Norton Ghost Software - HD Image ???

[noblues]

Has anyone tried using Norton Ghost software?

My laptop didn't come with any recovery disks, instead I have to use the Sony utility to create my own.
(It grates me I pay £1500 for a PC but it doesn't come with a Win XP CD).

I wondered if Ghost is a better option, anyone experience of using it for 'cloning' HD's?

[Saab Dastard]

Noblues,

I have used Ghost extensively in a corporate environment to build multiple PCs from a single (sysprepped) image.

If you use Ghost, you need to be able to store the image - this can be on another PC, or on CD. I know it used to be possible to span images over more than one CD, maybe it's possible now to write to DVD.

As long as you are aware that disk cloning is not really appropriate for backing up data, then go for it. To my mind, it is most useful for making an image of a PC once you have installed the OS and apps, and configured it as you want it, but before you start using it.

It makes taking regular backups even more important if your only recovery is to revert to day one!

In theory, you can set up 2 partitions on your disk - one for system, one for data - then Ghost the system partition, leaving the data intact.

The reality is that it is very, very difficult to keep all your data, application and personal configuration settings on the data partition.

It is also frighteningly easy to overwrite the data partition :(

SD

[noblues]

Thanks SD .. yes, thats what I want to use it for.

Although I do have a partition I would do it to an external HD, the latest ver. 10 does also support to write to DVD's, maybe with a dual layer DVD it would be possible to clone the system just one disc ....

[DBTL]

I love to disk clone, and have used the same Ghost for the last 4-5 years, for SATAs and all that as well. I've been able to save many a bad hard drive contents by first cooling the drive down and then wrapping it into ice cubes and letting Ghost do the trick, fast. The first time I used the cooling technique for restoration was around 1991 when someone had his Mac's huge(!) 40 MB drive and the Ph.D. thesis die. :{ I've later seen it appear listed under "myths" in the internet, but I can quarantee it's a fully working procedure for when your HD is starting to lose its grip after a short while, which seems to happen quite often.