Cloning a PC Image?

[Twobrothersbusa]

In the past, I have used a bootable CD with Norton Ghost to clone a laptop image to another identical lap top. Have any other found anything that is easier / better?

Instead of using two laptops for backup contingency, I am debating using VMWare and just running an image. I have not done this for a primary PC, but use images at work all the time. Looking for experience in that arena as well.

Thanks,
2BB

 

[Skywalker]

I have been Ghosting for about 15 years and started in the military with Norton. I have now started with the Windows 7 Ultimate version as it's built in and works so well. I also know that Ultimate Boot CD free for download as an ISO and it has an imager within it's utilities but I have never used it.

 

[lavinrac]

If you want to have a chat about Virtualization give me a holler sometime. Ultimately it depends on what you are doing with your personal machine. Lotsa options to have but if you are doing anything major with the hardware such as vid rendering or anything along the lines of that don't do virtualized OS's. You will regret it in the long run. Generally run mine in a server environment and have to balance some serious loads..(At work, not my home PC) While its nice and saves time getting back up if you keep your images current.. just for the sake of a personal comp with a single VM, you might as well just ghost it to a NAS and call it a day.

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

3 posts and I got a headache!

Good luck with your ghosts and images. I hope the enquirer buys one and you make lots of money.

 

[icemansid]

We use Symantec Altiris 6.9 SP5. We create a basic image using one machine, sysprep and capture it and redeploy it 900+ times... works pretty good and depending on image size is fairly fast.. if you are using Windows 7, you need to use a KMS server to do this properly... but thats with 25+ machines in your network...

 

[Twobrothersbusa]

It is only two machines so I am pretty much down to the same conclusion. Accounting software is all that is run on them and doesn't need much computing power.

If you want to have a chat about Virtualization give me a holler sometime. Ultimately it depends on what you are doing with your personal machine. Lotsa options to have but if you are doing anything major with the hardware such as vid rendering or anything along the lines of that don't do virtualized OS's. You will regret it in the long run. Generally run mine in a server environment and have to balance some serious loads..(At work, not my home PC) While its nice and saves time getting back up if you keep your images current.. just for the sake of a personal comp with a single VM, you might as well just ghost it to a NAS and call it a day.

 

[Twobrothersbusa]

Google ads are scary....all I see while I'm in this thread are ads for VMWare Workstation 8!

 

[skydivr]

My head hurts....

 

[Warchild]

Google ads are scary....all I see while I'm in this thread are ads for VMWare Workstation 8!

Almost every page of the recently closed "President supports gay marriage" thread had the following advertisement on it.... and still does!

Gogglesyndication can sure provide interesting content based upon the thread topic .....

 

[GsxrBots]

I see dead people.....



Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

 

[Defiant]

Jesu Christu, it's not that bad. If it's accounting software and your using xp, you can use a bootable linux cd and do a partition backup. You can also backup you boot sectors on your disk.

B4 u freak, the new tools have a gui interface. You don't need to fall back to the linux command line.

Vmware image is also a good option and also allows you much more flexibility. The player is free and if you can get a generic template for the operating system you need, you won't have to pay for the workstation product.

Note if you use a RDP client, you can set up a terminal server that you can have several users use at the same time. This can also be virtualized. It's all good and not bad.

No worries mate, but another shrimp on the barbie.

 

[Tm@nFL]

In the past, I have used a bootable CD with Norton Ghost to clone a laptop image to another identical lap top. Have any other found anything that is easier / better?

Instead of using two laptops for backup contingency, I am debating using VMWare and just running an image. I have not done this for a primary PC, but use images at work all the time. Looking for experience in that arena as well.

Thanks,
2BB

Do the VMWare. The Ghost thing works, but the VMWare is really nice software. Altiris is ok, but it is not free, use it at work and replacing it with cloud stuff and more VMware.

I hope you are using Windows 7. It you are worried about a crash or whatever Win 7 has restore points built into the OS now.
Please get off XP if you are using it. So many good reasons not to use that old thing.

 

[icemansid]

Do the VMWare. The Ghost thing works, but the VMWare is really nice software. Altiris is ok, but it is not free, use it at work and replacing it with cloud stuff and more VMware.

I hope you are using Windows 7. It you are worried about a crash or whatever Win 7 has restore points built into the OS now.
Please get off XP if you are using it. So many good reasons not to use that old thing.

big thumbs up to trashing XP.... it was great for its time but so was Windows 95.....

 

[Busa1166]

right click save, email image attachment to the other pc??? I have an easier time reading ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs than post 2

 

[2Wheels2Live]

Almost every page of the recently closed "President supports gay marriage" thread had the following advertisement on it.... and still does!

Gogglesyndication can sure provide interesting content based upon the thread topic .....

What I don't find too interesting is the way it bogs down this site, alot like running a race hip deep in mud