Creating image file of installed programs

cork-spotters

cork-spotters

cork-spotters

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Is it possible to use Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image to back up just specific programs?

I want to reformat my HDD, but certain things are such a pain to reinstall, especially FlightSim 2004 with my 50 or so third party addons. It would take me about 3 weeks to a month to get it back working the way it is.
My HDD is 1TB, so I don't really have the option to make a full image file of it, and I don't want to anyway.
 
Well it wouldn't be a disk image if you are only backing up your programs.

You might as well just copy the folder elsewhere.
 
I don't have a 1TB HDD just lieing around to put image files on.

Just copying the folder elsewhere would loose all of my registry keys making it pointless anyway.
 
Not sure if this will really help in your situation but maybe check out WinINSTALL LE. It's been a few years since I messed about with it at work but you can basically use it to take 2 snapshots of your system, one before you install something and then one after you install something. it then compares the 2 and looks for anything thats changed (i.e. new files, registry edits etc) and creates an msi file with these changes in. You can then install the msi file else where and it will add the changes to a different install.

Good if you want to roll out a software change over a network but don't want to waste time doing the change manually on every PC :)
 
Not a lot of help since he already has all his stuff installed. Sounds like an interesting app though, be handy for people who install software to separate partitions.

As for the original problem, if you want to save yourself "weeks" get a second HDD and do a full disc image. If you are too cheap for that, well, get comfy - it's going to be a long three weeks!

I feel compelled to also point out that taking a disc image now may not do you any good if the current state of your system requires a format. So you may well end up reinstalling everything anyway.
 
cork-spotters said:
I don't have a 1TB HDD just lieing around to put image files on.

Just copying the folder elsewhere would loose all of my registry keys making it pointless anyway.
Click to expand...

Well then you are beep out of luck.

Just get a TB external drive, and if you have Win7 use the create image tool. (which incidently I only discovered earlier on this week) Already imaged all my pc's..

Oh man, if only i'd taken the time to look into Windows 7's own backup utilities, i'd of saved myself a whole two days of rebuilding. Which sounds like what you are about to go through, unless you hand over the readies for a nice 1tb ext drive.
 
I'm just about to start a reformat now. Creating a complete image file would probably be of no use to me as it would just resinstate whatever software problems I'm having in the first place.
Oh well. Thanks anyway.

Once I get setup again just the way I like it i'll prob take an image file of that partition of the HDD to solve whatever future problems I'll have!
 
Just make sure you copy any config or settings files from the programs, or back them up regularly, and then you can just format and reinstall without any worries.
 
to answer your question, no it is not possible to backup only specific applications because of the way the applications use shared dll and such. you could always manually backup the program files/<folder>. don't forget to look in application data and local settings for folders that might have more data like save games. I sometimes do this with applications. then when i fresh install just copy over the installed with the saved folder contents and it normally works, but you might run into problems... depends.

i use acronis true image for full image. it can do a 16gb windows xp partition and compress it 6.8gb
 
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