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Free backup compressed partition images like in Vista?

F

fwacct4

Member
I am looking for something like what Vista has, which is the ability to back up the whole system partition into a compressed file so that it can be restored again.

I have a partition manager which can clone the exact partition for my XP, but I would rather have something compressed, and in a file like my Vista computers do.

 
Originally posted by: techmanc
There not much for free imaging software but DriveImage XML should do the trick. I have not used this software but Runtime Software has a lot of good software I use like GetDataBack.

Heres a Link

http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm
Click to expand...

The latest version 2.02 seems to be promising for Vista32 and XP. However, I haven't had any luck with the back up process using Vista64.

This is actually even more important now that I've realized Vista's complete backup doesn't work for different hard drive types.
 
the Mods should make a stick with the most popular Backup apps because this question pops up every week. this is what i've been using: SystemRescueCD. it's free and boots from its own CD (no installation needed). here is a guide:

How to backup a Windows Partition using SystemRescueCD
http://www.nordloewe.com/tips_srcd.html

 
So far, for Vista64, Macrium has come closest to what I need, and even then Macrium has a few issues on its Rescue CD. So far, trying a LiveCD version of DriveImage XML and Norton Ghost 12 have not been good experiences for my Vista64.

Again, I am disgusted with Microsoft for not properly representing their backup capabilities. Until recently, I was blissfully unaware that the complete backup system wasn't a true image, but one that's pretty useless against hard drive failures.
 
Originally posted by: nordloewelabs
the Mods should make a stick with the most popular Backup apps because this question pops up every week. this is what i've been using: SystemRescueCD. it's free and boots from its own CD (no installation needed). here is a guide:

How to backup a Windows Partition using SystemRescueCD
http://www.nordloewe.com/tips_srcd.html
Click to expand...

Has anybody successfully ghosted and restored Vista64 with SystemRescueCD? When I tried a straight up OS partition imaging with BartPE using DriveImage XML, the restored drive crashed and burned badly, so I get the feeling it's not just a matter of imaging and restoring, but that restoring a Vista64 image takes an app that explicitly accounts for Vista64.
 
One of the reasons I still stay away from 64bit OS Windows XP-Vista is both are not getting enough support in software-drivers and have a lot more compatibility issues. I can do everything with my system listed in my sig. Windows XP 64bit is not even worth Vista is better as it the it the newer OS and get better support. However if the reason your running 64bit OS because you need it for some of your primary apps to run faster/better than in that situation I would use it.
 
Originally posted by: fwacct4
Originally posted by: nordloewelabs
the Mods should make a stick with the most popular Backup apps because this question pops up every week. this is what i've been using: SystemRescueCD. it's free and boots from its own CD (no installation needed). here is a guide:

How to backup a Windows Partition using SystemRescueCD
http://www.nordloewe.com/tips_srcd.html
Click to expand...

Has anybody successfully ghosted and restored Vista64 with SystemRescueCD? When I tried a straight up OS partition imaging with BartPE using DriveImage XML, the restored drive crashed and burned badly, so I get the feeling it's not just a matter of imaging and restoring, but that restoring a Vista64 image takes an app that explicitly accounts for Vista64.
Click to expand...

this is a good question. i have only imaged 32bit OSs, however, the way i see it, that should not have an impact on the imaging process since the utility is dealing with hard drive data, rather than OS data. i mean, to my mind, an imaging program "booting from its own CD", should not care about which OS you have.

on the other hand, disk errors (and perhaps fragmentation) could possibly affect the imaging process. so run Scandisk and Defrag on your partitions before you clone them.

 
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