Hi,

I'm wondering how to backup my current operating system (WindowsXP)
with the current drivers and programs installed.

Basiclly my computer was full of spyware etc so I backed up my data
and did a fresh install (not an upgrade). However my sound, video, and
modem drivers all had to be manually downloaded and installed, along
with a couple of frequently used programs. All in it took me about 8
hours to complete!!

The total size of my current system is 3.16 Gb, ie.it would all fit on one DVD.

I would like to burn a DVD of my entire drive so I could just reformat
and copy the DVD to my hard drive, rather than manually installing XP
and then each driver and program all over again. What is the procedure
for doing this using just normal functions or freeware? (ie. i don't
want to spend money and time on third party software)

I know something very similar is done by companies like Dell, Gateway
etc. to install an OS on thier new PC's. In the good old days I could
probably just write a simple batch file and sit back, but things just
ain't so simple anymore... OK that's it, thanks!

HI!!

I found several free Drive Imaging programs that can do what you need,
I use a non free one that I can recommend because it saved me many
times.
You will find a list, with links, to the more reliable programs here:
"Free Hard Disk Backup and Restore, Hard Disk Image and Cloning Utilities":
http://www.thefreecountry.com/utilities/backupandimage.shtml


From that list there are two that are the most recommended, in the following order:
"DriveImage XML - Backup and Image logical Drives and Partitions":
http://www.runtime.org/dixml.htm

"Partition Saving":
http://www.partition-saving.com


After you create the drive image you can save it to a DVD.

I think that DriveImage XML is easier to use, it is more friendly, and
it cames with a disk manager to create new partitions. Download and
install this program just to access its Help file (from Help menu at
the top ot its window). The Help file gives you the necessary
instructions on how to do the backup and the restoration.


Partition Saving instructions can be found at the following page:
"HOW TO":
http://damien.guibouret.free.fr/en/HOWTO.html  

"MANUAL - Use of programs for saving/restoring partitions": (advanced)
http://damien.guibouret.free.fr/en/lisezmoi.html#Chapitre_5

In the case you need to create an additional partition you can use
"Ranish Partition Manager":
http://www.ranish.com/part/


You are not asking about this, but i think that you must consider this posibility:
"Norton Ghost : Product Overview - Symantec Corp.":
http://www.symantec.com/home_homeoffice/products/backup_recovery/ghost10/index.html

"Radified Guide to Norton Ghost by Symantec - A Tutorial on How to
Create and Restore Ghost Images":
This article include links to cheaper programs, just navigate through
those links to check your options. At the bottom of the page you will
find links to manuals for the last three versions of this program. It
works fine for me.
http://ghost.radified.com/ghost_1a.htm


Hope that this helps you. If you find this answer unclear and/or
incomplete, please use the clarification feature to request further
assistance, I will be glad to response your requests.

Best regards,
livioflores-ga

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Request for Answer Clarification by georgieprague-ga on 24 Nov 2005 02:56 PST

Actually I knew about two of these tools before, but posted the
question as I wasn't sure if one would work and didn't want to pay $70
on principle because I used to do this 10 years ago for free!

Partition:
I do not have DOS installed, and after contacting Microsoft they
informed me it was not availible. I'm not sure where to get it as none
of my friends have it, so this isn't an option...

Drive Image XML:
If you can solve this problem, I'll consider the question answered.
Fine I can use DriveImage to backup my data to an XML file. However
how to I restore it over my current Windows? I've spent an hour
reading help etc. but don't know if I can use this to restore my
current drive because Windows XP won't let anyone overwrite files
currently in use.

Basically what I'm trying to do Is very simple. In the days of DOS, I
would just type "attrib -h *.* /s", the pkunzip the whole drive to
tape drive as an executable file, then start with a boot disk. But I'm
not even sure if boot disks exist for XP, anmd even if they did wether
that would work.

OK so if you can tell me how to use DriveImage XML to do this (step by
step) without roundabout methods I will certainly consider the
question answered.

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Request for Answer Clarification by georgieprague-ga on 24 Nov 2005 02:57 PST

Oh yes, I will also include a little tip if this wporks fine coz
you've tried to help.

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Clarification of Answer by livioflores-ga on 24 Nov 2005 08:36 PST

Hi!!

