Any recommended imaging software

[9nines]

I just reinstalled Vista. My Vista DVD is before Service Pack 1, so the updates take a fairly long time. I would like to make a clone of my hard drive as it is right now, so next time I want to refresh it, I can start from this point forward.

I have never used image software - what package would you recommend?

Also, where do the images go? Does it save in parts/segment files to multiple CDs or DVDs or do you need an extra hard drive to save them? What is best hardware set-up to effective save and later process the images?

Also, how do you reinstall the images? For example, if your primary drive had a problem and could not boot, how do you recover the images to apply them if you cant start your PC with its current drive?

 

[Wheezer]

I use Macrium Reflect free edition.

http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp

get your system the way you want it, make a back up on another drive or partition.

It will ask you to make a boot cd, if the system crashes you put the cd in the drive reboot the system, the boot cd will ask where the image is stored, you point it to where your image is saved and it will restore the image just as it was when you backed it up, piece of cake.

 

[9nines]

Thanks that sounds easy. Can the images be stored on multiple DVDs or does it need to be stored on another hard drive?

 

[KeypoX]

http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp

thanks for the link maybe ill finally try this.

 

[eternalone]

DriveImage XML
Image and Backup logical Drives and Partitions


http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm

 

[sonoma1993]

Originally posted by: 9nines
Thanks that sounds easy. Can the images be stored on multiple DVDs or does it need to be stored on another hard drive?

I use acronis true image, great software. It has the options to split the image into smaller file sizes.

Acronis

 

[corkyg]

I clone the HDDs on 4 computers at least once a month or sooner if there are major changes. I currently use Acronis True Image 12. To clone Vista requires version 11 or higher.

It creates a bootable CD (Rescue Media) and I use that for all cloning. That does it independent of the OS, and it has a great, intuitive Linux-based GUI.

Once you create that CDR, you can clone or backup any PC, anywhere without having to have the software installed.

A cloned drive requires no restoration - do the job, swap drives and boot. You don't have to deal with the images. It is a process.

 

[blackangst1]

I use Acronis also. I like that I can create a boot disk to recover my image from. Other solutions may offer that too, but I havent used any others.

 

[ChaiBabbaChai]

BartPE boot CD has network support, Firefox, Windows Disk Management, and DriveImage XML plug-ins, and it looks fukkin badass when it boots up. I'd say that one-ups Acronis, and it's FREE. The only issue I've had with DriveImage XML is that it doesn't work well for restoring boot drive images from anything other than identical make/model HDD. It works very well for restoring an image to the same HDD the image is from. It's all very light on resources.