disk imaging software

[vhelp]

Hi, I've used macrium and have it on several laptops. I can't remember for sure, but I thought I had downloaded a portable version because I did not want to connect to the internet.

I am in the same situation, again. I just received my IBM Thinkpad T43 laptop, with Windows XP Pro and 60GB hdd. And I want to back it up before I do anything on it. I had to let it install latest updates--when it first booted up it took about 20 minutes for the hdd to stop grinding (churning away at searching and installing whatever it was doing) as if in first-time mode. After it completed the updates, I let it reboot. After that, it boots up fairly quickly for an old junky. Now, the hdd is quiet. I set up the folders the way I wanted, the mouse, and keyboard. I think I have it the way I like it (as my desktop xp home machine) and now I want to image it before I begin doing anything on it.

** I don't want to connect to the internet at all. The plan is never to connect on this laptop. It is not for interneting around. I only got this laptop for a special project.

Does anyone know where I can find a "portable" version of macrium (not the 3MB size file, its a partial app, that wants to connect** and download the remaining parts in order to install).

Or else, is there a portable imaging software I can download, that I can transfer via flash drive over to the thinkpad?

[aedipuss]

clonezilla might work for you. http://clonezilla.org/clonezilla-live.php

[irondudetoo]

if remember right reflect free has a download only option after you download the setup.
Use the 'options' button.

[vhelp]

thanks aedipuss, for your suggestion.

and iron. i went with macrium, the download suggestion worked, got a 184 MB aprox filesize. will put that on a flash drive and head over to the thinkpad and install it. its a bit slow, the cpu, once i get it going i'll just let it do its thing, to image the hdd, that is.

will the restore feature be as easy on the thinkpad? or do i need to do anything special? i'm pretty sure this laptop only has usb2.0 ports.

[lingyi]

Suggest downloading and keeping Ulitmate Boot CD (UBCD) on a flashdrive. There are several disk clone programs (including Clonezilla) as well as numerous ultilties to test and repair systems, all command-line, no install and offline.

[lingyi]

Backup 60Gb drives can easily be found for <$20. Create a mirror image (or better, two) and pop in the backup drive if anything goes wrong.

[vhelp]

i would have loved a command line app to do imaging and image restore, but i could not find anything, i could only find gui apps (like clonezilla and macrium) that you have to install.

Backup 60Gb drives can easily be found for <$20. Create a mirror image (or better, two) and pop in the backup drive if anything goes wrong.

that's the plan.. should anything go wrong, just do a restore image.

[lingyi]

UBCD is a live bootable CD and all the software runs in a DOS or Linux environment in RAM, there is no installation required. Highly recommended for any PC toolbox as it's Windows OS independent.

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

[irondudetoo]

Reflect free does have command line usage, but the program has to installed. My dl was only 44mb(win64). Schedule a backup, then you can look at scheduled task for
the command line. 'reflect /?' will get you usage options. It will create a recovery PE image/iso for you, I've only tried it under Win7.

[drjtech]

Download and install Macrium Reflect on an internet connected computer. Then run Macrium Reflect to creatable a bootable Rescue CD, or even better a bootable Rescue USB drive. This is now your portable, no installation required backup solution for you non-Internet connected laptop.

[vhelp]

Thanks guys, good options to try.

[stiltman]

Gandalf's Win10 PE disc. You can burn it to a DVD or USB drive
http://windowsmatters.com/2016/11/10/gandalfs-win10pe-x64-redstone-build-14393-version-10-24-2016/
http://windowsmatters.com/

It has several disk drive cloning apps. Along with many other useful programs
Personally, I use Ghost32 and Acronis TrueImage