Re: Any better Hard disk imaging software than Norton Ghost2003??

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From: dmac (dmacleo_at_tds1.net)
Date: 06/01/04 

Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004 18:54:31 -0400

I had no luck even with the update with single sata, but I have heard some
say it works and some say no.
I just added the switch to boot disk to always make sure it works, but now
on raid setup its really needed.
I really am quite pleased with ghost, but have never tried anything other
than the powerquest software that came with my partition magic. I tried that
once with BAD luck (I am sure I did something wrong) and just stayed with
ghost. 

-- 
-----------------------
dmac
dmacleo@tds1.net
remove 1 to mail
Ati 9800pro 256
P4  2.8 @ 3.1  1gb ddr466
twin seagate 120 sata raid 0
"Art" <notaname@notanisp> wrote in message
news:OQWsXxASEHA.2404@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Hi:
> I'm aware that issues have arisen with respect to using Ghost with Serial
> ATA drives. I've had no direct experience in this area since up to now all
> my experience with using the Ghost cloning program has been with PATA
> drives. In a review of imaging programs related to SATA drives, an article
> in the May, 2004 issue of Maximum PC (p. 68) indicated that they did have
> problems using Ghost with SATA drives. They stated that they were informed
> by Symantec that the latest version of Ghost avoids this problem. I
queried
> Symantec about this and here is their response of 4-27-04:
>
> "Thank you for contacting Symantec Online Technical Support.
>
> Ghost works fine with SATA drive if you first run LiveUpdate after the
> initial installation.  Even prior to the update there were switches that
> could be used to change the drive detection method that the BIOS feeds
Ghost
> about SATA drives that would resolve the issue.
>
> SATA drives were not mainstream when Ghost was created.  SATA drives have
> not really become mainstream until around 6-8 months ago.  Symantec
creates
> updates for Ghost to gain compatibility with new hardware configurations
as
> they become available to the public.  The Maximum PC (magazine) was about
3
> months late posting that article.
>
> Please take note:  Ghost is not supported in a RAID environment.  If you
are
> using SATA drives through a RAID controller it very well may have adverse
> effects."
>
> For the moment, I'll take them at their word since I've had no experience
> cloning SATA drives.
>
> Art
>
> "dmac" <dmacleo@tds1.net> wrote in message
> news:eMPYgo$REHA.3016@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> > a lot of problems had arisen from sata drives being used w/o command
line
> > switch, and symantec themselves have said (in dec 2003)  they will not
> offer
> > a way to directly use gui w/o a command line switch. I have found -noide
> to
> > work best in the command line. I asked symantec why they did not plan on
> > fixing this since sata is becoming so popular and got no response.
> >
> > -- 
> > -----------------------
> > dmac
> > dmacleo@tds1.net
> > remove 1 to mail
> > Ati 9800pro 256
> > P4  2.8 @ 3.1  1gb ddr466
> > twin seagate 120 sata raid 0
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > "Art" <notaname@notanisp> wrote in message
> > news:eLVxnc%23REHA.2704@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> > > Hi Joe:
> > >
> > > I find your comments very puzzling. As I mentioned in my previous
> posting,
> > > over the past three years or so that I've used Ghost to clone hard
> drives,
> > > I've cloned these drives on a multitude of different systems.
> > Interestingly
> > > enough, the most common motherboard in these systems was an ASUS. I've
> > > probably cloned drives in systems with a variety of ASUS motherboards
at
> > > least a couple of hundred times. And I can't remember the last time I
> had
> > a
> > > problem doing so. I've discussed this with a number of persons who
also
> > have
> > > been using Ghost over the years and their experiences parallel mine.
> > >
> > > I don't dispute the fact that you have experienced problems using the
> > Ghost
> > > program with ASUS motherboards. If you've experienced that problem,
then
> > > you've experienced that problem. I can only relate my positive
> experiences
> > > with the Ghost program along with the similarly positive experiences
of
> > > others using the program - computer users who I know to be competent
> > users.
> > >
> > > Art
> > >
> > >
> > > "Joe M" <joematminemandotcom> wrote in message
> > > news:er6Zew5REHA.1276@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> > > > Hi Art,
> > > >          When ghost works, it really works well. But when it fails,
> > you'll
> > > > really need another piece of cloning software.
> > > > I have use Ghost 2003 to clone many types of Computer systems with
> > > different
> > > > motherboards (about 100 different motherboards).
> > > > I've have discovered it to normally fail on the ones with an ASUS
> > > > motherboard.  The Ghost boot disk will boot to the point of where it
> > will
> > > > launch GHOST.EXE, but it is at this point that it stopped launching
> the
> > > GUI
> > > > .
> > > > What is the problem, and why often on certain Asus motherboard( the
> > > biggest
> > > > motherboard maker in the world)??
> > > > Maybe you have use ghost on the same make of computer for all these
> > years.
> > > > Yeah I know when it works it works very well.
> > > >
