best free/shareware to backup the system with an image

sobriquet

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Nov 23, 2007, 7:01:06 PM11/23/07

to

Hello.

Does anyone know any good suggestions for a shareware or freeware
equivalent of Norton Ghost and Acronis True Image to create an image
file as a backup from the system partition of a computer so windows
can be restored to an earlier configuration including all installed
programs (presuming all programs were installed on that same system
partition)?
Or, even better, a webpage that compares and evaluates various free/
shareware and commercial alternatives for making such system backups
in the form of images (that can be backed up on an external drive or
stack of dvds).

Kind regards and thanks for any suggestions, N

p.s. also posted this to comp.-sys.-ibm.-pc.-hardware.-storage
previously, but I accidentally didn't crosspost it properly the first
time. Please respond to this msg (which is crossposted to both groups)
if you intend to reply.

Bear Bottoms

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Nov 23, 2007, 11:14:52 PM11/23/07

to

http://gparted.sourceforge.net/index.php

--
Bear Bottoms
Freeware website http://bearbottoms1.com

wasbit

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Nov 24, 2007, 6:16:16 AM11/24/07

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Backup, Clone & Imaging :

Windows XP - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320820
- http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302894
-
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/learnmore/bott_03july14.mspx

Message has been deleted

Bear Bottoms

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Nov 24, 2007, 3:51:14 PM11/24/07

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On Sat, 24 Nov 2007 14:32:32 -0600, Paul Blarmy <foxe...@trashmail.net>
wrote:

> On Fri, 23 Nov 2007 22:14:52 -0600, Bear Bottoms wrote...
>
>> http://gparted.sourceforge.net/index.php
>
> Isn't that just for partitioning a HD rather than what the OP wanted - a
> disk image creator?
>
GParted is an industrial-strength package for creating, destroying,
resizing, moving, checking and copying partitions, and the filesystems on
them. This is useful for creating space for new operating systems,
reorganizing disk usage, copying data residing on hard disks and mirroring
one partition with another (disk imaging).

sobriquet

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Nov 24, 2007, 6:04:21 PM11/24/07

to

On 24 nov, 21:51, "Bear Bottoms" <bearbotto...@gmai.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 24 Nov 2007 14:32:32 -0600, Paul Blarmy <foxes...@trashmail.net>

What would be the most obvious way to use Gparted on windows machines
(xp/vista)? Running linux from a usb stick or cd and running gparted
from that?
I do have some experience using linux in the past, so this would be ok
with me, but if possible I'd prefer having something similar I can run
from an usb stick or dvd that boots in windows.

sobriquet

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Nov 24, 2007, 6:08:09 PM11/24/07

to

On 24 nov, 12:16, "wasbit" <wasbit(at)@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Backup, Clone & Imaging :
>
> Abakt -http://www.xs4all.nl/~edienske/abakt/
> AKG Backup -http://www.akgupta.com/applications/akgbackup.htm

> Allway Sync -http://allwaysync.com/

> - (Freeware limit = 20,000 files per 30 days)
> Amanda -http://www.zmanda.com/amanda-community-edition.html
> AmBackup -http://www.ambackup.net/
> Back2zip -http://freeware.nauu.kiev.ua/System-Utilities-Backup-and-Restore.php
> Back4win -http://www.back4win.com/
> Backup Maker(v4) -http://www.dirfile.com/backup_maker.htm
> Backup Maker(v5.2) -https://ssl.kundenserver.de/ascomp.net/index.php?php=download

> CDriveBack -http://sourceforge.net/projects/cdriveback

> - Boot the Live-CD, wait for it to settle, hit enter, C: Drive will be
> backed up, also has advanced options.
> CloneMax -http://www.pcinspector.de/clone-maxx/uk/welcome.htm
> Clonezilla -http://clonezilla.sourceforge.net/
> Cobian Backup 7+8 -http://www.educ.umu.se/~cobian/cobianbackup.htm
> Comodo -http://www.backup.comodo.com/
> D Sync -http://dimio.altervista.org/eng/
> DFIncBackup -http://www.dfincbackup.net/freeware.htm
> DiscWizard (Seagate) -http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/discwizard
> DiskImage -http://www.dubaron.com/diskimage/

