Can Norton Ghost 9 or 10 create an image of application files only?

[DesL]

I operate several free income tax preparation sites in a non-networked environment with about 40 different laptops and desktops at four different locations. I have several new desktops with only Windows XP & several utility software apps installed. Other volunteers use their own laptops to prepare tax returns. The objective is to install the Taxwise 2003, 2004, 2005, & 2006 application software plus the data files to these different computers without manually installing & configuring each application and the data files to each machine. I wish to develop a Taxwise image that includes all versions of Taxwise plus data files & deploy this image .

Is the following a viable scenario in accomplishing my objective? What am I missing?

1. Create recovery point #1 on a new machine (mainly XP & other OEM software) with the recovery point #1 file located on an external drive;
2. Install Taxwise 2003 through 2006 etc, printer drivers, etc.
3. Create recovery point #2 - (would this be the new files & new registry settings added in step 2 or would this include files in recovery point #1?);
4. Burn the contents of step 3 to CDs or DVD & install to other laptops or desktops.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ASG0856]

First point that comes to mind is a licensing issue. Although you have XP (say) installed on all the laptops, you would effectively be trying to install the same registered copy of the XP on all the Laptops. This could cause many problems down the line.

Second Point. Many Laptop/Operating System builds are Locked to-gether, i.e. a particular copy of the operating system will only work on the Laptop it was originally installed on, and not on another Laptop of even the same make and model.

Thirdly, if I understand rightly, the Restore Point doesn't quite work in the way you think. It records the files (and their versions) and the registry build, and restores the the system that way (replaced files aren't deleted, they are stored as compressed old files). Therefore, if all the Laptops are not to the exact same build, a restore would fall over. However I think the second point would negate the third any way.

I think your going to have to install manually. Also, by trying to install the same copy of Taxwise on several Laptops, I presume you would be in breach of Licensing Aggreement there as well.

 

[TheLad]

You can certainly create an image of a Windows XP build to use on the same model of laptop but the best thing would be to Sysprep it first so that when the image is placed onto a new laptop you have to give the build a new workstation name. You may also have to use a SID changer to ensure that all of the laptops do not use the same SID. I am not too sure about the licensing bit of XP but one would assume that as long as the laptop has the XP licensing sticker on it, you are not in breach of Microsoft licensing.

It is also worth noting that officially you are supposed to have one Ghost license for every laptop you roll an image out to so that may be something to consider as well.

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[Scotsdude]

Ghost backs up the whole disk or partition, not just one app. Also, an image taken from one machine will not work on a different model of machine.
I'm afraid you're looking at a manual install for each machine.

Scotsdude

 

[Rick998]

Ghost (and similar products like Acronis True Image) are used for creating and restoring/deploying disk or partition images.

Whilst newer versions allow backup of just files/folders instead of the entire disk or partition, this isn't the best way to do what you want.

You need something that lets you capture a snapshot (before), lets you add more applications and data then lets you capture a second snapshot (after) and finally builds an installer of the differences between the 2 snapshots.

I don't know if the retail version of Norton Ghost includes it but the Corporate version (Symantec Ghost) includes a utility called AI (AutoInstaller) that does just this.

Alternatively, have a look at applications like InstallShield. If you have a copy of Windows 2000 Advanced Server then there is a cutdown version of a similar application called WinInstall LE that can be used to create 'before and after' snapshots and build an installer of the differences between them. It looks like it may also be available for free download from here:

http://www.softpile.com/Utilities/Miscellaneous/Review_16745_index.html.

Hope this helps...