Re: Best Method and/or How To Set Up A Configured and Updated XP Installation?

"Anna" <myname@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I am a strong proponent for using the Norton Ghost 2003 disk imaging
program for carrying out the disk-to-disk cloning process. I find that
program superior to the later Norton Ghost programs (versions 9 & 10) in
terms of ease of use for basic disk-to-disk cloning operations. My
experience with the Acronis program (version 8) has been positive as well.
If you, or any reader is interested in seeing step-by-step instructions
for using either of these programs, I'll be glad to post them. I might
mention that the Ghost 2003 program is still available from a number of
online vendors for near-trifling sums. I'll be happy to provide their web
addresses.


<Susan@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:mir4v1p3stdfllgv8q6q3ovmvbdravih4r@xxxxxxxxxx
Interesting... Would you please elaborate more on what Symantec did to
Ghost following Ghost 2003 that you fault them on? I there any good
features about 10 that you are willing to forgo because of what is missing
or doesn't work as well as Ghost 2003? I'm leaning toward Ghost but since
I haven't used any version of it before I can decide which I would prefer
for my own personal needs.

Thanks.

Susan


Susan:
I prefer the Ghost 2003 version because I find it a more simple &
straightforward program to use for carrying out basic disk-to-disk cloning
operations (as I outlined in my original response to your query) as compared
with Symantec's successor versions 9 & 10. I also prefer to use this disk
imaging program using an easy-to-create Ghost bootable floppy disk or Ghost
bootable CD which is not an available option in versions 9 & 10. I prefer
the portability aspects of using this media as well as its operational
simplicity. But should one prefer to use the Ghost GUI interface with the
2003 version, you are free to do so.

Before I provide you (and others who may be interested) with the detailed
instructions for using the Ghost 2003 disk imaging program to clone the
contents of one HD to another HD, let me make the following points.
1. We use the Ghost 2003 program for one purpose, and only one purpose - and
that is to *directly* clone the contents of one hard drive to another hard
drive. We are not interested in "incremental or scheduled backups", nor are
we interested in creating "disk images" on removable media, e.g., DVDs. Our
sole interest is to create & maintain a near-failsafe backup system for
restoration purposes. We find we can achieve that objective simply &
effectively through basic disk-to-disk cloning.
2. This is *not* complicated business. Using the Ghost 2003 program in an XP
environment in the manner in which I will set forth is a relatively simple &
straightforward exercise.
3. It (nearly) goes without saying, that in order for the cloning process to
be successful, both the source disk (the drive you're cloning from) and the
destination disk (the drive you're cloning to) must be non-defective and
properly connected/configured in your system.
4. The OS that you're cloning must be free from system files corruption and
other malware. ("If you clone garbage, garbage is what you'll get").

Here are step-by-step instructions for creating a Ghost 2003 bootable floppy
disk and then using that floppy disk to clone the contents of your working
HD to another internal or external HD...

You need not be unduly concerned with using this DOS-based media with the
Ghost 2003 program. There are no complicated or exotic DOS commands that you
need to invoke. As a matter of fact, there are *no* DOS or DOS-like commands
to enter. The entire process is simple, straightforward, and quite
effective. Should a user prefer to work with a Ghost bootable CD rather than
the floppy disk, the CD can be easily created from the bootable floppy disk
using one of the common CD burning programs such as the Roxio or Nero
programs. Note that once you create the Ghost bootable floppy disk (or CD),
this media can be used indefinitely to carry out subsequent disk cloning
processes.

Creating the bootable Ghost floppy disk:
1. Install the Ghost 2003 program on your computer. Make sure you're using
the latest "build" - Ghost 2003.793. If not, use Ghost's LiveUpdate feature
to automatically download/install the latest version. It's important that
you use this latest "build".
2. Insert a blank floppy disk (it need not be formatted) and access your
Ghost program.
3. Click on Ghost Utilities.
4. Click on Norton Ghost Boot Wizard.
5. Select Standard Ghost Boot Disk. A dialog box will appear.
a. Select the USB 2.0 Support option (assuming your system has that
capability).
b. Select the Assign DOS drive letters option and click Next.
6. Select the Use PC-DOS option.
7. Complete the process following the screen prompts.
8. Remove floppy and label accordingly.

That's it. Now you have a Ghost bootable floppy disk which you can use to
undertake your cloning operations now and in the future. Now when you want
to clone the contents of one HD to another HD you simply insert the Ghost
bootable floppy disk in your floppy drive and boot up with both drives
connected.

