Backing Up TO DVD (image) ala Norton, Ghost, Powerquest..

[retroz]

Quick question for those in the know with DVD's....

Is there a way to create a new image ala PowerQuest directly to DVD?

I looked at DQ recent version, but could not get it to work, plus it had to install a Microsoft .NET protocol.

Basically, I'm looking to create a restore IMAGE from this date forward of my ENTIRE "C" drive directly to DVD.

I've tried non image (back-up) programs and they where not as SOLID as a complete image (IMHO).

Thanks for any advice....

[housepig]

check Acronis TrueImage - really easy program to use, it may support backing up to dvd.

[retroz]

Thanks, will check that out...

[BobK]

I've been using Acronis TrueImage 6 for about a year (I tried Norton Ghost first and didn't like it much). They're now selling version 7- price is the same as I paid for 6.

You can make an image directly to disk (CD or DVD), but I found it easier and a little faster to create the image on the HD, then burn the image to disk.

I also had a problem restoring the image directly from the disk(s). Acronis was very helpful although we never did figure out why it wasn't working right, but since I have 2 hard drives I just keep an image of each hard drive on the opposite drive and burn a backup image to DVD every 3-4 months. The one time I had to use the backup image I just copied the image to the good HD, then restored it from there.

Overall it was the best $50 I've spent on software in a long time. It's saved me at least 40-50 hours in the past year when I would have had to spend 4-5 hours reinstalling everything and instead just spent 10 minutes restoring an image.

[retroz]

I've been using Acronis TrueImage 6 for about a year (I tried Norton Ghost first and didn't like it much). They're now selling version 7- price is the same as I paid for 6.

.

I tried Acronis but couldn't ge tit to work (to DVD), it appears that I need InCD or packet writing. (with Nero) but can't seem to find that (inCD).

Also, does this mean I need to have RW DVD's for this to work, and that every RW DVD needs to be formatted?

I'm thinking direct to another HD< then copy the image files to DVD might be easier, but then you lose the incremental (update) backup function.

Advice?

Thanks

[GKar]

Using Powerquest Drive Image 2.0 takes about 45 secs at 40% compression to make an image of my C: drive and then burning it to a DVD-RW in ISO with Nero takes only a few extra minutes.

[retroz]

a ??? about Acronis...

If I create image files on another HD, is it true that you can update the image files with a newer backup/image? ie. you create one today (image) then on Monday anything new added to your C drive can be appended to the image? If so, how does this work and how long does it take.

thanks

[BobK]

As far as I know you can't update an image. You just create a new image- it really doesn't take that long.

I never tried writing an image directly to disk with Acronis. As I said before, I create the image on a HD. Then I copy the create image to a blank disk- you can use any disk writing software to copy that file to a disk.

[retroz]

As far as I know you can't update an image. You just create a new image- it really doesn't take that long.
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Neither did I but it appears Acronis can. Your right that it's much easier to backup to HD, and if you where to append, I guess it's the only way, not sure.

Anyway, I backed up my entire "C" drive (36+ gig of data) to 5 Image files total about 20 gigs.

Then, just to see, I added a small item to my desktop and ran acronis again, it asked if I wanted to create a new image or append an existing image, I chose the latter, it ran the image program again and was done in about 10 minutes. Sweet.

From what I understand, you can also revert back a section of the image too....

Pretty cool stuff....

[BobK]

Which version of Acronis are you using? I have version 6, build 350. I just looked and don't see any way to append an existing image.

[retroz]

Acronis TrueImage Server Version 7, it also creates a bootable CD as well.

I guess the ultimate test would be to flatline a HD and use the bootable CD and then the images from the HD to see if it took.

If you can indeed make increments in just under 10 minutes for a compressed almost 40+ gigs of info (4.2 gig images) this is quite impressive.

Now, what's interesting is the "C" drive is NTFS, and the backup images are on H drive (FAT32), which meant the files where under 4.2 gigs, which is fine as i plan on burning them to DVD, however, the catch is, If i burn to DVD, it's almost impossible to go a incremental. Of course, I'm new to this, but the ultimate ULITMATE test (and coolness) would be, (after formatting DVD's and using a packet writing software) would be if I COULD back up to DVD and then when I went to increment, it created/asked for a particular DVD.


Of one more interest, is that although it took only 10 minutes or so, the FIRST run created 5 (4.2) gig image files. After running incremental, it then created a 6th, smaller image. Somehow I think it runs/reads through everything on the original, then puts anything new on a seperate image... however, the only thing I added was a small *.txt document to the desktop, but the new IMAGE was 115 Megs...

[BobK]

Guess I'm going to put out the money and upgrade to version 7.

I have used version 6 with the bootable CD to put an image on a new HD and it worked fine.

> Somehow I think it runs/reads through everything on the original, then puts anything new on a seperate image... however, the only thing I added was a small *.txt document to the desktop, but the new IMAGE was 115 Megs...

The only thing you added was a small text document, but Windows makes hundreds of changes everytime you turn on the computer. I'd guess that Acronis is saving all the changes right down to little things like the position of the cursor. But you could make incremental changes for a few weeks (or months) and when the incremental files start taking up too much room just start over with a new image of the whole drive.

I use 2 HDs with 2 partitions on each. One partition ion each drive has an OS and the other is for files and data. I only image the partitions with the OS. For data and files that I'll be keeping for a long time I just copy them to an DVD+RW once a month or so. Short term stuff I don't back up at all unless it would be difficult to replace. So normally my Acronis images are only backing up 3-4 Gig each from the OS partitions.