Ghosting Boxes

[DasFox]

I'm working for a small PC gaming/cafe and well ghosting boxes was something I have never personally needed to do.

I've always seen that in the past Norton Ghost was the only way to go.

Is Norton Ghost still the best?

Problem is now, from what I've read, the older versions where you ghosted the box in DOS was considered the best way compared to the newer versions now where you do this under Windows running.

I've heard when you ghost with the system running you can run into issues.

Since this is going to be for business, I really want the simplest and best solution, even if we need to spend a few bucks more for a better solution.

So for a business what's the best app out there to ghost with?

THANKS

 

[BlueWeasel]

Acronis TrueImage >> Norton Ghost

Once you install TI, you can make a bootable CD that can be used to backup and restore images using networks, external hard drives, or a different partition on the internal HD. I've been using TI for a couple years now, and don't even try to use the program from within Windows....the single bootable CD handles it all.

 

[DasFox]

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel
Acronis TrueImage >> Norton Ghost

Once you install TI, you can make a bootable CD that can be used to backup and restore images using networks, external hard drives, or a different partition on the internal HD. I've been using TI for a couple years now, and don't even try to use the program from within Windows....the single bootable CD handles it all.

Acronis TrueImage >> Norton Ghost, what's this suppose to mean?

And forget the Server version for TI, I know we won't be spending $699 to do this.

Once you install TI, you can make a bootable CD, you mean after the install, you'll make a bootable CD that you then create a ghost from?

So you don't Ghost with the system running in this thing?

How good is the Acronis True Image 9.1 Workstation?

And the simpler the program the better, I personally don't need a ton of bells and whistles, all I want is a great simple app to ghost a box with is all.

All I'm going to do is just have a ghost image so if a box dies, replace the hardware with the same exact part, slap in the cd/dvd and reinstall the system that's it.

So all these features in this "Workstation" version I'll never use. Actually if the home version makes a ghost as good as this workstation, then maybe it would be better.

THANKS

 

[Nocturnal]

I'm almost certain everyone here will say Acronis True Image is the better of the two.

 

[DasFox]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
I'm almost certain everyone here will say Acronis True Image is the better of the two.

Besides these, is it the best of the best? I need 100% reliability and zero hassles!

Well, we have 18 boxes for a small Mom & Pop PC gaming/cafe, we're no Microsoft here, LOL.

So as I stated before, just a simple ghost app is all I need. Ghosting a box is all I'm going to be doing. We're just keeping a backup in case of failure to restore a box. I have no need for anything other then just performing this function.

So again, a simple great ghost app, JUST to perform this function and this function only is all I want.

No bells and whistles need apply, LOL.

This Acronis Universal Restore allows using different hardware, hmm, how successful and painful is this process?

Personally I'd rather just ensure we can use the same hardware. But maybe over a matter of a few years this is not becoming practical.

THANKS

P.S. With simplicity as my goal in mind which version would I use?

 

[DasFox]

Actually maybe I have answered my own question. I guess if I want to use the Acronis Universal Restore, then I need to have installed, at least for the cheapest price the Acronis True Image 9.1 Workstation.

I guess this is as simple as it will get and any of the options I don't need I just won't use them.

Any thoughts on these two then?

THANKS

 

[mechBgon]

If you have an Active Directory domain (which I think would be useful), you may also want to try out Remote Installation Services.

 

[DasFox]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
If you have an Active Directory domain (which I think would be useful), you may also want to try out Remote Installation Services.

Dude did you read anything I just said? LOL We are just a small Mom&Pop gaming cafe, there is no Active Directory domain, sheesh.

Anyone have a hammer so I can bang my head with it, LOL.

Pay attention mechBgon, but thanks for trying even if you where a mile away.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: DasFox

Originally posted by: mechBgon
If you have an Active Directory domain (which I think would be useful), you may also want to try out Remote Installation Services.

Dude did you read anything I just said? LOL We are just a small Mom&Pop gaming cafe, there is no Active Directory domain, sheesh.

Anyone have a hammer so I can bang my head with it, LOL.

Pay attention mechBgon, but thanks for trying even if you where a mile away.

Uhhh... you seem to think that having a small mom & pop gaming cafe somehow logically excludes having an AD domain? Ok, you don't have one, got it. But you could, and compared to blowing $$$ on 18 copies of Ghost or Acronis, it might be the better value. Think about it, anyway...

(I'd run a domain at home, if I had a license for Windows Server 2003 )

 

[Looney]

Wow, you're running an internet cafe and you're stuck on this issue? Man, you're going to have some kids wreak havoc to your systems and network.

 

[DasFox]

Originally posted by: Looney
Wow, you're running an internet cafe and you're stuck on this issue? Man, you're going to have some kids wreak havoc to your systems and network.

I'm not stuck on the issue, I just wanted to hear what others have to say over this. I've never needed to use a ghost product before is all.

mechBgon, sorry didn't mean to seem rude. The server side of things I'm a bit weak in. The system might be setup Active Directory domain, I don't know, I have not started working for the company yet actually, I'll be starting next week, so in the meantime I was just researchimg some ghosting apps is all.

