Imaging software

Has anyone had any experiences, good or bad, with any of the following
imaging software? I would appreciate any information you can give me.
To the best of my knowledge they are all compatible with Vista. I've
researched all of them but have no experience with any of them. I am
currently using Acronis True Image 11.

Active Disk Image 3.1
Retrospect Express HD
Image for Windows
Paragon Exact Image
Paragon Hard Disk Manager
ShadowProtect 3.2
Norton Ghost 14

C.B.


--
It is the responsibility and duty of everyone to help the underprivileged
and unfortunate among us.

On Fri, 6 Jun 2008 16:31:16 -0400, "C.B."
<> wrote:

> Has anyone had any experiences, good or bad, with any of the following
>imaging software? I would appreciate any information you can give me.
> To the best of my knowledge they are all compatible with Vista. I've
>researched all of them but have no experience with any of them. I am
>currently using Acronis True Image 11.
>
>Active Disk Image 3.1
>Retrospect Express HD
>Image for Windows
>Paragon Exact Image
>Paragon Hard Disk Manager
>ShadowProtect 3.2
>Norton Ghost 14
>
>C.B.

I wouldn't recommend or use any disk imaging software, period. I tried
a early version of Norton's Ghost years ago. Thankfully I tested only
a smaller hard drive I had separate backup for. It said it made a
successful backup of this drive but when I tried to restore things it
failed. THAT is a serious issues with all imaging software. They may
work, but you won't find out IF they worked until you need them. If
they fail then, you're up the creek without a paddle.

I back up the old fashioned way. I simply make multiple copies of MY
data files. That's it. If I even need to reinstall the system or some
software I'll cross that bridge if and when I need to.

Have to agree Albright...The restoration never works.
Back up data....data is what is lost, not the OS

--
Hobbes
Tiger Extraordinaire/ TDTK, QZ,MissAK
"Adam Albright" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Fri, 6 Jun 2008 16:31:16 -0400, "C.B."
> <> wrote:
>
>> Has anyone had any experiences, good or bad, with any of the
>> following
>>imaging software? I would appreciate any information you can give me.
>> To the best of my knowledge they are all compatible with Vista. I've
>>researched all of them but have no experience with any of them. I am
>>currently using Acronis True Image 11.
>>
>>Active Disk Image 3.1
>>Retrospect Express HD
>>Image for Windows
>>Paragon Exact Image
>>Paragon Hard Disk Manager
>>ShadowProtect 3.2
>>Norton Ghost 14
>>
>>C.B.
>
> I wouldn't recommend or use any disk imaging software, period. I tried
> a early version of Norton's Ghost years ago. Thankfully I tested only
> a smaller hard drive I had separate backup for. It said it made a
> successful backup of this drive but when I tried to restore things it
> failed. THAT is a serious issues with all imaging software. They may
> work, but you won't find out IF they worked until you need them. If
> they fail then, you're up the creek without a paddle.
>
> I back up the old fashioned way. I simply make multiple copies of MY
> data files. That's it. If I even need to reinstall the system or some
> software I'll cross that bridge if and when I need to.
>

Adam Albright wrote:
> On Fri, 6 Jun 2008 16:31:16 -0400, "C.B."
> <> wrote:
>
>> Has anyone had any experiences, good or bad, with any of the following
>> imaging software? I would appreciate any information you can give me.
>> To the best of my knowledge they are all compatible with Vista. I've
>> researched all of them but have no experience with any of them. I am
>> currently using Acronis True Image 11.
>>
>> Active Disk Image 3.1
>> Retrospect Express HD
>> Image for Windows
>> Paragon Exact Image
>> Paragon Hard Disk Manager
>> ShadowProtect 3.2
>> Norton Ghost 14
>>
>> C.B.
>
> I wouldn't recommend or use any disk imaging software, period. I tried
> a early version of Norton's Ghost years ago. Thankfully I tested only
> a smaller hard drive I had separate backup for. It said it made a
> successful backup of this drive but when I tried to restore things it
> failed. THAT is a serious issues with all imaging software. They may
> work, but you won't find out IF they worked until you need them. If
> they fail then, you're up the creek without a paddle.
>
> I back up the old fashioned way. I simply make multiple copies of MY
> data files. That's it. If I even need to reinstall the system or some
> software I'll cross that bridge if and when I need to.
>
Adam, what you say makes perfect sense. The only thing that an image
resto does is save an awful lot of time and work. I did a full disk
restore after a virus problem using Ghost 9 and it worked out pretty
well. That was a number of years ago, but I don't recall any problems
completing the process.

