Re: Backing up removable HDD

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I use Casper Xp on my main computer however, it likes a clean partition to
write to. Warns that all existing data will be lost on the destination
drive. I also use Ghost, however it must be installed on the HDD I am making
an image of. I use three HDD to swap in/out and to be legal, do not want to
buy 3 copies of ghost. Hence, I "transport" the drive to the main computer,
connect via USB, use GHost and write an image. I can't seem to get it to
backup over my home network, which is what I would like to do and would be
the easiest. What I am doing, is mostly a hobby type experimenting. I like
to download a lot of programs, trial software etc and get a feel for them
before using them on my main machine. Installing/un-installing these types
of things seem to "gum" up the works after a while and windows slows down.
Restoring an image seems easier to me than getting the kinks out on a
slow/damaged system. Stored images are updated good configurations
containing latest updates etc. Thanks for the comments/suggestions.


"Anna" <myname@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:eORkFEODHHA.3660@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Mike G" <justme@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:u6baKZNDHHA.4844@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I have a "test" computer that has a removable HDD bay. I use it to work
with different OS and would like to be able to remove the HDD and connect
it via USB to my main computer and produce an image of that drive from
time to time. I have the hardware to do this, but find most software
either wants a dedicated partition to write the image to, or writes the
image back to itself. Looking for suggestions on backup methods/software
to do this. TIA


Mike:
As has been suggested, a disk imaging program such as Acronis True Image
will apparently do what you want to do, i.e., in terms of creating a disk
image of the contents of your removable HDD.

Since you're using a mobile rack to house your removable HDD, is there any
possibility you could install another rack (same make & model) in your
main computer? That would certainly simplify things and avoid the need for
using a slower performing device such as a USB external HDD enclosure.

But I'm not entirely certain of your exact objective. When you say you
want to "produce an image of that drive from time to time", what is it
that you have in mind for that "image"? Is it merely to store that image
on your main computer for additional backup safety purposes? Or would you
be intending to create on your main computer a secondary HDD from the
contents of the removable HDD so that those contents could be accessed
within your main computer? Or are you planning to create a bootable HDD on
your main computer from the contents of the removable HDD?

All this might have a bearing on whether you really want to create a disk
image of the contents of your removable HDD or whether a disk-to-disk
clone would be more appropriate for your needs.
Anna



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