> Drive Image XML -http://www.runtime.org/dixml.htm

> Drive-To-Drive Copy (Western Digital) -http://support.wdc.com/download/index.asp?swid=1
> Dubaron DiskImage -http://www.dubaron.com/diskimage/
> EaseUs Disk Copy -http://www.easeus.com/disk-copy/index.htm
> Easy2Sync (files) -http://www.easy2sync.de/en/produkte/easy2sync.php
> Easy2Sync (Outlook) -http://www.easy2sync.de/en/produkte/e2s4o.php
> Everyday Auto Backup -http://www.backupsoft.net/everydayautobackup.htm
> EzBackup -http://www.ravib.com/ezbackup/
> EzBackitup -http://www.rdcomp.net/ezbackitup/
> EzyImager -http://www.techbeta.org/news.php?item.5865.6
> -http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Hard-Disk-Utils/EzyImager.shtml
> Febees Backup -http://www.febees.com/index.html
> Forensic Acquisition Utilities -http://users.erols.com/gmgarner/forensics/
> Freebyte Backup -http://www.freebyte.com/fbbackup/

> g4u -http://www.feyrer.de/g4u/

> GoodSync(free for personal use) -http://www.goodsync.com/index.html
> HdClone -http://www.miray.de/products/sat.hdclone.html
> HDCopy (95/98/ME) -http://home.tiscali.de/zdata/hdcopy_e.htm
> JaBack -http://www.hiteksoftware.com/jaba/index.htm

> Karen's Replicator -http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp

> Microbackup - http:/www.microbackup2006.com
> My Own Backup -http://www.woundedmoon.org/win32/mobv21.html
> -http://vipmeister.com/dl/myownbackup/myownbackup.html
> NFGDump -http://sourceforge.net/projects/nfgdump/

> PartImage -http://www.partimage.org/Main_Page

> Partition Is Not Ghost (PING) -http://ping.windowsdream.com/

> Partition Saving -http://www.partition-saving.com/
> Roadkil's Disk Image -http://www.roadkil.net/DiskImg.html

> Roadkil's Raw Copy -http://www.roadkil.net/RawCopy.html
> Self Image -http://selfimage.excelcia.org/
> Simple Backup -http://www.awitness.org/software/index.html
> SimplySafe -http://www.simplysafebackup.com/details.htm
> Snap Backup -http://www.snapbackup.com
> SyncBack -http://www.2brightsparks.com/freeware/freeware-hub.html

> SyncToy v1.4 (Microsoft) -http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=e0fc1154-c97...
> System Rescue cd -http://www.sysresccd.org/Main_Page
> Tarylynn -http://www.kanastacorp.com/tarylynn.html
> UBcd -http://ubcd.sourceforge.net/
> Unison File Synchronizer -http://www.cis.upenn.edu/~bcpierce/unison/
> WD Data Lifeguard -http://support.wdc.com/download/?cxml=n&pid=999&swid=3
> WinDD -http://sourceforge.net/projects/windd/
> XXClone -http://www.xxclone.com/
> XXCopy -http://www.xxcopy.com/index.htm
> YCopy -http://www.ruahine.com/
>
> Windows XP -http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320820
> -http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302894
> -http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/learnmore/bott_03july1...

Thx. If only that gigantic list had a large database of userratings
and userreviews associated with it, then it would be perfect. How to
sort the more reliable and userfriendly/full-featured programs from
the lesser ones without testing them all?

Bear Bottoms

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Nov 24, 2007, 6:14:34 PM11/24/07

to

Take your pick:

GPARTED-LiveCD http://gparted-livecd.tuxfamily.org/
The power and simplicity of GParted on a biz-card size LiveCD.
The CD aims to be fast, small in size (~50mb), and use minimal resources
to get that disk partitioned the way you want it. GParted LiveCD is based
on Gentoo-catalyst, and uses Xorg,the lightweight Fluxbox window manager,
and the latest 2.6 Linux Kernel.
Being up to date is important! GParted LiveCD will be updated along side
the GParted source releases and have minor releases when bugs are fixed
or new filesystem tools become available.
The CD also offers the following programs: parted and fdisk
vi, ntfs-3g, partimage, testdisk, Terminal and Midnight Commander.
And also tool to make screenshots.
GParted LiveCD runs on most x86 machines with a celeron 500mhz or better.
The minimal amount of memory I have tested is 64MO.

