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Ghost 14 multiple partitions help needed
Jan 3^rd, 2010 at 3:28pm

I have the Ghost 14, read the manual but am still unclear about some issues.
My 320 GB SATA hard drive, XP Pro, SP3, is configured with multiple partitions as follows:
C:\System
D:\DVD ram drive
E:\Programs
F:\Games
G:\Data

I would like to be able to quickly get back in operation if my internal hard drive failed or was disabled by a virus or such. What of the below listed approaches would be the best?

1. I back up all partitions, each separately, on an outside ESATA drive. I will lose partition C:\ and the computer will not be bootable. I will restore the C:\image to its original partition. Will I be able to boot and run all my programs and games without re-installation or any tweaking as before? Are all settings or just some settings preserved? If I lose the program drive E:\, will all programs function upon the restoration from the backup to the original E:\partition?

2. Would it make sense to clone entire internal drive (all partitions) to an external 1gb ESATA drive? Would I have then a bootable replacement on the ESATA? If I had a catastrophic failure I would disconnect the failed internal drive, boot from the ESATA drive and continue to operate as usual. Would the cloning be done from the recovery CD or from Windows? From the forum post it looks like there are issues with the drive letters and other problems.

3. Is there a better way to do that?

Any advice would be appreciated.

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Brian

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	Re: Ghost 14 multiple partitions help needed Reply #1 - Jan 3^rd, 2010 at 4:07pm @ newbie Just a few questions. How large is each partition and how much free space is in each? Typically, what is in E: F: and G: ? Are games installed in F: ? How large is your eSATA HD? 1 GB? Can you see the eSATA HD from the Ghost 14 recovery environment?
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	Re: Ghost 14 multiple partitions help needed Reply #2 - Jan 3^rd, 2010 at 6:42pm Brian, thanks for your response. Here is the data: C:\System, 39.3GB, 7.7GB free E:\Programs, 58.6GB, 11.4 free F:\Games, 151GB, 20.9 free G:\Data, 48.8GB, 37.6 free The Esata has 931GB free. It is NTFS formatted and empty. I can see it as drive H:\ from Ghost environment running in Windows. Regards, Peter
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Re: Ghost 14 multiple partitions help needed
Reply #3 - Jan 3^rd, 2010 at 7:03pm

Peter,

Thanks. We'll get there. Can you see your eSATA HD from the Ghost recovery environment? That is essential. If not you will need to load drivers.

I don't like your second scenario. See....

http://radified.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1132968474;start=7#7

Quote:

"What I planned was to make a duplicate bootable drive and keep it updated on a schedule. If my C drive was to die I could just swap out the drives. That is if that is possible."

Yes, it's possible, but not very sensible, IMHO. Images are more practical.

* Images are files, so you can save multiple generations. A clone leaves you with just one generation.
* Images can be saved/moved anywhere a file can go, such as CD/DVD (which is ideal for offloading earlier generations, BTW). Clones cannot.
* Images are compressed and capture only space in use. Clones are not only uncompressed, they duplicate free space in the partition, as well.

Sure, images require a restore step when disaster strikes, but that only takes minutes, not hours. Also, a clone doesn't always work just by swapping the drives alone, but often requires some degree of repair to get the clone disk up and running. Considering how rarely you'll (hopefully) be doing this, saving a few minutes by keeping a ready-to-go clone is hardly worth the effort, IMHO.

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Re: Ghost 14 multiple partitions help needed
Reply #4 - Jan 3^rd, 2010 at 7:38pm

Brian,
I can see the Esata from the Ghost. I can also put some backups on the server, just in case. I have the network drivers on my recovery DVD.

Is this statement correct: If I lost the ability to boot from C:\ and access it at all, I would then use recovery DVD, boot from it and recover backup from the Esata or network. After recovery I would be able to boot from C: and my programs would function, provided they were installed before the C: backup.

What is your experience with backing up to a local server?

Last year we have visited your wonderful country and had a chance to spend a few days in Sydney. We thought it was one of the most beautiful and livable cities in the world.

Your kind help is appreciated
Peter

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	Re: Ghost 14 multiple partitions help needed Reply #5 - Jan 3^rd, 2010 at 7:43pm Peter, Sorry to pin you down but you haven't confirmed you can see your eSATA HD from the Ghost Recovery Environment. From the Ghost CD. Not in Windows.
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	Re: Ghost 14 multiple partitions help needed Reply #6 - Jan 3^rd, 2010 at 7:52pm Brian, I will check right now Thanks
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Re: Ghost 14 multiple partitions help needed
Reply #7 - Jan 3^rd, 2010 at 7:54pm

newbie wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2010 at 7:38pm:

Is this statement correct:If I lost the ability to boot from C:\ and access it at all, I would then use recovery DVD, boot from it and recover backup from the Esata or network.After recovery I wouldbe able to boot from C: and my programs would function, provided they were installed before the C: backup.

