Norton Ghost alternative? 1

[tektips2006]

I was trying to use Norton Ghost from within windows, but it keeps hanging after it reboots the machine into PC-Dos. You can't even start windows (I had to use and XP quick boot CD to recover and delete the partition that ghost created on the fly).I know there is Ghost 14 now, but I don't know how much does it costs (and if it's going to solve this the hanging problem).
I started looking for alternatives to Norton. I tried Macrium Reflet, which is free. I was able to create the image (from within windows)with no problem. I have done integrity check, and it was good. I have not tried to do a restore however. I am not sure how reliable it is to create an image while in windows (I hear they use the shadow image windows to create the backup).

My question is as follows:
What do you think of Macrium, is it reliable? Can you share your experience with ghost software in general.

 

[kmcferrin]

I've never used Macrium, but I left Ghost behind years ago and went with Acronis. It works just fine.

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCTS:Hyper-V
MCTS:System Center Virtual Machine Manager
MCSE:Security 2003
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator

 

[shardian]

I use one called Acronys TrueImage. Not sure which version. I find its really quite good.

I run a team of technicians who work on phone systems with company provided laptops. As they go home and install all sorts of random software, its handy to have a default image of their hard drives and also an image with all the maintenance programs we use frequently. Acronys lets you create images with the restore software included so you can boot straight from the CD/DVD or whatever backup media you use.

I also find that if the guys that work for me get a virus which appears to be cleaned, its easy enough to run a format and restore.

Backups of a fresh system install take around an hour, and restore is much the same. If you have heaps of programs installed, (I have a 120GB drive in my laptop and used about 50GB) it takes 4-6 hours to restore.

I think its heaps better than ghost as I also had a heap of problems with it.

 

[BadBigBen]

Like the others, I do not use Ghost and have no experience with Macrium...

I've used Acronis and Paragon and I found that Paragon was, in my opinion, easier to use (and easier to understand)...

I still gotta review O&O DiskImage 3 and will see if it is easier to use/understand, from a non-pro view...


Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.

 

[Grenage]

Acronis is decent, and many people here use it without issue.

I personally use dd and a linux live CD; it's free, fast and easy.

"We can categorically state that we have not released man-eating badgers into the area" - Major Mike Shearer

 

[tektips2006]

Grenage, what is dd?. I came across Macrium, while googling. The advantage is that it's free. I am going to take a look at Acronis and Paragon. Thanks

 

[ArizonaGeek]

Actually, I was going to suggest some other software but before I do, I have to ask what exactly are you trying to do? Are you just trying to make a one time image for recovery purposes or are you trying to do a running back up option?

I use Ghost because it is easy and it works. But then I never ever have to install it on a PC. I've created a 16 gig bootable USB key with Ghost on it. I use it mostly to deploy out my base images onto desktops I need to get ready to deploy. I have a machine ready for a user in less than an hour from the time I plug it.

I also have a 120 gig USB drive that made bootable in case I need to create an image from a machine. Lastly I also a have a network boot disk that goes out to a network share with Ghost on it and can make an image as big as I need it to be. None of these require Ghost to be installed on the machine.

If you're looking for regular back up, I am not sure your environment, large - small - just one user, I would recommend some software called Storagecraft. It is about $90 for a desktop license and I wanna say about $800 per CPU for a server license. The reason I like Storagecraft is because they offer a bare metal hard ware independent restore. For example, if you had a user, lets say your CEO, on a Dell Optiplex 755 running Vista Ultimate who got hit with brown out and fried the RAM. Obviously the CEO wants to get to work ASAP. I could take any other machine available, HP, IBM, home built PC, I can do a hardware independent restore from his image (that was originally an Optiplex 755) and he could be back up and running in an hour or less and would never know his machine had died.

They also offer whats called an IT version, it is VERY expensive but it can do a ton of things. About $3500 or so for this version, but it is a bootable disk and can image servers or desktops, does the whole hardware independent restore. The cool thing about this version (and why it is called the IT version) is that you don't have to have anything installed to make it work. Take the same example above, instead of having to restore from an image, all I would have to do is remove the hard drive (assuming it wasnt the dead hardware) stick it in any machine doesnt matter the hardware, boot to the disk, run the hardware independent restore option and you're done. You could have the machine up and running in minutes instead of hours.