Regarding the DriveImage program I read the help file and found the
following under Feature --> Restore section:
"Restoring an Image:
-Use existing partition or create new partition
Note that you must put the image into an existing partition. If
necessary create a new partition with Windows Disk Management first.
-You do not need to format the drive.
...
Restore Wizard:
-Press Next to start the restore wizard.
-Browse for the *.XML file, which you created earlier when you wrote
the backup. Then press Next.
-The wizard will ask you again to identify the destination partition -
the partition where the images goes to. Choose the right partition and
click Next.
-In the following windows, you'll be asked to once again verify the
right image and the right destination. Make sure everything is
correct, then click Next.
-A security window will pop up, and you will be prompted to
double-check and verify the location the image will be restored to.
Please be aware that all data on the destination partition will be
overwritten and any files residing on it now will be destroyed. Follow
the instructions on the screen and then press Next.
-DriveImage XML will now restore the *.XML (together with its *.DAT)
image file to the partition you specified. A status bar will tell you
approx. how long this process is going to take. Once completed you
will be notified whether or not the restoration was successful. Press
Finish.
-You may want to verify that the image was successfully restored by
opening Windows Explorer. Go to the partition you restored the image
to and double-check that the data was written to it and is accessible.
Normally DriveImage XML doesn't require you to restart your computer
for the changes to be in effect, in some cases however you might have
to do that for the restored data to display correctly.
-Note on resizing: While copying the source drive will be resized to
the size of the destination partition if raw mode is unchecked and the
file system to be transferred is an NTFS of FAT32 file system.
Otherwise the transferred drive will have the original size, possibly
wasting disk space if you had chosen a larger destination partition
size.
-Note on boot drives: If you want your computer to boot from the new
partition you must set it to "active" with Windows Disk Management."

This are the instructions required to restore a drive. To use it at
the "in use" partition I think that you must run the program from a
bootable CD rom through the DriveImageXML plugin; instructions on how
to build such CD rom are in the DriveImage developer site:
"Boot CD-ROM Support - Run our programs from a boot CD-ROM":
http://www.runtime.org/peb.htm

To download the plugin:
http://www.runtime.org/driveimage_xml.cab


Regarding Partition Saving I found the following pages:
"Create free bootable Windows XP image disk with Partition Saving": 
The bootdisk with Partition Saving enables you to create and restore
an image of your system.
http://www.optimizingpc.com/howtouse/imagebootdisk.html

"Backup and restore your Windows XP partition with the bootable image
disk (bootdisk)":
http://www.optimizingpc.com/howtouse/imagingpartition.html


I found also other free option to check:
"Download DrvImagerXP 2.2 - Creates and restores drive images of FAT32
and NTFS partitions"
http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Back-Up-and-Recovery/DrvImagerXP.shtml

More info here:
"DrvImagerXP":
http://www.woundedmoon.org/win32/drvimagerxpsetup_2.2.html

There is also a plugin for the WinPE/BartPE boot CD-ROM like the DriveImage plugin:
http://www.bootcd.us/BartPE_Plugin_Details/302/DrvImagerXP.html


Hope that this helps you.

Regards,
livioflores-ga

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Clarification of Answer by livioflores-ga on 27 Nov 2005 06:08 PST

Hi!!

I failed in giving you my search strategy, but it is not too late so
here is it; at Google.com I used the following keywords:
xp image saving
xp save partition
xp drive image
xp "boot disks"
xp image restore

Regards, 
livioflores-ga

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Request for Answer Clarification by georgieprague-ga on 05 Jan 2006 20:25 PST

Sorry I have tried that. But Microsoft has ceased support for Win PE
and I continually run into problems... I just reformatted about twenty
times over the last two weeks. A frien finally suggested Acronis True
Image.

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Clarification of Answer by livioflores-ga on 05 Jan 2006 23:51 PST

Hi!!

I am so sorry to find my answer not useful that it was needed to be.
But in future questions use the clarification feature more often if
the answer does not work. Acronis was a choice that I could give you
if you had requested for further assistance. The lack of feedback from
you lead me to believe that you found my answer useful and finished.
Hope that your backup problems are finnaly solved.

Have a Happy New Year and best regards,
livioflores-ga

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Request for Answer Clarification by georgieprague-ga on 06 Jan 2006 00:39 PST

HI no problem. Hope you had a good Christmas. My apologies for the
rating, I was trying to rate it 4 stars (for effort) but must have
clicked wrong. I dont want it to affect your renumeration, and if
possible I'll change the rating but am unsure how.

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Clarification of Answer by livioflores-ga on 06 Jan 2006 06:32 PST

Hi again!!

Do not worry for the rating, it is not so important to me than your
satisfaction, this is why I suggest you a better using of the
clarification feature, to get from this service the most.

Best regards,
livioflores-ga