Backing up new laptop installation - help!

[deadlock]

Hi folks,

I've got a Sony Vaio T1XP coming in the next couple of days.

I want to back-up the drive as it is when it first comes out of the box - i.e. fresh, and before any of the preloaded software has a chance to start. I basically want an image of the data as it looked before the machine was first turned on.

I'm thinking that I could maybe use Ghost on a Boot CD and then write the image to an external USB2 drive. Remember all this has to be done without even booting Windows.

Is this possible, and what is the easiest method?

Thanks,
D

 

[warcrow]

Well, the Laptop should come with a factory install disk that will format the drive and make it like the way you've received it. You should ahve to worry about this.

 

[deadlock]

It doesn't come with CDs - it comes with a hidden restore partition, and in any case I don't trust it to restore the machine to the **EXACT** way that it was when it first came out of the box.

I intend to sell the laptop once I'm done with it, so getting it back to the way it was is important.

 

[warcrow]

Yea, ghost the drive from another machine then across the network.

 

[BlueWeasel]

You could use a program like Acronis True Image to do that. You'd need to install Acronis in Windows on another system, and then create a True Image boot CD. Then use the CD to boot into Acronis on the laptop and backup the image to an external drive or CD/DVD discs.

 

[deadlock]

Thanks for the tips guys!

 

[ITJunkie]

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel
You could use a program like Acronis True Image to do that. You'd need to install Acronis in Windows on another system, and then create a True Image boot CD. Then use the CD to boot into Acronis on the laptop and backup the image to an external drive or CD/DVD discs.

Great way to go and probably the least expensive as well. Unless you already have a copy of Ghost lying around.