Norton Ghost

xirokx · 5 Apr 2006 at 15:43

Hi,

Can someone kindly explain how norton ghost works?

If I want to re install windows as an example if I use norton ghost to backup 200g does this mean I do not have to backup any files?

Hmmm

Just seeking some sort of clarification...

Thanks

smids · 5 Apr 2006 at 15:50

Basically it images your drive an compresses this image. This can then be dumped on a new hard drive etc and will run as if nothing had happened. In effect a clone of the other drive it came from. However, if changing to a different controller or something like that e.g. nVidia to Silicon Image SATA controller, you have to install the drivers first.

I don't like Ghost though, it's failed to work a few times for me, but then again I have a RAID array.

Taking your example, well you'd have to store that backup somewhere but yes when you redeploy the image it will all be as it was when you made the image, folders and everything.

jbloggs · 5 Apr 2006 at 22:34

Used Norton Ghost, however, everytime I used it to try and restore an image of a RAID setup it failed each time. Then read that this was happening because (at that time) Norton Ghost did not support RAID, so started using Acronis True Image, it has never failed yet to restore a cloned RAID image, in my opinion Acronis is FAR superior than Norton Ghost....ANY DAY!

xirokx · 5 Apr 2006 at 22:37

I suppose the question I should have asked is that I have 160g samsung....

Whats the best way of backing up all the info on it which is around 130g without having to burn it all?

Thanks for the responses so far

Dutch Guy · 6 Apr 2006 at 09:09

xirokx said:
Whats the best way of backing up all the info on it which is around 130g without having to burn it all?

There are two options, you cannot store the image on the same harddisk as that will also be lost when the harddrive goes so you either make an image on another harddisk or burn the image to DVD's

smids · 6 Apr 2006 at 10:43

Dutch Guy said:
There are two options, you cannot store the image on the same harddisk as that will also be lost when the harddrive goes so you either make an image on another harddisk or burn the image to DVD's

...and do remeber you can compress the data a lot. It slows down the process but then requires less DVD's and/or HDU space where you need to store it.

joroma · 7 Apr 2006 at 11:04

Does the ghost file include all the data files (eg my word and excel files) and my photos or do they need backing up seperately?

Dutch Guy · 7 Apr 2006 at 11:47

joroma said:
Does the ghost file include all the data files (eg my word and excel files) and my photos or do they need backing up seperately?

I think it includes everything, all files, all settings and if you backup the Windows partition also the register etc...

Basically it makes an exact copy of the harddisk

Skilldibop · 7 Apr 2006 at 14:58

Ghost does everything. Which is why it's used for disaster recovery. Backups only copy the folders, things like windows settings, drivers, registry entries aren't backed up.

Hence why most net admins set up a server with the OS in raid1 and then for safety's sake take a Ghost of it too.

When you scorch a disk with an image instead of just folloing the file structure it puts things back in the same physical place on the new disk that they were on the original.

Though as mentioned RAID isn't as simple and not ALL Ghost softwarre can deal with it.

ZXSpectrum · 7 Apr 2006 at 16:49

Norton Ghost is rubbish and outdated... Does not support a substantial ammount of RAID and S-ATA Interfaces as well as a lot of SCSI and Serial Attached SCSI... And REALLY poor customer service and technical support...

I now use and am in the process of aquiring the OEM version of Acronis True Image Workstation for my company... 1000% better than ghost...