Does any know how or what software I can use to backup a customers computer (a complete image) before I work on it. That way if something gets dorked up i can reload the machine to where i started.

Software like Norton Ghost and Acronis True Image are licensed per computer and dont have a commercial or mulitple computer use license. I dont want to give my customers to have to have to buy software for each computer I repair.

Is there any solution for this?

Have a look at the Ghost alternatives listed in Rad's guide:

http://ghost.radified.com/ghost_alternatives.htm

There should be several there that fit your license requirements.  In particular, DriveImageXML and Clonezilla are both free.  I haven't used either in a while, so you'll have to run through a few tests before you trust them.

this would get better results over on the 'Cloning' board:

http://radified.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?board=cloning_programs

but yeah, lotsa freebies.

depending on who made the drive, you may be able to use a manufacturers utility, such as the one by seagate, which lotsa ppl like .. see here:

http://radified.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1215133362

here's something else you could try:

http://radified.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1234316680

here's another:

http://radified.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1235507445

This Topic was moved here from The Water Cooler by MrMagoo.

@ busta

You might want to check this out--TeraByte probably has exactly what you're looking for:

See *Image Technician License* below the pricing list.

Wish Symantec would do something similar for Ghost!

ShadowProtect IT Edition is one option to consider—but, it is not inexpensive ($3,500/year).  Beyond the basics, the tool has the following capabilities that may be of interest:


Quote:

Restore or migrate backup images to and from physical systems and virtual environments (P2V, V2P and V2V). Hardware independent restore of backup images to different systems (P2P). Unlimited use on servers, desktops and laptops. No software installation required.

wrote on Apr 15^th, 2009 at 1:15pm:

Does any know how or what software I can use to backup a customers computer (a complete image) before I work on it. That way if something gets dorked up i can reload the machine to where i started. Software like Norton Ghost and Acronis True Image are licensed per computer and dont have a commercial or mulitple computer use license. I dont want to give my customers to have to have to buy software for each computer I repair. Is there any solution for this?

It would appear to this reader, that you need a 'shop tool' (backup program) that you can use without ever installing it on a customer's PC and then you need a suitably large hard drive to use as temporary storage for the image file of the customers OS partition.  Does that about sum it up?

Whatever backup program you're going to use (I hope not that $3500 one) you should never install it on a customers PC.
Like any other shop tool it should be on a bootable CD and be able to back up all versions of Windows, from DOS to Win-7.

I applaud your wanting to back up a cust's PC before working on it.  Most shops won't do that.  :'(

Several workable solutions to your problem have been mentioned right here in the Radified forums.

Would it violate terms of the EULA to remove the clients HDD from his computer and hook it up via USB to your computer, which has Ghost installed and image/copy the clients drive to media of your choice and then proceed with whatever you will do to his drive?  Then if things get dorked up you can restore from the image you created.  

It appears to this reader that you're worrying more about a EULA than securing your customers' data.

Please don't take this as a rebuke, but there is NO reason in the world for you to have Ghost (for instance) on your PC or on the customers PC.

I guess I'm repeating myself when I say, "You need your backup program on a bootable CD or Flash Drive".   It's like any other shop tool, it must be able to be run from a CD or Flash Drive and not tied to any PC.

I personally have Ghost 11.5, Acronis True Image 9, Partition Magic 8, Spinrite-6 and an assortment of diagnostics like "Check-It Pro", all on bootable CD's.
I would never install any of those on a customer's PC.

Lurker wrote on Apr 27^th, 2009 at 10:42am:

It appears to this reader that you're worrying more about a EULA than securing your customers' data.

???  I didn't read it quite the same way.  I don't think Dirk was saying the customer's data shouldn't be protected, I think he was asking at what point a different kind of license would be needed.  If, like some of us, he is operating on a customer's hard disk as a business, he is right not to put his business at risk over EULA violations.

But I think he's asked a reasonable question--if you attach the hard disk to your own computer, are you now backing up your computer or the customer's computer?  If the EULA grants you the right to backup only your computer, would this be a legal use?

Several different products have been mentioned in this thread and the EULAs undoubtedly vary, but I'd say you're certainly violating the spirit of the EULA if not the letter of it.  When something like Terabyte's Technician's License is dirt-cheap as far as business expenses go, it certainly makes good business sense to stay within both the letter and the spirit, but it's still a good question even if it's only academic.

And while I agree with Lurker that there shouldn't be a need to *install* the backup program, that wasn't Dirk's question.

Lurker wrote on Apr 27^th, 2009 at 10:42am:

I would never install any of those on a customer's PC.

As Dan Goodell alluded to, there may not be a need to *install* software on a customer's pc.  However, many people mistakenly assume that if the don't *install* the software, they are not violating the EULA.  Not true.

Many (and Ghost is written this way last time I checked), you cannot *USE* the software on more than one pc.  Whether you install it or not is immaterial.

Using a boot cd or boot diskette (but not having to install it) on a additional computer violates the EULA for many products.  If you *use* it on two computers, you need two licenses. etc.

@ Dirk B


Quote:

Would it violate terms of the EULA to remove the clients HDD from his computer and hook it up via USB to your computer, which has Ghost installed and image/copy the clients drive

I believe that would be a *violation* of the EULA!

As John. has pointed out, the concept is not one of *installation*!--it's one of *use* of the software!

It's really quite simple--if you wish to *use* the software for the *benefit* of a HDD from a *system*--then that *system* needs a valid license.  You can use the software with multiple HDDs as long as they are related to the licensed *system*.

Here's some excerpts from the EULA of Norton SystemWorks which included Ghost 2003:


Quote:

1. License. The software which accompanies this license (collectively the "Software") is the property of Symantec or its licensors and is protected by copyright law.  While Symantec continues to own the Software, you will have certain rights to use the Software

Nothing there about *installation*!


Quote:

ADDENDUM FOR NORTON GHOST This addendum adds certain sections to the Symantec Software License Agreement specific to the Software’s Norton Ghost component ("Norton Ghost").  These additional sections apply only to Norton Ghost. In addition to Sections 1(A)-(D) under the heading "You may" in the Symantec Software License Agreement, you may: (i) use Norton Ghost on one computer to clone, or apply an image of, a hard drive on that computer, or a portion thereof, to another hard drive on the same computer.  If a License Module accompanies, precedes, or follows this license, you may make and use that number of copies of Norton Ghost licensed to you by Symantec as provided in your License Module on an equal number of individual computers pursuant to the terms of this license. Your License Module shall constitute proof of your right to make and use such copies; (ii) use Norton Ghost on that same computer to create an image file of a hard drive on that computer and store the image file on removable media for disaster recovery purposes; (iii) use Norton Ghost to create a boot disk as described in the documentation for reapplying the hard drive image that was created for disaster recovery purposes to the hard drive on that same computer; or (iv) use Norton Ghost to clone a hard drive from that same computer to a replacement computer, in the manner described in the software documentation, and to use Norton Ghost on the replacement computer provided that Norton Ghost has been removed from the original computer. In addition to Sections 1(A)-(F) under the heading [highlight]"You may not" in the Symantec Software License Agreement, you may not use Norton Ghost commercially or non-commercially for the purpose of creating multiple computers or hard drives not connected to the original computer, with similar or identical configurations to that of the original computer or hard drive.