Question on Norton Ghost Please?

[golfnut]

I want to install a fresh new Windows XP on my computer. Before doing this I want to back up some, not all files, on my hard drive so that I can restore them after installing a fresh OS. My question is this, will Ghost allow me to pick and chose which files I want to clone and restore or does it just automatically clone and restore the entire hard drive? If it clones the entire hard drive with no option to pick and choose files can someone recommend a back up software that will allow me to pick and chose files to back up. Thank you for your help and advice.

[Solarjetman]

Ghost Explorer (the windows based one, not the bootable disk) will restore specific files.

However, if you just want to back up files, it may be more simple to just burn them to CD or DVD. Nothing fancy.

[Ripper2860]

Using Norton Ghost Explorer (ghostexp.exe) you can pick and choose files/directories to restore.

[golfnut]

Thanks guys really appreciate the reply and advice. As you can tell I am new at this. The reason I am trying to back up files instead of just saving them to CD/DVD is that I am under the impression that if I use something like ghost to back them up then when I restore them (program files I am talking about here) they would already been open and ready to run and I would not have to reinstall them like I would if I just save them to CD/DVD, is this true or not? I probably have about 25-30 programs which would be very time consuming if I have to reinstall every one of them then check for updates on all of them. Your advice will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Solarjetman]

Well, for most programs, just backing up the directory it is installed to is not enough. Many programs will also copy files to system directories and make entries into the Windows registry. And a reare few will even install drivers for virutal hardware (AOL comes to mind). When it comes to backing up entire programs, your best and safest bet is to just either re-install them, or completly back up everything.

Here is a tip. I suggest you wipe the hard drive and install windows. Then install all your programs and make a complete backup. That way you can always go back to your fresh install and not have to load the programs back on the machine. Of course make an entire system backup before wiping your computer just in case.

[Ripper2860]

I'm not absolutely sure -- but I would bet you are probably wrong in that assumption. I do not believe that Norton records each indiviudal program's registry settings and able to restore each programs setting indivuidually to a fresh install of Windows. Those settings are only put in place as part of a install of the program.

Norton does back-up the entire registry and if those entries were already in the registry and all programs are restored to their original directory -- then it may work. However, many programs also install neded DLL files, etc., into the System32 directory. A Ghost restore via GEXP would not move those.

Pretty dicey. You can try it, but definitley have a "Plan B".

[golfnut]

Thanks again guys, I think I will take the safe route, run a complete back up first, then just reinstall all programs on to a fresh windows program, then back that up as you say solarjetman, great help guys, I really appreciate it.