Easy restore .... snapshot DVD ?

[XAKEP]

Hello World !

Every 6 months or so I reinstall my operating system as a habit from back in a day and I've had same routine for many years. Format, Install Windows, go to ASUS web site and download all latest drivers then got to ATI ...and so on and so on. And it just hit me .... "Hey do you remember that Ghost program ?" Basically I can minimize reinstall time if I can get a snap image of Windows installed with everything that I usually install on it already in one shoot automatically, so I decided to do research and OMG. You know guys having too many things sometimes no good and VERY confusing so to let my brains rest I'll tell you what exactly I want to achieve and may be you can help me. Well here we go.

1. Installation Media should be set of Bootable DVD so I can install without using my Original Windows DVD
2. Image should include everything on time of backup
3. Must support RAID0 (that's is what my Windows on on right now)

Basically guys my goal is to not to reinstall driver and driver ..program and program ...utility and so on and so on everytime I reisnatll Windows ....I want it to be like in OEM ... 1 long install that install everything in one shoot ...windows drivers and ... well snapshot of whatever Windows conditions I have right now .......

I found few during my research .... Easeus and Clonezilla. I don't mind non free solutions if they are better or something I want it to just work ... now I am thinking about it I didn't check Norton Ghost .... back in a days it was not too good ... how is it now ?

Thank you very much guys !!!!

 

[Pyree]

To reinstall window really quick and hassle free, fresh install window with all updates, resolve any driver issues, install program you need, config network, tweek to your satisfaction then use the window system backup to create a system image and a window rescue dvd. Have the image on esata or usb 3.0 hdd, much faster then multiple dvd confusion you are getting yourself into. You just have to install esata or usb 3.0 driver before restore. Even if you are using usb 2.0 hdd, it will still be faster and more convenient than multiple dvd. That is my set up and I never let that "naive" os state image to be over written by subsequent system backup by moving it to another drive. Also I kept two copy of the image.

 

[ram1009]

I'm not sure I understand your reasoning. I too must reinstall XP Pro occasionally because it becomes corrupted eventually. I think everybody does that. Why would I want to reinstall the same corrupted OS? There are plenty of backup schemes for things like HDD failures and (according to the moderator on the XP forum here) XP can be reinstalled from disk without affecting installed programs or losing data. It will, however need to be updated by Windows Update. I've never done this, mind you so blame him if it doesn't work. Anyway, if I'm understanding your OP, it's a problem we all have and if there's a good solution it's time I learned it too.

 

[Pyree]

xakep says that he wants to reinstall every 6 months. so by keeping an image of a freshly installed os with window updates and driver and program installed in a "pristine" system image (I should use better words in my first post), which can be used in a full image system restore will be faster than reinstall the window with all of its driver and program component separately from scratch. Just use the first image you created be it 6,12 18 or even 24 months old for your reinstallation because the "pristine" state of the os is still very similar to your endpoint environment. Let say you have catalyst 11.6 installed now. When you use this image 2 years later and update it to 13.6, you are upgrading once not 11.6 to 11.8 to 11.9 etc until you get to 13.6.

 

[ram1009]

xakep says that he wants to reinstall every 6 months. so by keeping an image of a freshly installed os with window updates and driver and program installed in a "pristine" system image (I should use better words in my first post), which can be used in a full image system restore will be faster than reinstall the window with all of its driver and program component separately from scratch. Just use the first image you created be it 6,12 18 or even 24 months old for your reinstallation because the "pristine" state of the os is still very similar to your endpoint environment. Let say you have catalyst 11.6 installed now. When you use this image 2 years later and update it to 13.6, you are upgrading once not 11.6 to 11.8 to 11.9 etc until you get to 13.6.

It sounds to me like any good backup software would do that including what comes with Windows. That would be a pretty big file so where to store it would also be a problem assuming that a spinning drive is out of the question because of reliability issues. My choice would be a 64GB flash drive assuming the size could be kept under 64GB.

 

[XAKEP]

I do have esata drive but how do I make image that will boot from start without DVD and install system ? I mean let's say w7 build in backup solution it create image but can I boot with it and install without any DVD ?

 

[ram1009]

I do have esata drive but how do I make image that will boot from start without DVD and install system ? I mean let's say w7 build in backup solution it create image but can I boot with it and install without any DVD ?

I would suggest reading the instructions that come with backup software. Here's a good place to start.

http://www.fbackup.com/

 

[XAKEP]

Buddy I am sorry to say but every single answer I got didn't help me at all. I mean read instructions ... I would. Tell me okay here is software that will help you and ....TADA I Am reading on how to use it. You are first person who actually linked something, is this fbackup will do the job for me correct ?

 

[ram1009]

Buddy I am sorry to say but every single answer I got didn't help me at all. I mean read instructions ... I would. Tell me okay here is software that will help you and ....TADA I Am reading on how to use it. You are first person who actually linked something, is this fbackup will do the job for me correct ?

Only you can decide what's right for you. There are lots of backup aps and I'm sure they're all a little different. Some ore free, others aren't. I can't read all the instructions for you. From what you've said here this is where I'd start. Good luck.

 

[XAKEP]

G thanks guys Anyhow I came back from where I started a build in windows 7 system image on my esata ( may be I should do USB so no drivers needed during installation to see that esata drive) and bootable recovery DVD to start recovery process.


P.S.

You know guys very reason I come here is to ask people to what works and what not. I am doing computers for so many years I starting Yo forget things some people never knew and when I am asking and give out specific needs because I already did research and now I am looking for practical use and not paid review. Thank you all for your imput.

 

[XAKEP]

Best answer selected by Xakep.