> > > > Regards
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > "Art" <notaname@notanisp> wrote in message
> > > > news:uDiX9v4REHA.1048@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> > > > > "Joe M" <joematminemandotcom> wrote in message
> > > > > news:u2tkCi3REHA.1160@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> > > > > > Does anyone knows of any other better Operating System
> > cloning/imaging
> > > > > > software than Symantec Norton Ghost2003? In the past there was
> > > > Imagequest,
> > > > > > but now they're bought by Symantec too.
> > > > > > I need another imaging software because on some computers ghost
> > > doesn't
> > > > > seem
> > > > > > to work because of the hardware components. Maybe having another
> > > imaging
> > > > > > software will solve the problem.
> > > > >
>
> > >Hi:
> > >I am constantly puzzled by the continuous negative comments (and
> > > frequent misinformation!) I come across on the various newsgroups that
> > > deprecate Symantec's Norton Ghost program. My experience with that
> program has
> > > been, and continues to be, completely counter to the negative views
> > > expressed by so many posters. I have often remarked that I wish every
> software
> > > program I use was as simple, straightforward, and effective as the
> Norton Ghost
> > > program.
>
> > > Let me state at the outset that I use Ghost for one and only
> > > one purpose - to clone the contents of one hard drive to another. By
> > > making a bit-for-bit copy (not technically precise perhaps, but
correct
> for all
> > > practical purposes) of one's working hard drive, you have, what seems
> > > to me, the ultimate backup system. I have used various versions of
Ghost
> over
> > > the years, including the present 2003 version. During that time I
> estimate
> > > I've cloned various hard drives more than a thousand times. And done
so
> > > with nary a hiccup. Ghost's ease of use together with reasonable speed
> make it a
> > > joy to use.
>
> > > I'm aware that many experienced and competent users who contribute to
> > > this newsgroup prefer different software cloning programs, e.g.,
Acronis
> > > True Image, BING, and Casper XP among them, as well as cloning
utilities
> > > provided by the hard drive manufacturers. No doubt these programs work
> equally
> > > as well as Ghost, however, since my experience has been primarily with
> > > the Ghost program, I will confine my remarks to that program.
>
> > > As I've previously indicated, I use Ghost exclusively to clone one
> > > hard drive to another. I rarely clone individual partitions, although
> > > there's no reason why you cannot do so. I'm not a particular fan of
> creating hard
> > > drive partitions since I frequently find them awkward to use; they
seem
> to
> > > result in more problems than they solve; and they give the user a
false
> sense of
> > > security. In nearly all cases I set up my computers with a single
> partition
> > > per hard drive. My computers are usually configured with two removable
> > > hard drives in their mobile racks. I have found this arrangement just
> about
> > > the best backup system for the average home user and even small
business
> > > owner. There are other advantages in having two removable hard drives
on
> > >one's computer but the most significant one is providing a near
fail-safe
> > > backup system. The speed, flexibility and peace of mind you get with
> this
> > > arrangement far outweighs the relatively small additional cost of
> equipping
> > > one's desktop computer with this hardware configuration. Note that the
> > > removable hard drive mobile racks I am referring to are designed to be
> > > installed in desktop computers and not laptop or notebook computers.
> > > The size, weight, and design considerations of laptops/notebooks do
not
> > > allow for this hardware configuration.
>
> > > I use the Ghost bootable floppy, rather than Ghost's Window's
> > > interface when I clone the drives. I find the floppy easier and more
> straightforward
> > > to use, and the portability aspect of the floppy is an important
> consideration for me.
> > > The floppy is created through the Ghost Utilities program. It is
simple
> to use and effective in its operation.
>
> > > Cloning one's hard drive will not solve any problems the user may be
> experiencing with that drive.
> > > I mention this because I sometimes come across users who have run into
> problems with the Ghost
> > > cloning process when I later learn that the source disk was defective
in
> one way or another. If you
> > > clone garbage, garbage is what you'll get. Before cloning a hard drive
> you must ensure that the drive
> > > is free of physical/system defects and virus-free.
>
> > > If you do install the Ghost 2003 program on your computer, check the
> > > version. The latest version as of this date is 2003.793. If necessary,
> > > use Ghost's built-in LiveUpdate feature to update to the latest
version.
> > > BTW, there had been a problem with Ghost cloning to an USB 2.0
external
> > > hard drive, however, Symantec has released two revised files that
> overcome
> > > this problem. You can download and install the two revised files from:
> > >
>
http://service1.symantec.com/support/ghost.nsf/docid/2003011609192825?Open&src=w.
> > > (I'm not absolutely certain these two revised files are actually
needed
> if you have the latest 2003.793 version.
> > >
> > > Art
>
>

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