There is also a screen shot at the link.

Bear Bottoms

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Nov 24, 2007, 6:19:55 PM11/24/07

to

On Sat, 24 Nov 2007 17:04:21 -0600, sobriquet <dohd...@yahoo.com> wrote:

>
> What would be the most obvious way to use Gparted on windows machines
> (xp/vista)? Running linux from a usb stick or cd and running gparted
> from that?
> I do have some experience using linux in the past, so this would be ok
> with me, but if possible I'd prefer having something similar I can run
> from an usb stick or dvd that boots in windows.

You could also try:
http://www.runtime.org/dixml.htm

http://www.miray.de/products/sat.hdclone.html

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/copywipe.php

All work well.

Susan Bugher

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Nov 24, 2007, 9:30:52 PM11/24/07

to

sobriquet wrote:
> On 24 nov, 12:16, "wasbit" <wasbit(at)@hotmail.com> wrote:

>>Backup, Clone & Imaging :

<SNIP>

> Thx. If only that gigantic list had a large database of userratings
> and userreviews associated with it, then it would be perfect. How to
> sort the more reliable and userfriendly/full-featured programs from
> the lesser ones without testing them all?

The Pricelessware List is a good place to start ("The best of the best
in Freeware - selected by alt.comp.freeware participants").
http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/2007/PL2007ProgramIndex.php
You'll see DriveImaage XML listed there:
http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/2007/PL2007SYSTEMUTILITIES.php#4129-PW
and a few of the others apps.

Another resource is the ACF archive maintained by Google. The archive is
ACF's "database of user reviews". The list posted by wasbit gives you
some names and URLs to look for.
<http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware&num=100&lr=&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d>

A third resource is the ACF program information pages. Drive imagers
*should* be listed in the Drive Imager subcategory (I'll confess some
are "misfiled" - mea culpa). That should help you winnow the field.
http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/acf/P_SYSTEMUTILITIES.php#5.00DriveImager

HTH

Susan
--
Posted to alt.comp.freeware
Search alt.comp.freeware (or read it online):
http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware
Pricelessware & ACF: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org
Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)

Message has been deleted

sobriquet

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Dec 18, 2007, 9:40:13 AM12/18/07

to

On 25 nov, 00:14, "Bear Bottoms" <bearbotto...@gmai.com> wrote:

> On Sat, 24 Nov 2007 17:04:21 -0600, sobriquet <dohduh...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > On 24 nov, 21:51, "Bear Bottoms" <bearbotto...@gmai.com> wrote:
> >> On Sat, 24 Nov 2007 14:32:32 -0600, Paul Blarmy <foxes...@trashmail.net>
> >> wrote:
>
> >> > On Fri, 23 Nov 2007 22:14:52 -0600, Bear Bottoms wrote...
>
> >> >>http://gparted.sourceforge.net/index.php
>
> >> > Isn't that just for partitioning a HD rather than what the OP wanted
> >> - a
> >> > disk image creator?
>

> >>GPartedis an industrial-strength package for creating, destroying,

> >> resizing, moving, checking and copying partitions, and the filesystems
> >> on
> >> them. This is useful for creating space for new operating systems,
> >> reorganizing disk usage, copying data residing on hard disks and
> >> mirroring
> >> one partition with another (disk imaging).
>
> >> --
> >> Bear Bottoms
> >> Freeware website http://bearbottoms1.com
>

> > What would be the most obvious way to useGpartedon windows machines

> > (xp/vista)? Running linux from a usb stick or cd and runninggparted
> > from that?
> > I do have some experience using linux in the past, so this would be ok
> > with me, but if possible I'd prefer having something similar I can run
> > from an usb stick or dvd that boots in windows.
>
> Take your pick:
>

> GPARTED-LiveCDhttp://gparted-livecd.tuxfamily.org/
> The power and simplicity ofGPartedon a biz-card size LiveCD.

> The CD aims to be fast, small in size (~50mb), and use minimal resources

> to get that disk partitioned the way you want it.GPartedLiveCD is based

> on Gentoo-catalyst, and uses Xorg,the lightweight Fluxbox window manager,
> and the latest 2.6 Linux Kernel.

