Creating a restore partition for XP

[Kappo]

My objective:

To create an image where users can restore back to the original image before windows loads.

My users:

Completely non-technical, but have a reputation of "tinkering" until things are beyond repair.



This image will be replicated by Dell's CFI group and will be distributed to all of our customers when they order a new system.

Altiris comes free when you purchase a Dell, but I wanted to have the following (possibly using Ghost since it is so cheap) things that Altiris doesnt provide:

Use Grub as a bootloader in it's own partition.
Have a partition that holds a Ghost image and all of the ghost executables.
Have a windows partition that is the default boot partition and cannot see the other partitions at all while still retaining Administrator rights on the machine.

The ONLY interaction or option that I want these users to have is to be able to stop the normal boot process in order to restore the machine back to the original state. Most of these machines will not have floppies or CDROMs so sending them a restore disk is not an option.

I also wanted this as an IMAGE and not just a file-backup like Altiris is and not allow the user any interaction with the Ghost partition (without alot of effort).

My main problem so far is creating the partitions where Windows cannot see them. I wouldnt think it would be difficult to have either GRUB or even the windows bootloader point to a Ghost partition and automatically restore from the image.

Any ideas on this plan?

Thanks in advance!

 

[gpgofast]

It looks like new Home Dell's are shipping this way also. I just got a new 8400 and it came with a hidden restore partition that returns the "C:" drive to it's pre "inital start" state. Dell is using"Symantec's PC Restore"(so says their documentation), so Ghost might already have the option of doing this(I am not a Ghost user). It actually works pretty well, I tried it as I am going to do a clean install and wanted to see it it works, as described.

Push <ctrl>F11 at the apropriate time during bootup which takes you to a recovery console screen. Follow the onsreen instructions, and machine was restored to the same condition as when I turned it on. Sorry I can't be of more help, but what you want to do should be "doable", I just don't know how. GP

 

[Kappo]

Actually, that is great information. My rep didnt bother to offer this to me as a solution, so now I can bug him about it.

Thank you!

 

[Kappo]

Does anyone know how to create a hidden partition without software I need to install in windows? IE - boot disk or linux live eval CD?

 

[alm4rr]

note, that if something goes bad with the HD, the recovery part of the HD can get screwed and now there is no more OS backup...
Plus, if you backit up to CD, the computer will only allow this once

at least on the last compaq machine i ran into

 

[gpgofast]

I was able to copy the Dell partitions to another drive with Acronis TI with no problems. Also, Dell's now ship with a Windows CD. GP