Help: Standalone Disk Image Recovery?
Probably asked before, but...
I have to create a disk image of a 40 GB drive, largely empty, but with WinXP Pro SP3 on it. This is at the factory setting, and I have no other way to guarantee that I can restore this factory setting.
After making the image, I need to be able to restore the image to the drive after it has been completely wiped clean. Therefore, the TI must be able to create a bootable CD/DVD and then additional, perhaps multiple, DVDs with the disk image (not necessarily as all one file). It is these CDs and DVD's that must be able to be booted in the absence of any OS on the HD and then restore the drive image to the HD.
How does TI Home solve this problem?
Also...do I need to install TI on the computer whose drive is to be imaged? Or can i run TI from a bootable CD to create the image?
PS:As yet, I only have the trial version.
I'd just add a small additional comment. Backup all your data to and off drive location. Just in case everthing fails you will be able to reinstall the os and the programs individually and restore your data as well.
JUST IN CASE IT ALL FAILS>
Regards,
Werner
I believe I read in a prior thread that the trial version will not allow a restore so you would want to confirm this. You will need the "paid for" full version to have access to all the features. Also, I believe that "wiping clean" your destination disk would not be necessary as ATI accomplishes this as part of a restore.
Also, backing up your data seperately as suggested is a good idea in the unlikely event the image restore process fails. Check out Karen's Replicator for this purpose. It is a simple to use, free program that can automate a backup task. Someone on this forum recommended it and I find it very useful.
I use ATI2009 and perform all image backups with the rescue CD to an external HD. As Fungus says, if your HD crashes, you will have to use the rescue CD you created to do a restore. This disk will have the necessary files to allow you boot into the ATI for a restore.
I searched the old Wilder's Forum and found this information which would make my comment about not being able to restore with the trial version incorrect.
"The restore should work from the trial version on the CD. (The trial CD will not let you make an archive though)"
Thanks Fungus for the details, and others for supporting info. I will clarify a few matters:
I was referring to TI Home 2009, yes, and to the trial version for now. Its important that I am able to verify that the imaging and standalone recovery works before I buy.
I can add a second (also 40 MB) hard drive and create the image onto that, but it must be moved to long term storage media (DVDs) because that 2nd HD will eventually be needed elsewhere. Once the media iscreated, it must be used directly for recovery. There is no guarantee that a free 2nd HD will be available when its neded.
I assume that installing TI onto the XP system will enlarge the disk image that I am trying to create. It would be nice to avoid this.
I have successfully imaged the disk to a server with another piece of freeware, and have sucessfully recovered from that server. But I cannot get info that tells me how to create standalone recovery media.
Your additional advice is appreciated.
Thanks Fungus for the details, and others for supporting info. I will clarify a few matters:
I was referring to TI Home 2009, yes, and to the trial version for now. Its important that I am able to verify that the imaging and standalone recovery works before I buy.
I can add a second (also 40 MB) hard drive and create the image onto that, but it must be moved to long term storage media (DVDs) because that 2nd HD will eventually be needed elsewhere. Once the media iscreated, it must be used directly for recovery. There is no guarantee that a free 2nd HD will be available when its neded.
I assume that installing TI onto the XP system will enlarge the disk image that I am trying to create. It would be nice to avoid this.
I have successfully imaged the disk to a server with another piece of freeware, and have sucessfully recovered from that server. But I cannot get info that tells me how to create standalone recovery media.
Your additional advice is appreciated.
Lou:
DH has cleared up the issue with TI "trial" version. "The restore should work from the trial version on the CD. (The trial CD will not let you make an archive though)"
So in simple terms, Install TI Home 2009 (trial or purchased).
Make TI Boot CD, see that it boots yout computer.
Boot from Windows, run TI, make a full image of your system drive, record it on a second hard drive.
Use TI "Verify" to test the backup image.
Save that second hard drive for future emergencies when you need a resore.
