So, I've had to replace yet another HD and reinstall Windows. I'm tired of the installation process, even when using slipstreamed WinXP CD.
My Dell laptop and my GF's Gateway laptop have built-in restoral partitions for reimaging the main partition when Windows gets corrupted. Even my employer's laptops are imaged in-house with the same capability. I would like to do the same on my desktop, and go a step further.
My employer uses an open-source program called XOSL which appears for about 2 seconds during the boot process. If nothing is pressed, it loads XP. If F1 is pressed, it boots into a version of Ghost which is configured to automatically restore the "factory" image from the hidden partition back onto the main partition. Of course, I'd like to do this with a free utility, if one exists.
In addtion, to cover myself for when the drive fails completely (negating the ability to use the backup partition on the same drive), I want a bootable DVD which will accomplish the same thing as the "ghost" restoral. I want the backup image on the same disc as the bootable utility, of course.
I've found reviews on Lifehacker.com for a linux-based solution called Gparted and Partimage, and a Windows-based solution called DriveImageXML. The problem with these is that they appear to require you to have a bootable system with running HDs to store and restore the images. This isn't what I want to do, particularly when starting with an entirely new HD.
I found a bootable live OS CD/DVD utility called BartPE, and the website seems to indicate that you can install and run software and other files on the same disc, but there is very little actual documentation on the site, other than the forums, which are a bit of a nightmare.
So, getting to my actual questions:
1) Are there any free "ghost-like" utilities are out there which will let me use a restoral partition on my working drive, similar to what Dell, Gateway, and my employer use, any time I feel like starting from scratch? XOSL is free, but what can replace the Ghost half?
2) Is it possible to create a live DVD (likely BartPE) which can be loaded with a working copy of DriveImageXML (or similar imaging/restoral utility), allowing you to restore an image from the same DVD onto a new HD? Any other programs out there which will accomplish the same thing (for both the live DVD and restoral program)?
My Dell laptop and my GF's Gateway laptop have built-in restoral partitions for reimaging the main partition when Windows gets corrupted. Even my employer's laptops are imaged in-house with the same capability. I would like to do the same on my desktop, and go a step further.
My employer uses an open-source program called XOSL which appears for about 2 seconds during the boot process. If nothing is pressed, it loads XP. If F1 is pressed, it boots into a version of Ghost which is configured to automatically restore the "factory" image from the hidden partition back onto the main partition. Of course, I'd like to do this with a free utility, if one exists.
In addtion, to cover myself for when the drive fails completely (negating the ability to use the backup partition on the same drive), I want a bootable DVD which will accomplish the same thing as the "ghost" restoral. I want the backup image on the same disc as the bootable utility, of course.
I've found reviews on Lifehacker.com for a linux-based solution called Gparted and Partimage, and a Windows-based solution called DriveImageXML. The problem with these is that they appear to require you to have a bootable system with running HDs to store and restore the images. This isn't what I want to do, particularly when starting with an entirely new HD.
I found a bootable live OS CD/DVD utility called BartPE, and the website seems to indicate that you can install and run software and other files on the same disc, but there is very little actual documentation on the site, other than the forums, which are a bit of a nightmare.
So, getting to my actual questions:
1) Are there any free "ghost-like" utilities are out there which will let me use a restoral partition on my working drive, similar to what Dell, Gateway, and my employer use, any time I feel like starting from scratch? XOSL is free, but what can replace the Ghost half?
2) Is it possible to create a live DVD (likely BartPE) which can be loaded with a working copy of DriveImageXML (or similar imaging/restoral utility), allowing you to restore an image from the same DVD onto a new HD? Any other programs out there which will accomplish the same thing (for both the live DVD and restoral program)?