Here's how to perform the cloning operation...
1. With both drives connected, boot up with the Ghost bootable floppy (or
Ghost bootable CD). You'll get an initial Ghost screen that displays
"License agreement warning". Right-arrow (or tab) over to the "Continue
without marking drives" button and press Enter.
2. The "About Norton Ghost" screen appears. Click OK.
3. Right-arrow twice over to the "To Disk" button and press Enter.
4. The next screen will list both your drives - the Drive 1 (source disk)
and Drive 2 (destination disk). MAKE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN Drive 1 IS INDEED
YOUR SOURCE DISK, I.E., THE DISK YOU'RE CLONING *FROM*!
Drive 1 will be highlighted. Press Enter.
5. The next screen will have Drive 2 (destination disk) highlighted. AGAIN,
ENSURE THAT Drive 2 IS YOUR DESTINATION DISK, I.E., THE DISK YOU'RE CLONING
*TO*! Press Enter.
6. The next screen is the "Destination Drive Details" window, and reflects
your ultimate destination disk, i.e., your current Drive 2. Press your Tab
key to highlight the OK button and press Enter.
7. The "Proceed with disk clone?" dialog box will open. Left-arrow over to
the Yes button and press Enter.
8. The cloning process will begin. The data transfer speed will vary
depending upon the speed of your processor and the HDs involved. On a medium
to high-powered system you should get transfer speeds ranging from about 800
MB/min to 1.5 GB/min should you be cloning internal drives. It will be
considerably slower if you're cloning to a USB external HD.
9. After you get the "Clone Completed Successfully" message, left-arrow over
to the Continue button and press Enter.
10. Down-arrow to Quit and press Enter.
11. Click Yes at the "Are you sure you want to quit?" message.
12. Remove the Ghost floppy and shut down the computer.
13. Disconnect your source disk and boot up with the cloned drive. In most
cases (but not always), a Windows "Found New Hardware" message will appear
in the Desktop's Notification Area followed by a "System Settings Change"
message window informing you that new hardware has been found and asks "Do
you want to restart your computer now?" Click Yes.
14. BTW, the reboot of the newly-cloned drive usually takes a longer time
than usual, so one must be patient. On rare occasions the system will fail
to reboot - the system will hang before reaching the Windows XP Welcome
screen. It's a rare occurrence, but you may experience it from time-to-time.
If that does occur, simply use the Ctrl-Alt-Delete keys to reboot.

Assuming you've cloned the contents of your working drive to your second
internal drive, that second drive will be bootable (after disconnecting your
primary one, of course) as indicated above. You also have the option of
cloning your working drive to a USB external hard drive. In that case the
USBEHD is *not* bootable, but you could clone the contents back to your
internal drive for restoration purposes should the need arise.

Just one other point I wish to emphasize with respect to the cloning
operation involving internal drives. Immediately following the cloning
operation and the shutdown of your machine, disconnect your source drive and
boot ONLY to the newly-cloned drive (as indicated in step 13. above). DO NOT
BOOT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE CLONING OPERATION WITH BOTH DRIVES CONNECTED.
Doing so is likely to cause future boot problems with the cloned drive.
Obviously there is no problem in this area should a USBEHD be involved in
the cloning process since that device is not bootable in an XP environment.

I should add that the Ghost 2003 program can just as easily clone individual
partitions on one HD to another HD as cloning the entire contents of one HD
to another HD. In our case we rarely have need to clone individual
partitions as we usually prefer to clone the contents of the entire drive
instead, but that capability exists should you need it. And it's no more
difficult than cloning the entire contents of one drive to another drive.

I've tried to be as detailed as possible in delineating the steps that need
to be taken in order to carry out a successful disk cloning operation using
the Ghost 2003 program. I trust the information I've provided will be of
some use to you and others who might be thinking about using the Ghost 2003
program for a routine backup system.

In my previous post I mentioned that while the Symantec Ghost 2003 program
has been presumably superseded by later versions, the program is
(fortunately) still available from a number of online vendors. Here are a
few I've come across...

Download only - $4.99
http://www.tekdealers.com/?pg=product_details&productID=89

$7.95 + 4.95 Shipping
http://www.softwarediner.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?preadd=action&key=GHOST2003&reference=/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi%3Fsearch%3Daction%26keywords%3Dsymantec%26searchstart%3D0%26template%3DTemplates/SearchResult.html

$9.75 (includes shipping)
http://www.royaldiscount.com/ghost.html

$15.90 (includes shipping)
http://www.tekdeal.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?preadd=action&key=GHOST2003&reference=/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi%3Fsearch%3Daction%26keywords%3Dsymantec%26searchstart%3D0%26template%3DPDGTemplates/Plain/SearchResult.html

$29.00 (includes shipping)
http://www.atomicpark.com/xq/aspx/symantec-ghost_2003-cd-only/prodid.21565/buy.software/qx/productdetail.html
Anna


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