Norton Ghost Alternative

[Rakewell]

Can anyone here recommend a free, good, easy to use raid0 capable norton ghost alternative? One that is completely reliable, as well?

Thanks in advance-

Cheers,

Rakewell

 

[Sam25]

You could give this a read and go to the first few results:

http://www.google.co.in/search...nG=Google+Search&meta=

Hope it helps!

 

[Evander]

I don't know anything about raid but I know of 2 free hd imaging programs:
Macrium Reflect
DriveImage XML

 

[Rakewell]

Do you guys have a preference as to which one?

(Raid not as important right now)

 

[Sam25]

I think both Macrium Reflect and DriveImage XML are good but you have to buy them for longtime use. You could however try the trial/demo versions first by downloading from their respective websites.

 

[Rakewell]

Anyone try Acronis?

I've heard some good things about it, but am unsure as to whether or not I should just buy DriveImage XML or M.R....

I will say, though... anything but GHOST. Had enough trouble with V10 when I bought that last.

 

[lxskllr]

Give Clonezilla a try. You can't beat the price :^)

 

[ChunkiMunki]

I'm sure everone knows this, but if you have a Maxtor or Seagate drive the free MaxBlast software is the stripped-down version of Acronis True Image. Don't know if it works with raid 0 though.
Info

 

[nordloewelabs]

i've been using the freeware SystemRecueCD. works from a boot CD. it's similar to CloneZilla, i think.

 

[redbeard1]

This will copy a partition.

Gparted

 

[geokilla]

I've been a Norton Ghost user, and I like the simplicity of it. All I need to do is backup the partition I need to backup, create partition image, remove program, then pop in the Norton Ghost CD when I need to restore my computer.

However, I heard that there's better alternatives out there. I heard of Acronis and Gparted. Are these good programs to use to backup my C drive? I'll only be creating one image file, which is for a clean install of Windows XP and its updates. This way, if I have to reinstall, I won't have to go through the process of formatting and reinstalling Windows again.

 

[QuixoticOne]

Part of the answers as to what's best depend on what sizes the partition and its contents are, and where you're intending to store the image.

If you can squeeze the image onto a 4.7GB DVD then that would be ideal for secure simple backup, and you'd logically look for an imaging program that can easily save/restore compressed images to and from DVDs.

If you're intending to just "assume" your physical drive will never crash or get corrupted you could just create two identically sized partitions and make a clone of one onto the other, not even really a compressed image or anything. Although it would be easy for that data to be corrupted due to malware or lost in a drive crash.

If you're storing the image on to another hard disk then of course you'd be looking at programs that could do that easily... if you want to store / retrieve the image to and from another PC that copies data over the LAN then you'd look for those features.

Personally I'd probably use a USB connected hard disk for a backup device if I had no other preferred option and DVD was to small to be convenient. Using a networked 2nd PC that could store the image is possible but probably less secure than having it on a physically disconnected USB hard disk.

 

[QuixoticOne]

FYI in case it helps, Acronis True Image Home 11 is $10 for the download on sale now; I just bought a couple.
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2227154&enterthread=y

 

[sourceninja]

Originally posted by: lxskllr
Give Clonezilla a try. You can't beat the price :^)

I LOVE clonezilla. Greatest thing I've ever used.

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: sourceninja

Originally posted by: lxskllr
Give Clonezilla a try. You can't beat the price :^)

I LOVE clonezilla. Greatest thing I've ever used.

I tried it. Not user friendly.
You have to select a partition to be used for reading or writing while the program is loading. When I did that, it warned that it may cause damage to the partition!
No, thanks!

 

[sourceninja]

It's just a CYA message, and really it only applies to writing.