Note that you can record many backup images to that same drive.
Today Newegg sent me an ad that included a 320 GB IDE drive for something like $40, buy it and use it as your archive holding drive. $40 is cheap!
Don't mess around with Incremental or Differential backups, stick to Full backups until you are comfortable with TI.
Don't try to use DVD discs for storing your archives, too many possibilities for errors.
Learn to use TI in as simple of a mode that you can. Don't install the Secure Zone or the automatic backup/restore stuff, skip the "try & decide", etc,
Fungus
OK, Fungus. Its time to test the method. I'll get back to you when I get some results.
and thanks for the info on the trial version, DH.
Well...Creating the bootable CD worked. It is supposedly a bootable full version of ATI (or at least the trial version).
I have another question...
Assuming that the trial version can create a disk image to a 2nd hard drive, is that image something that can be placed on DVDs and then used by the boot CD to recovery the image back to the drive?
Note that the trial version will not allow the creation of a disk image directly onto DVDs, although it would appear to be able to do that using only a single DVD drive. (This was always my ultimate goal.)
I don't have any direct experience with the trial version but it is my feeling that the purpose of the CD is strictly for the Acronis Loader so that you can get into ATI to restore a TIB file. I don't think that using a CD to hold the acrual backup of the hard drive is useful.
I do all my backups to a backup hard drive which is completely separate from the systems drive. This drive also has on it all my working programs. With the cost of hard drives being what they are it makes no sense to do it any other way. Back up to a second hard drive. I have my primary hard drive holding my OS and all my operating programs. I back up this hard drive to a bigger "backup" hard drive. I use the loader to restore from the second hard drive back to the original OS & programs hard drive.
I believe that very soon now the CD will become obsolete as well which will change the entire dynamic of the storage situation.
It isn't even a question anymore of being able to afford the cost of a second drive as the price has been dropping rapidly.
Of course I don't have a clue about your circumstances but I recommend staying away from CD except for the loader and for music CD's although they are trying to sell downloads for music as well now.
My system and program disk is a 250 gig drive and current usage is about 91 gig. So using CD's doesn't work anyway. I backup the entire disk. That way if I have a catastrophic crash which cannot be recovered from rebooting or some other method I will then be ready to copy back the entire hard drive contents. This has happened twice. It will happen again sometime. It happens to us all.
I don't work for Acronis but I recommend buying the full version of ATI Home 2009. You won't regret it.
Regards,
Werner
Lou:
The TI boot CD is ONLY for booting into a Linux version of TI. That disc will not hold any backup data. The Linux TI will be all you need to do backups and restores (if your TI is paid for and registered). Doing backups and restores from Win XP also can work but not if you have a new hard drive in the system position.
Werner is correct, do not backup to DVD discs. There are horror stories about this. If you must save data on DVD discs you should do the backup to a hard drive, and tell TI to make several backup files that each would fit on a DVD disc. After the backup, copy each of the backup files to DVD discs and save them. When restore time comes, copy them back to a hard drive, and restore from there. If I was forced to do this, I would make at least two copies of each DVD disc, just in case one is bad.
Buy a new hard drive and use it for good backed up images. Use DVD discs and weep. I don't want to say any more about DVD discs as backup destinations.
By the way, did your created CD disc boot your computer? Can it "see" all your drives?
Fungus
OK, thanks for all your advice. I won't go further in this - for now anyway. If imaging directly to and restoring directly from DVDs is not simple and reliable, then Acronis is not a solution for me. For many reasons - cost, time, simplicity - imaging to another hard drive is not suitable. And I already have free software that will back up to a server in multiple, size-limited files. I am a hobbyist and want to get on with my own interests.
Its unfortunate that ATI is both time and functionally limited in its trial version. Had it just been time limited, one could easily assess its suitability. But I suppose if you don't limit its functionality people will never buy the full version.
Best regards,
Lou.
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