> Being up to date is important!GPartedLiveCD will be updated along side
> theGPartedsource releases and have minor releases when bugs are fixed

> or new filesystem tools become available.
> The CD also offers the following programs: parted and fdisk
> vi, ntfs-3g, partimage, testdisk, Terminal and Midnight Commander.

> And also tool to make screenshots.GPartedLiveCD runs on most x86 machines with a celeron 500mhz or better.

> The minimal amount of memory I have tested is 64MO.
>
> There is also a screen shot at the link.
>
> --
> Bear Bottoms

> Freeware website http://bearbottoms1.com- Tekst uit oorspronkelijk bericht niet weergeven -
>
> - Tekst uit oorspronkelijk bericht weergeven -

I've used gparted now in practice and one thing that seems like real
hassle is ensuring partitions are the same size. You can only see the
size in megabytes and sometimes you can't easily create a partition on
an external usb drive that is exactly the same size as the partition
on the internal HD so you can copy and paste between these two
partitions. Does anyone know an easy trick to circumvent this issue?
The last time I had to shrink a partition on the internal HD in order
to ensure it was exactly the same size as a partition on the external
HD and that seems like a crazy thing to do when you want to backup a
partition. It requires the windows dvd to repair the windows
installation but there must be a less ridiculous way to backup the
partition that has all installed windows software and applications.

sobriquet

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Dec 18, 2007, 3:44:28 PM12/18/07

to

> > Freeware website http://bearbottoms1.com-Tekst uit oorspronkelijk bericht niet weergeven -

>
> > - Tekst uit oorspronkelijk bericht weergeven -
>
> I've used gparted now in practice and one thing that seems like real
> hassle is ensuring partitions are the same size. You can only see the
> size in megabytes and sometimes you can't easily create a partition on
> an external usb drive that is exactly the same size as the partition
> on the internal HD so you can copy and paste between these two
> partitions. Does anyone know an easy trick to circumvent this issue?
> The last time I had to shrink a partition on the internal HD in order
> to ensure it was exactly the same size as a partition on the external
> HD and that seems like a crazy thing to do when you want to backup a
> partition. It requires the windows dvd to repair the windows
> installation but there must be a less ridiculous way to backup the

> partition that has all installed windows software and applications.- Tekst uit oorspronkelijk bericht niet weergeven -

>
> - Tekst uit oorspronkelijk bericht weergeven -

I've used gparted to backup the 160 gb hd in my dell laptop and it
contains a confusing default configuration of partitions:

first 86 mb fat 16 ( 63, 176714, 176652)
second 10240 mb ntfs ( 178176, 21149695, 20971520)
third 140251 mb ntfs ( 21149696, 308383743, 287234048)
fourth 2048 mb extended (308383744, 312578047, 4194304)
--unallocated 1 mb (308383744, 308385791, 2048)
--fifth 2047 mb fat 32 (308385792, 312578047, 4192256)

samsung (heads:255, sect/track:63, cyl:19457, sect:312576705)

The third partition contains the installed software and other
partitions are default backup partitions from dell or system
partitions.

I use a 250 gb usb wd passport drive to backup the entire 160 gb
drive.

first 86 mb fat 16 ( 63, 176714, 176652)
second 10240 mb ntfs ( 176715, 21148235, 20971521)
third 140251 mb ntfs ( 21148236, 308382284, 287234049)
fourth 2048 mb extended (308382285, 312576589, 4194305)
--unallocated 1 mb (308382285, 308384332, 2048)
--fifth 2047 mb fat 32 (308384333, 312576589, 4192257)
unallocated 83.84 gb (312576590, 488392064, 175815475)

wd (heads:255, sect/track:63, cyl:30401, sect:488392065)

I want to make backups with ghost 12 and acronis 11 and like to have
an exact clone of the information on hd as an extra backup in case
anything goes wrong.
It was a bit tricky to get gparted configured so it had partitions on
the usb drive matching the configuration of the internal drive, but by
unsetting the "round to nearest sector" checkbox at the size settings
for the creation of a new partition and inserting unallocated space in
front of the fifth partition I succeeded. I find it a bit mysterious
though that gparted sometimes fails in its creation of new partitions
(like if you attempt to create the fifth partition without inserting 1
mb of unallocated space in my particular situation).

