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ghosting windows

  • 24-09-2006 8:09am
    #1
    awhir
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,227 ✭✭✭


    ok i got a 32gb raptor and i have 4 partions on it.i just damaged the sata connection and i think its on the way out.so i want to be able to back up everthing.

    is it possibale to ghost all the partions perfectly so that windows that was on the 32gb work on the new hdd ??

    wow im getting confused myseld :(


Comments

  • #2
    blorg
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,995 ✭✭✭✭blorg


    Yes it is, using something like Norton Ghost or Acronis Drive Image. Easier still, if you can get a new HD quickly (or have a spare one) is to use the manufacturer's utility (Maxtor's PowerMax, Seagate's SeaTools, etc.) to do a bit-copy of the existing drive onto a new one. You can also copy partitions this way using Partition Magic. If you have the new/spare hard disk just do a partition copy as you avoid the intermediate step of an image file as used by Ghost/Drive Image. If you only have DVD-Rs, then you can image onto them.

    The only partition that you really need to be concerned about ghosting is the boot partition; you can do a normal file copy with the others if you want (or do a partition copy, doesn't really matter.)

    I think there may also be (free) software on the Ultimate Boot CD that supports bit-copying of partitions.


  • #3
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 94,360 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    bit copying works best if both HDD's are exactly the same, you can have problems if the drives have different geometries

    on the knoppix cd the utility to use is partimage
    it's not in ubuntu by default but you can apt-get it

    also make a boot floppy disk , in case the partition numbers change and you have to edit boot.ini. don't wipe the old drive until you are 100% sure, you may have to reimage after running sysprep

    I haven't looked at it in a while but G4U is a very basic ghost clone (ghost 4 you)


  • #4
    blorg
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,995 ✭✭✭✭blorg


    Bit-copying of a partition will work fine as long as the target hard disk is as large or larger than the partition being copied. The new disk does not have to be identical. I've upgraded hard disks several times (to substantially larger ones, different manufacturers), both desktop and laptop, doing partition copies using manufacturer utilities and Partition Magic; you just swap the second drive around to master when done and it boots up straight away on the new disk as if nothing has happened.

    I've gone 120 > 250 > 750 on the desktop this way and 40 > 60 > 100 on the laptop and didn't have any problems. The only thing I _did_ have problems with was when I was replacing the laptop drive because it was failing; some cloning software will have problems if the partition being copied has bad sectors. Running through with CHKDSK /R got over this problem IIRC.


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