I should be a salesmen for these guys with that schpeel, the software is awesome but with our budget got slashed last year and this year the IT version is too rich for us right now otherwise I would own it for sure. We do use the server version to create images of our most important servers. The ones that HAVE to be back up regardless of hardware in hours. Or less than hours.

The answer is always "PEBKAC!

 

[smah]

Also consider Clonezilla (which has its roots in dd)

 

[Grenage]

Tektips2006; dd is a Linux utility for cloning partitions, drives etc, or saving them to a file. It's ideal for one-off cloning, but Smah's recommendation of Clonezilla (which I had forgotten existed) will be more useful in a business environment.

"We can categorically state that we have not released man-eating badgers into the area" - Major Mike Shearer

 

[tektips2006]

ArizonaGeek,

At work, I have about 30 workstations and 5 servers. And I am still Using Ghost 2003. Like you said, I have a network boot disk. I store the images on a shared netwrk drive. This method (using netowrk boot disks) works fine.

What I am trying to do now is differnt. I was trying to backup my laptop drive to an external USB drive (WD). But Norton was not working well (it kept hanging after the reboot). So I was looking for an alternative. I found "Macrium Reflect" while googling. I created the image on the fly (from within windows), and it was so easy. It also lets you create a "linux based" bootable restore disk, which I have handy. So basically you boot form the CD, and it automatically go into restore mode. The best thing is that it's free (no support however). There is more advanced version, which I might choose to buy. I guess it sound more like what Grenage is recommending (using "dd" in conjuction with Linux). Thanks




The images are stored on a remote server. I use a floppy disk to reboot the machine and access the netowrk drive.


The workstations don't change almost at all, so I create an image of each every 2 months. The servers are mostly application SQL servers. The database is backed up every night using SQL (I have a combination of full and differential). The ghost images for the servers is created every month. Thanks

 

[Prydonian]

TT2006;

From what I remember, your problem with Ghost2003 is that it doesn't have built in SATA drivers, so if you're imaging a machine with SATA drives, it all goes well until reboot time. When the machine restarts, Ghost2003 hangs because it can no longer "see" any hard drives.

For the last couple of years, we've been using Acronis True Image Enterprise which meets all of our needs, including use in disaster recovery by creating images of all of our servers for recovery purposes. The nicet part is that you can do a hardware indepedent restore (where the recovery system is different hardware than the imaged system).

Mike, The IT Guy

If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a veteran!

 

[manhunter2826]

I use it mostly to deploy out my base images onto desktops I need to get ready to deploy. I have a machine ready for a user in less than an hour from the time I plug it.

Arizona: this is what I wish to accomplish for my network. For example, if a machine gets corrupted, rather than fiddle about with settings etc, instead I just want to re-image it to it's previous good (network) state. Would you know of a simple DIY guide that instructs one how to use Ghost to create the image in the first instance (in the manner you describe) AND how to deploy the image on a corrupted machine. The reason I ask is because I had little luck in the past: it's not GUI based I believe, and requires creating a network boot diskette etc. Thank you.

 

[ArizonaGeek]

manhunter2826, shoot me an email and I can help you out. I haven't really found too many guides, more like pieces of guides that worked for some people and I had to do trial and error to get mine to work. A whole lot of error for a while. But I have got it down pretty good now. My email address is my nick here on Tek-Tips at Google's email system.

I suppose one of these days I should create some documents on how to do it you aren't the first person who has asked me to help them. Might do that as I help you and then create an FAQ here on it.

Cheers
Rob

The answer is always "PEBKAC!

 

[manhunter2826]

Arizona: Thanks so much, that's really kind of you. I will drop you an email next week. I didn't mean to increase your work load. Is your email suffix google.com? Once again, thank you and have a super weekend

 

[ArizonaGeek]

You're not increasing my workload at all. Really. And gmail.com is Googles email.

The answer is always "PEBKAC!

 

[dippncope]

putting switch -fni will allow ghost to work with sata drives. on your boot disk it would be a:\ghost.exe -fni