I assume partitions cloned with gparted are not of forensic quality
and they copy data excluding data in unallocated space, but if anyone
knows any details on this issue I'd like hear about it.

sobriquet

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Dec 20, 2007, 2:48:37 AM12/20/07

to

> > > Freeware website http://bearbottoms1.com-Tekstuit oorspronkelijk bericht niet weergeven -

"Round to cylinders" that is.

settings
> for the creation of a new partition and inserting unallocated space in
> front of the fifth partition I succeeded. I find it a bit mysterious
> though that gparted sometimes fails in its creation of new partitions
> (like if you attempt to create the fifth partition without inserting 1
> mb of unallocated space in my particular situation).
>
> I assume partitions cloned with gparted are not of forensic quality
> and they copy data excluding data in unallocated space, but if anyone

> knows any details on this issue I'd like hear about it.- Tekst uit oorspronkelijk bericht niet weergeven -

>
> - Tekst uit oorspronkelijk bericht weergeven -

This doesn't seem to be working. I can copy all partitions, but I
can't copy them back because the size of partitions differs by one
sector (except for the first partition). So I can copy from the
internal to the external drive, but I can't copy it back.
*sigh*

sobriquet

unread,

Dec 20, 2007, 5:20:44 AM12/20/07

to

On 20 dec, 08:48, sobriquet <dohduh...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On 18 dec, 21:44, sobriquet <dohduh...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On 18 dec, 15:40, sobriquet <dohduh...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > <view with fixed width font>
>

> > I've usedgpartedto backup the 160 gb hd in my dell laptop and it

> > contains a confusing default configuration of partitions:
>
> > first 86 mb fat 16 ( 63, 176714, 176652)

> > second 10240 mb ntfs( 178176, 21149695, 20971520)
> > third 140251 mb ntfs( 21149696, 308383743, 287234048)

> > fourth 2048 mb extended (308383744, 312578047, 4194304)
> > --unallocated 1 mb (308383744, 308385791, 2048)
> > --fifth 2047 mb fat 32 (308385792, 312578047, 4192256)
>
> > samsung (heads:255, sect/track:63, cyl:19457, sect:312576705)
>
> > The third partition contains the installed software and other
> > partitions are default backup partitions from dell or system
> > partitions.
>
> > I use a 250 gb usb wd passport drive to backup the entire 160 gb
> > drive.
>
> > first 86 mb fat 16 ( 63, 176714, 176652)

> > second 10240 mb ntfs( 176715, 21148235, 20971521)
> > third 140251 mb ntfs( 21148236, 308382284, 287234049)

> > fourth 2048 mb extended (308382285, 312576589, 4194305)
> > --unallocated 1 mb (308382285, 308384332, 2048)
> > --fifth 2047 mb fat 32 (308384333, 312576589, 4192257)
> > unallocated 83.84 gb (312576590, 488392064, 175815475)
>
> > wd (heads:255, sect/track:63, cyl:30401, sect:488392065)
>
> > I want to make backups with ghost 12 and acronis 11 and like to have
> > an exact clone of the information on hd as an extra backup in case
> > anything goes wrong.

> > It was a bit tricky to getgpartedconfigured so it had partitions on

> > the usb drive matching the configuration of the internal drive, but by
> > unsetting the "round to nearest sector" checkbox at the size
>
> "Round to cylinders" that is.
>
> settings
>
> > for the creation of a new partition and inserting unallocated space in
> > front of the fifth partition I succeeded. I find it a bit mysterious

> > though thatgpartedsometimes fails in its creation of new partitions

> > (like if you attempt to create the fifth partition without inserting 1
> > mb of unallocated space in my particular situation).
>

> > I assume partitions cloned withgpartedare not of forensic quality
> > and theycopydata excluding data in unallocated space, but if anyone

> > knows any details on this issue I'd like hear about it.- Tekst uit oorspronkelijk bericht niet weergeven -
>
> > - Tekst uit oorspronkelijk bericht weergeven -
>
> This doesn't seem to be working. I cancopyall partitions, but I

> can'tcopythem back because the size of partitions differs by one
> sector (except for the first partition). So I cancopyfrom the

> internal to the external drive, but I can'tcopyit back.

> *sigh*- Tekst uit oorspronkelijk bericht niet weergeven -

>
> - Tekst uit oorspronkelijk bericht weergeven -

I guess I should have pasted partitions in unused space instead of
making partitions manually matching in size.