Completely backing up hard drive?
 

Rihgt, I'm sure I could puzzle this out but why do that when people here probably have the answers at their fingertips? :)
I want to completely back up Mandys laptops HDD onto another external drive.
I have purchased a small external drive and drive enclosure that connects via firewire. I need to create a complete ghost image every week so that if her HDD goes belly up I can just swap the external HD into her laptop and carry on as if nothing had happened.
Anyone have any ideas? :dunce:

Re: Completely backing up hard drive?
 

Try Norton Ghost.

Re: Completely backing up hard drive?
 

acronis do some nice software for this it will take an imagine then all u need to do is restore it using the img and a boot cd

Re: Completely backing up hard drive?
 

here is a program i used, its a 30 day trial but fully functional, i backed up my pc drive with it.

http://www.farstone.com/home/ensite/...iveclone.shtml

Re: Completely backing up hard drive?
 

Like Sosages says, Acronis is quite a good program. The downside is that you have to install it in Windows and you can only run it in Windows.
On the other hand I would recommend making a boot cd with Image Pro 6 on it. You can then make an image of your disk or make a disk to disk copy. Image Pro 7 is out but I've found it to be quite unreliable. hope this helps.

Re: Completely backing up hard drive?
 

I'll agree with that (& Nemesis will too ;) )

Re: Completely backing up hard drive?
 

Tnx all...will Norton Ghost or Acronis produce a fully functional HDD if I need to replace the the original with the one that has the (ghost) backup copy on it?
edit. just looked at them......it looks like they will do the job :tu: .....just got to choose one now....... :scratch:

Re: Completely backing up hard drive?
 

I know Norton Ghost will create an exact mirror of the drive so it'll function exactly the same as the original.

Re: Completely backing up hard drive?
 

Next question...........when I place the new HDD into the external drive bay and plug the whole thing into the laptop via firewire the external HDD lights light up (on the docking bay/box) and spins but I can't see it in 'my computer' :confused: :dunce: ..any ideas. :disturbd:

Re: Completely backing up hard drive?
 

Have you formatted it?

Re: Completely backing up hard drive?
 

ermmmm.....no......not been given the option to :erm:

Thing is.....when I plug it into te laptop via usb/firewire.......xp home says 'found new hardware' and names it correctly. If I click on 'safely remove hardware' it gives me the option to safely remove it........but I can't actually see it anywhere on the laptop. :confused: :disturbd:

Re: Completely backing up hard drive?
 

CAn i just butt in and ask if i were to take an 'image' (what is that exactly and how can it mimic/act like the original drive) of my hard drive could i then transfer it onto another disk and boot to Windows from the new drive. My ipod tracks are fillin up the original 40G quickly and at todays prices a much bigger disk makes alot of sense. i think i'm askin a v similar question here but u see me no understand.

Re: Completely backing up hard drive?
 

Do you see it in Disk Manager on the Laptop?

Re: Completely backing up hard drive?
 

Right click on 'My Computer' and select 'Manage'.

In the Computer Management MMC, on the left you should see "Disk Management" under "Storage".

In the Disk Management window you should see the existing disk and and unformatted second disk. Right click on the second disk and select 'Create Partition' (or similar). Once you have a partiton you should be able to use it with Norton Ghost, or, if you format it, with XP.

HTH

Re: Completely backing up hard drive?
 

Strangely I can now see it in device manager. Apparently it is 'working correctly' when I use add new hardware (it's already there)
I just can't actually access the bluddy thing :confused: