imaging programs

  • Thread starter Thread starter Craig
  • Start date Start date
C

Craig

It seems to me that imaging program use to be good for backup for any
o/s prior to XP since you could restore to another computer. Now with
XP you can't use the data in a new computer. Is there a way to get an
XP image to work in a new computer. I know XP doesn't like hardware
changes but still there should be a way to get to o/s, data operational
on a new computer without having to reinstall everything.

Thanks,
Craig
 
Previously Craig said:
It seems to me that imaging program use to be good for backup for any
o/s prior to XP since you could restore to another computer. Now with
XP you can't use the data in a new computer. Is there a way to get an
XP image to work in a new computer. I know XP doesn't like hardware
changes but still there should be a way to get to o/s, data operational
on a new computer without having to reinstall everything.
Click to expand...

Actually it seems to have gotten better again. I managed
to replace CPU, mainboard and graphics card without having
to do a reinstallation. I guess the previous situation was
unacceptable to cotporate customers.

Arno
 
Craig said:
It seems to me that imaging program use to be good for backup
for any o/s prior to XP since you could restore to another computer.
Now with XP you can't use the data in a new computer. Is there
a way to get an XP image to work in a new computer.
Click to expand...

Yes, just do a repair install of XP on the new computer.
I know XP doesn't like hardware changes
Click to expand...

There is an even bigger problem with 2K in that regard too.
but still there should be a way to get to o/s, data operational
on a new computer without having to reinstall everything.
Click to expand...

Yep, the repair install does that fine. That is NOT the
repair option you first see when you boot the XP CD.
 
It seems to me that imaging program use to be good for backup for any
o/s prior to XP since you could restore to another computer. Now with
XP you can't use the data in a new computer. Is there a way to get an
XP image to work in a new computer. I know XP doesn't like hardware
changes but still there should be a way to get to o/s, data operational
on a new computer without having to reinstall everything.
Click to expand...

There are 2 ways to do it.

Repair install - Boot to the XP CD, select Setup Windows XP Now, then
R for Repair Install.

If no repair option is available, you need to fix boot.ini from the
recovery console. The command is "bootcfg \rebuild". I've only had
this happen once in several dozen repairs.

The problem with this is that it rolls the system back to whatever
your boot CD has on it, and all SPs, updates, etc, need to be
re-installed, which can take quite a while if your boot CD is pre SP2.

The other option is to use True Image 9.1 Workstation
(www.acronis.com) with the Universal Restore add-on (extra $). This
will, in theory, allow you to restore to a box with different
hardware.

I have this, but haven't tested universal restore yet, so I can't
vouch for how well it works.

Good luck!
 
Back
Top