Software to make recovery CDs

[Apple Grew]

Do you know about any software that can create a complete image of a partition of a harddisk and can create a bootable DVD which can automatically repartition the HDD and copy the image's content to drive?

Actually I have a habit of heavly customising my computer. If for some reasons I need to format it then it will be a real nightmare to reinstall all my softwares and re-configure my computer.

If a software can make a recovery CD like the ones that come alongwith branded PCs will be a blessing for me. Is Norton Save and Restore that software or there are any better softwares?

Please help me. :)

[-pops-]

Is this the sort of thing you mean?

click here.

[Panarchy]

Is this the sort of thing you mean?

click here.

Can you PM or post on this topic all the member discounts please? Because I don't want to ing buy something for full price when I can get a discount ;) !

[andsome]

What about Acronis, available on here at a discount?

Acronis. discounted on here

[Panarchy]

Where? Where? Where?

:lol: I need to know!

[Apple Grew]

Is this the sort of thing you mean?

click here.

It looks promising but...

1) can it also copy current HDD data and also the whole registry so that I need not redo my registry tweaks and will itself install all the softwares alongwith all their updates, etc. (I require that when I run this, I will get back my saved PC state exactly as it was).

2) also will it need a Windows installation CD? I have only been given a restore DVD with my laptop; that has only few sort of archive files in it.

[AlanHo]

I would recommend Acronis - as suggested by andsome. You make a bootable CD using the Acronis programme which loads during boot-up when you want to restore your computer to a previous state.

It will restore your complete hard drive to exactly the state when you took the back-up. I take a back-up every week onto an external USB hard drive.

I have had cause to use it several times and it has proved totally reliable.

[andsome]

I would recommend Acronis - as suggested by andsome. You make a bootable CD using the Acronis programme which loads during boot-up when you want to restore your computer to a previous state.

It will restore your complete hard drive to exactly the state when you took the back-up. I take a back-up every week onto an external USB hard drive.

I have had cause to use it several times and it has proved totally reliable.

It's brilliant, I installed one of my back ups only this last week. Everything is EXACTLY the same as the day that you did the back up.

[-pops-]

With Acronis you can make a clone (exact copy) of your hard drive and make it bootable so that if/when current "C" drive doesn't suit you any longer, you can install the clone as a new "C" drive and reformat the old one.

[Apple Grew]

Thank you so much. I will get this software.

[andsome]

Get the discounted version from here. When you download it, save it to a folder then put it onto a CD for future use. You will also need to make a bootable recovery CD when you install it. This is used in preference to the program CD, which is really there for installing completely afresh in the future.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Get the discounted version from here. When you download it, save it to a folder then put it onto a CD for future use. You will also need to make a bootable recovery CD when you install it. This is used in preference to the program CD, which is really there for installing completely afresh in the future.

In order to get the discounted Acronis software, you must be a paid subscriber to this forum. The discounted software is only distributed as a download, not a CD-ROM.

The install CD-ROM itself is bootable, so you could use it as a recovery disk. On the other hand, Acronis lets you make a recovery CD, so you do not necessarily need the bootable install disk.

I personally like my software on CD, so I always get the official install package. You can also get discounts for these, e.g. from Amazon and many other software vendors.

[-pops-]

If the program is downloaded to a folder then the contents of the folder can then be written to CD so you have effectively the same thing as buying the CD version.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

If the program is downloaded to a folder then the contents of the folder can then be written to CD so you have effectively the same thing as buying the CD version.

No, that will not make it automatically into a bootable recovery disk. But you can create one with Acronis.

[tggkao526]

Before you buy anything, check for free stuff. namely http://sourceforge.net/ and google

Backup solution is a common... phrase. so people usually develop software for these things for personal use, then release them on the net.

But it's probably more complicated using free things since you'll probably have to use like... more then 3 programs sometimes.

for example, video editing.

to make a home made dvd using freeware. you need to rencode the media using one software like avidemux, use another program to make an advance menu, then use dvdstyler to put everything together, then a burning program to burn it as a dvd.

While you do all these steps with freeware, a registered nero or roxio software do all those things at once, but sometimes it sacrifices preformace when opensource programs does not.

In your case, if you want to find a free program, you probably need a freshly installed os and application (but then you probably don't need to but it's usually recommanded).

Then find a program that captures the hard drive in a image, then using another program, built your boot menu, then put everything together and burn it on to a dvd/cd

I think I might have a solution for you though.

you need a program that can capture a hard drive image, that shouldn't be hard seeing that when I was working on these kind of things half an year ago, there were lots of such programs. But i'm not sure if it's availiable for windows...

Check here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_backup_software

and here http://www.thefreecountry.com/utilities/backupandimage.shtml

make sure it backs up the registry. usually those that does a full copy copies registry, or in other words, hd cloning.

Then you'll need to build a Windows Preinstall environment. There's a free one here: http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

Load it up with the tools you'll need, you'll probably have to fiddle around with it a bit.

I prefer this one though http://www.reatogo.de/REATOGO.htm. It's just 4 times bigger than the first of 50megs... I think it was 50 megs... you can find reatogo from the plugin and links section from the former.

Plus, it has a tool that let you create plugins your self, so more choices.

Then using a image handling program and combine the hdd image into the

Win PE image, then burn it onto a cd.

And voila, a customized restore cd.

Now whenever you're computer is getting g**, pop the dvd in, use the format tool, then the image tool, reboot, take cd out... and a whole new clean os waiting for you.

Just a reminder, keep private data separate from the drive, and that you can't install/restore windows on any partition that isn't primary.

[tggkao526]

I was doing some browsing and I came across this

http://www.xxcopy.com/

it's a hd cloning program. looks good with lots of function, the site's complete with discusstion and tutorials and whatnots. but the layout's lame.

here's a cloning/restoring guide

http://www.xxcopy.com/xxcopy40.htm

somehow I couldn't edit my previous post.

[andsome]

If the program is downloaded to a folder then the contents of the folder can then be written to CD so you have effectively the same thing as buying the CD version.

No, that will not make it automatically into a bootable recovery disk. But you can create one with Acronis.

We are not implying that this CD will be a bootable recovery CD. What we are saying is that if the program is burned to a CD first, this is as good as a bought version of the Program. This CD is then used to install Acronis, and a further recovery CD is made during or after the install of the program.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

We are not implying that this CD will be a bootable recovery CD. What we are saying is that if the program is burned to a CD first, this is as good as a bought version of the Program. This CD is then used to install Acronis, and a further recovery CD is made during or after the install of the program.

But it is not! I know plenty of people who have a computer with a CD-ROM, but can't burn CDs. If you they receive a bootable recovery CD from Acronis, this will save their system in case of a disaster.

I personally dislike burning CDs, and I only download software when I know that an original install CD is on the way. And P.S. - how do you know that any downloaded software is legitimate?

[tggkao526]

Why does the post time so low?

anyways here's another, easier free program

http://selfimage.excelcia.org/