From going into the cafe and talking to the owner, I get the feeling that the only server type of a setup is this Internet Caffe Software he's running to control all the boxes and that seems to be it.

http://www.antamedia.com/

This is a real basic setup, the store is only about 300 sq. ft. It's s tiny place, with 18 boxes as I mentioned before and I know from talking to him he has very limited computer knowledge.

Personally with this setup, it seems like all I really need is the security control it offers, beyond this I'm not sure anything else would be needed, other then making sure some sort of firewall was in place for the WAN aspect of it, since people play online.

With the main box running the Caffe app, I was hoping by installing Acronis True Image on it, it would then have server access this way to the other boxes to ghost them.

Personally for me, since I will be invloved with the running of the store and other duties, if I need some other type of server setup access I really want to keep this as simple as possible.

These boxes are running just XP, so not sure what can be setup for them in this way. But I know given the scope of this cafe a AD domain is way above its needs.

I look at it this way, that business is in place and working quite nice, so any other addons if needed, I want to make it all as simple, pain free, carefree running as possible to ease my load and burdens.

I don't believe in over complicating things, especially given the simplicity of this setup already. So personally at this point in time, I can't see a need for running a Active Directory domain.

THANKS

P.S. Actually I just looked over some info for a Active Directory domain and it's way beyond the scope, needs of this company right now, so I don't need to mess with this.

 

[DasFox]

One problem I'm not sure how you deal with, is these boxes are for gaming, so I don't see how you can make a backup image or a ghost of one box as a master to put into another box if it goes down, given the need for different game serials.

It seems like you'd have to load all the serials back in again.

 

[DasFox]

I didn't know if there was a trick to this somehow, but I guess I'll have to back them up one at a time, hmm

ALOHA

 

[mechBgon]

You may want to look into DeepFreeze too.

 

[Looney]

Originally posted by: DasFox
One problem I'm not sure how you deal with, is these boxes are for gaming, so I don't see how you can make a backup image or a ghost of one box as a master to put into another box if it goes down, given the need for different game serials.

It seems like you'd have to load all the serials back in again.

Man, you really sound like you're in way over your head.

Your comment is as rude as it is unhelpful. Please confine yourself to posts that have some value.

AnandTech Moderator

 

[DasFox]

mechBgon well Deepfreeze is good for security. I'm more concerned with hardware failure and having a backup.

But is there some way of doing a backup of one box that would act as the master image for all the other boxes since they all have the same software, but then you can have all the original serials put back in as well?

Seems like even with Windows, because there was no Volume license purchase on these either that you would have a time with that too.

Seems like in this case, because we don't have a "Volume License" on the software, but rather individual keys for each, I think I'm going to just have to make a image copy of each on a removable drive or server, to just back them all up, because the of licenses, serials that each game has.

 

[DasFox]

Anyone can give any comments on DeepFreeze?

THANKS

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: DasFox

But is there some way of doing a backup of one box that would act as the master image for all the other boxes since they all have the same software, but then you can have all the original serials put back in as well?

You might be able to do that by making an Automated System Recovery backup, plus a full-on standard backup, of each system. ASR is a feature of the built-in Windows Backup on WinXP Professional Edition (not found on WinXP Home). It is pretty powerful, I resurrected a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory domain controller on entirely different hardware as a test. But it would take some practice to get it down to something you can do smoothly, so I'll just throw that out there as an idea.

 

[DasFox]

mechBgon ok thanks, by the way how do you like DeepFreeze?

THANKS

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: DasFox
mechBgon ok thanks, by the way how do you like DeepFreeze?

THANKS

I haven't tried DeepFreeze, I just maintain tight control over the systems so there's no need for it in the first place (meaning, I'm the only person with Admin privileges, plus I keep the systems up-to-date on patching and have very good antivirus protection). But my big sister works at a college and says DeepFreeze rocks for their laptops that students can use. Reboot, boom, system's back the way it's supposed to be.

In my line of work, I can't afford to let the systems get out of line even temporarily, it could get us in big trouble if any client info got compromised. If I were going into your situation I'd make sure no one had Admin privileges either, even if it meant doing some extensive tweaking of folder and Registry permissions to make troublesome games work right from within a Limited account.

 

[nweaver]

out of the range, but definatly in the discussion is Altiris Deployment solution. We use that here at work, and it's pretty good for manging/imaging machines from a central location. I can log into the server, create a job, drop it on a group of 600 computer and have them all imaged without much more fuss.

 

[DasFox]

Yes mechBgon I do know how to make things right, the problem is the owner of the company doesn't and everything is just running as Admin under Windows and the other staff as Admin access to the Caffe Software.

Well all I can say is, it's not the way to do things, so hopefully in time I'll set things right.

He should of bought Smart Launch instead too.

http://www.smartlaunch.net/webpages/

ALOHA