first starting up Windows Media Player.

How long have you waited ? If its for a reasonable
time, you've just got the wav extension associated
with something that isnt properly installed etc.

So the problem seems to be with software conflicts

Yeah, the last one likely is. That shouldnt be
the case with Drive Image 7.x (and Ghost 9.0)

or timing.

Nope, that wont cause a freeze with a properly setup system.

Have you applied the live updates to Ghost 9 ?

 

[Timothy Daniels]

Have you applied the live updates to Ghost 9 ?

I don't have Ghost 9.0 . I have Drive Image 7.0
which was brought up to version 7.03 with updates
from the Symantec website.

*TimDaniels*

 

[Timothy Daniels]

How long have you waited ? If its for a reasonable
time, you've just got the wav extension associated
with something that isnt properly installed etc.

It was simpler than that: I didn't have the .wmv file
type associated with Windows Media Player or with
Real Player. Sheesh. I figured that Windows Media
Player would be the default association.

*TimDaniels*

 

[Rod Speed]

Rod Speed wrote

It was simpler than that: I didn't have the .wmv file
type associated with Windows Media Player or with
Real Player. Sheesh. I figured that Windows Media
Player would be the default association.

It should have asked you what you wanted to use for those.
Thats why I asked how long you waited, it can take a while
on a slower machine before it offers you the list of possibilitys.

Likely you had it associated with something else that
you deleted and thats why it hung. Whatever it was
didnt release the association with wmvs properly or
you manually deleted it instead of uninstalling it properly.

 

[Rod Speed]

Rod Speed wrote

I don't have Ghost 9.0 . I have Drive Image 7.0 which was brought up to
version 7.03 with updates from the Symantec website.

Then you shouldnt have said you get a hang
with Ghost 9, its not identical to DI 7.03