Yes. Just like magic. The same applies to any other partition. You only have to restore the relevant image. Almost always it is the OS image that is restored.

I backup primarily to a second HD but I have images on external HDs and other computers. I'm quite comfortable restoring images over a network but it's faster to restore from a second HD.

Basically I'm agreeing with your first scenario. I'd expect the Games partition wouldn't change much so it wouldn't have to be imaged very often. Same applies to the Program partition. Only take an image when it changes. I image the OS partition daily.

For the data drive, I suggest data backup software. I use Second Copy 7 but Karen's Replicator is popular and free. Data backup software is more efficient and faster than Ghost images. I dislike the Ghost Files and Folders backup because the backup files aren't in native format.

Where are you from?

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Re: Ghost 14 multiple partitions help needed
Reply #8 - Jan 3^rd, 2010 at 8:17pm

I have booted from CD and can see the external drive. Do you happen to know how to assign an alias to the Esata? I have two of them. I am getting a backup software for data.

I am from Las Vegas. We have relatives in Melbourne and spent some time with them. Otherwise between all the sheep in New Zealand and speeding ticket in Tasmania we had a grand trip. We have found Australians to be really nice people.

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	Re: Ghost 14 multiple partitions help needed Reply #9 - Jan 3^rd, 2010 at 8:35pm Recovery CD
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Re: Ghost 14 multiple partitions help needed
Reply #10 - Jan 3^rd, 2010 at 8:39pm

Sounds like you had a great time. Unfortunately we haven't visited Las Vegas but we spent several weeks in Alaska some years ago. That was memorable.

By "alias" do you mean a drive letter label? Right click on the drive letter, click rename and name it whatever you like. The label will be visible in the Ghost recovery environment but the drive letters may be quite different from what you see in Windows. Drive letter labels are very handy.

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Re: Ghost 14 multiple partitions help needed
Reply #11 - Jan 3^rd, 2010 at 8:51pm

This is from Ghost 14 manual, page 41. I am not sure what are they talking about. I have never been to Alaska. It is on our list for a future trip.

Using aliases for external drives
When you choose an external drive for use with Norton Ghost as either a backup
destination or an Offsite Copy destination, it can become confusing if you are
usingmore than one drive, especially when the assigned drive letter changes each
time you plug in the drive.
To help you manage these destinations, Norton Ghost lets you assign an alias to
each external drive. Doing so does not change the drive label, but is for use only
when you are accessing those drives from within Norton Ghost.
For example, you might be swapping out two different external drives used as
Offsite Copy destinations during any given week. Depending on the drive labels
assigned to each drive and whether or not the drive letter previously assigned
has changed, it could become confusing as to which drive you are using at any
given time.
However, by associating unique aliases to each drive, then as you use the drive
with Norton Ghost, the aliases you assigned appear in various locations in Norton
Ghost.

To make it even easier, the Options dialog box lets you see all of your alias drive
names in one view. From this view, you can remove or edit existing names.
To remove or edit external drive aliases
1 On the main menu bar, click Tasks >Options.
2 Under Destinations, click ExternalDrives.
3 Select an external drive from the list and then do one of the following:
■ Click Remove to remove the alias associated with the external drive.
■ Click Rename to modify the alias.

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	Re: Ghost 14 multiple partitions help needed Reply #12 - Jan 3^rd, 2010 at 8:54pm Ah, I see. I haven't used aliases. I think John has and I'd be interested to hear his assessment.
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	Re: Ghost 14 multiple partitions help needed Reply #13 - Jan 3^rd, 2010 at 9:04pm Brian, Your advice was most helpful. I will start experimenting with Ghost and see if I can get it to the point where I can rely on it as an disaster recovery program. Say hello to Manley beach from my wife and I. Thanks again, Peter
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Re: Ghost 14 multiple partitions help needed
Reply #14 - Jan 3^rd, 2010 at 9:17pm

Peter, easy. Here are some Restore guides you could study.

Quote:

Restore options in the recovery environment...

Verify recovery point before restore
Check for file system errors after recovery
Resize restored drive (if desired when restoring to unallocated space)
Partition type Primary
Set drive active (for booting OS)
Restore original disk signature (if a different HD)
Restore Master Boot Record (MBR) (if a different HD)

Quote:

Network restore.....

Boot from Ghost 14 CD
click on the time and adjust zone
click Network
Start my Networking Services
Map a Network Drive
accept Z:
don't click Browse
type in your \\remotecomputername\share (the folder must have been previously Shared)
username and password
you will see an error ('A specified login session does not exist. It may already have been terminated." )
click OK and then click Connect using a different username and password. Then enter your same username and password
you should see Successfully mapped network drive
on main screen click Recover
Recover My Computer
you will probably get a message about no recovery points
in the View by.. select Filename
click Browse
double click Computer
scroll down to Network location
double click Z:
etc

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