First, here's my setup--I have a P4 PC built from scratch including a 6.02 GB (very old Maxtor) boot drive formatted in NTFS as well as a 120 GB Maxtor HD divided into a 6.0 GB partition (G:\. meant for backups) and a data partition using the rest (H:\), both formatted in FAT32. Everything runs WinXP Pro fine

I just bought a 250GB Maxtor HD. Of course, what I want to do is use the 120 GB Maxtor as my boot drive (with specific partitions for SOME backups, temp files, and program files), and the new 250 GB for storing my data and performing backups. What I WANT to do is back up the 120 GB drive to the 250 GB drive, re-format it into NTFS, and then install XP Pro on it using a backup from the 6.02 GB boot drive I'm using now.

Is there a way to do all this? I have only ever used Ghost in the past, but let's just say I'm not going to use it this time (unless it's been updated since 2003).

My biggest concern is finding a way to do an IMAGE backup of my boot drive so that I can install my OS once (with all my necessary programs, settings, and drivers), then back it up to an image so later I could test different hardware and settings and programs WITHOUT having to go through all that trouble to set up my OS again.

FYI, I have another computer I can use to swap a hard drive around if that helps. I can't seem to figure out a good solution or a good program. I'm desperately out of ideas, which is why I'm asking this question here at Pimprig.

Does anyone even know of any good boot image backup software? Or has anyone else had enough problems with Ghost to give up on it? I'm starting to think I should take the 250 GB drive back without ever even opening it.

Or better yet, is there a better website I should be using for a question like this BESIDES Pimprig? There doesn't seem to be anyone here who can help, but I can't figure out anywhere else to go that would be worth it (I've tried others, but I have only ever received "rookie" responses and deamnds to just switch to a Mac...)

i'm not entirely sure but i think you might be looking for disk image or drive image

i don't remember what it is that the people at maxpc use but to my recollection it's drive image. don't quote me on that though as my memory isn't the best

Drive Image or Ghost would work for what you want. Both are owned by Symantec now.

Quote: Originally Posted by BigAkita Drive Image or Ghost would work for what you want. Both are owned by Symantec now.

The problem I had with Ghost in the past was that it wouldn't work most of the time, and even when it would, the two drives/partitions had to be the exact same size down to the byte. I've tried drive image, but I still don't see a way to use it in my situation to backup the data onto the new 250GB drive and THEN backup the original boot drive to the 120GB drive I'm using for data now.

Has anyone used Ghost or Drive Image with any success?

I've used ghost sucessfully several times, with different sized drives, but as I'm re-reading your proposal, you are going to move all data from the 120 to the 250, then reformat the 120 to NTFS, and then put the data back? Why go through all the trouble, when you should just be able to upgrade to NTFS within the current OS or combined with an upgrade to XP? After that upgrade is done, then make the image to whatever drive you want, but even then, using XP will give you a system restore option which should take the headaches away from dealing with wrong drivers, etc...

Ghost works great, but I don't think what you are planning on doing needs it, other than for peace of mind.

Quote: Originally Posted by Greydawg The problem I had with Ghost in the past was that it wouldn't work most of the time, and even when it would, the two drives/partitions had to be the exact same size down to the byte. I've tried drive image, but I still don't see a way to use it in my situation to backup the data onto the new 250GB drive and THEN backup the original boot drive to the 120GB drive I'm using for data now. Has anyone used Ghost or Drive Image with any success?

I do this all the time. It's what I do for a living.

You must use a current version of DeployCenter (DriveImage's new name) or Ghost. I use DeployCenter (because it's what's available to me here). Older versions will only give you an error when you try and image XP.

Step 1: do a disc copy of your 120GB to your 250GB drive. IMPORTANT: you must NOT expand the partition - leave the remaining as unused space or you'll have a corrupt NTFS partition table.
Step 2: do a disc copy of your 6GB drive to your 120GB drive. IMPORTANT: you must NOT expand the partition - leave the remaining as unused space or you'll have a boot failure and a corrupt NTFS table.
Step 3: Use PartitionMagic to expand your partitions. You have to use a current version...PM6 doesn't do XP partitions.

Quote: Originally Posted by Im_gumby I've used ghost sucessfully several times, with different sized drives, but as I'm re-reading your proposal, you are going to move all data from the 120 to the 250, then reformat the 120 to NTFS, and then put the data back? Why go through all the trouble, when you should just be able to upgrade to NTFS within the current OS or combined with an upgrade to XP? After that upgrade is done, then make the image to whatever drive you want, but even then, using XP will give you a system restore option which should take the headaches away from dealing with wrong drivers, etc... Ghost works great, but I don't think what you are planning on doing needs it, other than for peace of mind.

To answer your question, I have to reformat the completely because there are some corrupt files and I want to be sure I've gotten rid of them by doing a complete wipe and then formatting into NTFS.

How much do the programs cost? I've tried partition magic before, but it still seems strange to me--does it actually do any REAL formatting/partitioning, etc, or is it just "virtual" or something? It seems weird that Partition Magic does what it claims it does all from within the OS, that's all. So partition magic really is all that, huh?

Quote: Originally Posted by Greydawg To answer your question, I have to reformat the completely because there are some corrupt files and I want to be sure I've gotten rid of them by doing a complete wipe and then formatting into NTFS. How much do the programs cost? I've tried partition magic before, but it still seems strange to me--does it actually do any REAL formatting/partitioning, etc, or is it just "virtual" or something? It seems weird that Partition Magic does what it claims it does all from within the OS, that's all. So partition magic really is all that, huh?

Yes, it is all that, yes, it does REAL partitioning, it's not virtual, and no, it doesn't do it in the OS. You make the changes there, but then it reboots the computer and does the changes offline. One more reboot and you're done.

Quote: Originally Posted by Greydawg To answer your question, I have to reformat the completely because there are some corrupt files and I want to be sure I've gotten rid of them by doing a complete wipe and then formatting into NTFS.

But if there are corrupt files, the Ghost or Drive Image should also have the corrupted files, since it is a 1 to 1 copy. Now, I'm assuming this as I haven't personally verified that these programs would copy a corrupt file, but logically GIGO.

Quote: Originally Posted by Im_gumby But if there are corrupt files, the Ghost or Drive Image should also have the corrupted files, since it is a 1 to 1 copy. Now, I'm assuming this as I haven't personally verified that these programs would copy a corrupt file, but logically GIGO.

GIGO? That a new one for me...

Yes, they will copy corrupt files.

Quote: Originally Posted by pimp_joose GIGO? That a new one for me... Yes, they will copy corrupt files.

Well, I wouldn't be using them to copy the corrput files. I wouldn't be backing up the entire drive, just most of the data. I'll see about using partition magic, but first I have to figure out how I'm going to do this and which programs I'll have to buy--I'd rather not spend as much money on software as I did on the damn hard drive itself!

Well, to the best of my knowledge you can't selectively exclude files, Ghost (and Drive Image I would suspect) is a full partition to partition copy or Disk to Disk. Sorry, but to remove the corrupt files, I'd do a full OS reinstall to correct these problems, THEN copy it over to your new drive.

Quote: Originally Posted by pimp_joose GIGO? That a new one for me... Yes, they will copy corrupt files.

Nah its actually an old one your just thinking to hard - GIGO - Garbage IN Garbage OUT