--
Dave T.


"Your attitude serves as a lens through which you see life, and it's
best when that lens is focused on the positive possibilities." - Ralph
Marston

"Dave T." <> wrote in message
news:8Kk2k.5194$...
> Adam Albright wrote:
>> On Fri, 6 Jun 2008 16:31:16 -0400, "C.B."
>> <> wrote:
>>
>>> Has anyone had any experiences, good or bad, with any of the
>>> following imaging software? I would appreciate any information you can
>>> give me.
>>> To the best of my knowledge they are all compatible with Vista. I've
>>> researched all of them but have no experience with any of them. I am
>>> currently using Acronis True Image 11.
>>>
>>> Active Disk Image 3.1
>>> Retrospect Express HD
>>> Image for Windows
>>> Paragon Exact Image
>>> Paragon Hard Disk Manager
>>> ShadowProtect 3.2
>>> Norton Ghost 14
>>>
>>> C.B.
>>
>> I wouldn't recommend or use any disk imaging software, period. I tried
>> a early version of Norton's Ghost years ago. Thankfully I tested only
>> a smaller hard drive I had separate backup for. It said it made a
>> successful backup of this drive but when I tried to restore things it
>> failed. THAT is a serious issues with all imaging software. They may
>> work, but you won't find out IF they worked until you need them. If
>> they fail then, you're up the creek without a paddle. I back up the old
>> fashioned way. I simply make multiple copies of MY
>> data files. That's it. If I even need to reinstall the system or some
>> software I'll cross that bridge if and when I need to.
>>
> Adam, what you say makes perfect sense. The only thing that an image resto
> does is save an awful lot of time and work. I did a full disk restore
> after a virus problem using Ghost 9 and it worked out pretty well. That
> was a number of years ago, but I don't recall any problems completing the
> process.
>
> --
> Dave T.
>
>
> "Your attitude serves as a lens through which you see life, and it's best
> when that lens is focused on the positive possibilities." - Ralph Marston

I've done several restores using Acronis True Image 11 and they all
went extremely well. I've restored from the Acronis Secure Zone, my first
external HD, my second external HD (the backup was actually a copy {Copy to
Folder} I made from my first HD) and from the bootable recovery disk I made.
No problems with any of them.
I always validate the backups upon completion and occasionally do a
restore just to make sure everything is working as it should. I do full disk
backups only. The backups take appx. 15 minutes and the restores 20-30
minutes, depending on where they came from.
It sure beats the hell out of reinstalling the OS, updates and all the
third party software. By the way, nice sig.

C.B.


--
It is the responsibility and duty of everyone to help the underprivileged
and unfortunate among us.

The best I have found and use are the products from
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/index.htm

I like the Image For DOS. All of the products you can try as they give you a
trial period. You can't go wrong and don't lose no money and see if you like
them. I have been using Bing, Image for DOS and Image for Windows and have
tried Image for Linux. Like I said I do mainly use Image for DOS (IFD).You
don't have to have Linux to use it. Some use it cause it has support for
more external devices and also provides more speed in some cases.


"C.B." <> wrote in message
news:CA577432-CF69-451B-A45A-...
> Has anyone had any experiences, good or bad, with any of the following
> imaging software? I would appreciate any information you can give me.
> To the best of my knowledge they are all compatible with Vista. I've
> researched all of them but have no experience with any of them. I am
> currently using Acronis True Image 11.
>
> Active Disk Image 3.1
> Retrospect Express HD
> Image for Windows
> Paragon Exact Image
> Paragon Hard Disk Manager
> ShadowProtect 3.2
> Norton Ghost 14
>
> C.B.
>
>
> --
> It is the responsibility and duty of everyone to help the underprivileged
> and unfortunate among us.

Thank you for the reply. I appreciate it.

C.B.


"Ed." <> wrote in message
news:...
> The best I have found and use are the products from
> http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/index.htm
>
> I like the Image For DOS. All of the products you can try as they give you
> a trial period. You can't go wrong and don't lose no money and see if you
> like them. I have been using Bing, Image for DOS and Image for Windows and
> have tried Image for Linux. Like I said I do mainly use Image for DOS
> (IFD).You don't have to have Linux to use it. Some use it cause it has
> support for more external devices and also provides more speed in some
> cases.
>
>
> "C.B." <> wrote in message
> news:CA577432-CF69-451B-A45A-...
>> Has anyone had any experiences, good or bad, with any of the
>> following imaging software? I would appreciate any information you can
>> give me.
>> To the best of my knowledge they are all compatible with Vista. I've
>> researched all of them but have no experience with any of them. I am
>> currently using Acronis True Image 11.
>>
>> Active Disk Image 3.1
>> Retrospect Express HD
>> Image for Windows
>> Paragon Exact Image
>> Paragon Hard Disk Manager
>> ShadowProtect 3.2
>> Norton Ghost 14
>>
>> C.B.
>>
>>
>> --
>> It is the responsibility and duty of everyone to help the underprivileged
>> and unfortunate among us.
>

C.B. wrote:
>
>
> "Dave T." <> wrote in message
> news:8Kk2k.5194$...
>> Adam Albright wrote:
>>> On Fri, 6 Jun 2008 16:31:16 -0400, "C.B."
>>> <> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Has anyone had any experiences, good or bad, with any of the
>>>> following imaging software? I would appreciate any information you
>>>> can give me.
>>>> To the best of my knowledge they are all compatible with Vista.
>>>> I've researched all of them but have no experience with any of them.
>>>> I am currently using Acronis True Image 11.
>>>>
>>>> Active Disk Image 3.1
>>>> Retrospect Express HD
>>>> Image for Windows
>>>> Paragon Exact Image
>>>> Paragon Hard Disk Manager
>>>> ShadowProtect 3.2
>>>> Norton Ghost 14
>>>>
>>>> C.B.
>>>
>>> I wouldn't recommend or use any disk imaging software, period. I tried
>>> a early version of Norton's Ghost years ago. Thankfully I tested only
>>> a smaller hard drive I had separate backup for. It said it made a
>>> successful backup of this drive but when I tried to restore things it
>>> failed. THAT is a serious issues with all imaging software. They may
>>> work, but you won't find out IF they worked until you need them. If
>>> they fail then, you're up the creek without a paddle. I back up the
>>> old fashioned way. I simply make multiple copies of MY
>>> data files. That's it. If I even need to reinstall the system or some
>>> software I'll cross that bridge if and when I need to.
>>>
>> Adam, what you say makes perfect sense. The only thing that an image
>> resto does is save an awful lot of time and work. I did a full disk
>> restore after a virus problem using Ghost 9 and it worked out pretty
>> well. That was a number of years ago, but I don't recall any problems
>> completing the process.
>>
>> --
>> Dave T.
>>
>>
>> "Your attitude serves as a lens through which you see life, and it's
>> best when that lens is focused on the positive possibilities." - Ralph
>> Marston
>
> I've done several restores using Acronis True Image 11 and they all
> went extremely well. I've restored from the Acronis Secure Zone, my
> first external HD, my second external HD (the backup was actually a copy
> {Copy to Folder} I made from my first HD) and from the bootable recovery
> disk I made. No problems with any of them.
> I always validate the backups upon completion and occasionally do a
> restore just to make sure everything is working as it should. I do full
> disk backups only. The backups take appx. 15 minutes and the restores
> 20-30 minutes, depending on where they came from.
> It sure beats the hell out of reinstalling the OS, updates and all
> the third party software. By the way, nice sig.
>
> C.B.
>
>

I use Norton Ghost 12 to back up my partitions. Currently I'm
quadruple-booting two XP Pros (one for testing and the other for regular
use), a 32-bit Vista, and a 64-bit Vista. All four partitions are on one
500 gigabyte HDD (with plenty of room for more partitions left over),
and all four are backed up on a separate HDD. I keep no data in the
boot partitions -- all data files, email files, photos, etc etc are on
yet another HDD. That way I can replace a boot partition any time I
want without worrying about losing data. I also have the partition with
the data files backed up on a removable drive, and just to be sure, I've
got a second set of backups sitting safely on a HDD in a drawer across
the room.

The other day I foolishly downloaded something dicey and I got a trojan
warning on the 32-bit Vista installation. I was pretty sure Avast
caught it, but just to be sure I *wiped* my Vista 32-bit partition and
used Ghost to recover it from a backup file. Worked great, took very
little time, all my applications are functioning fine, and there's no
hint that a virus/trojan has ever touched the Vista installation.

Also, I wipe and restore the XP test partition at least once a month,
usually more often, as I try out various software. When I've finished
playing around, I just recover the partition to a pristine state -- no
strange files lying around, no useless entries in the registry, etc. I
keep the test partition small -- about 10 gigabytes -- so I can recover
it in just a few minutes whenever I want.

Ghost 12 works great for this. Easy as can be and very dependable.

--
Bill Anderson

I am the Mighty Favog