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    Need Help pn Backing up a 60GB HDD

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by The_Observer, Jun 7, 2008.

  1. The_Observer

    The_Observer 9262 is the best:)

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    Hello All;
    After several failed attempts I am forced to get help from the experts.

    Story in short:I have a 120GB HDD installed with Windows XP SP2 and some other games and office installed.I tried using Ghost to make the image and burn to DVD.It went well till about 83% and 7DVD and then it didn't respond.

    I know I can make a bootable external HDD and use it as back up.But for a bootable external HDD,the file system has to be FAT32 and it can take only about 4GB of maximum file size.So what to do here?Try the DVD method again?Or is there some other easier way?So as to have a quick system restore via a bootable method?

    Thanks in advance.
     
    The_Observer, Jun 7, 2008
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  2. kegobeer

    kegobeer 1 hr late but moving fast

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    No, your external doesn't have to be FAT32. You can boot an external that uses NTFS. The easiest thing to do is use BartPE - boot with BartPE, use Drive Snapshot, and save the image to the external drive.

    Since you own Ghost, I believe you can integrate it into BartPE; that will save you the $40 or so it will cost to buy Drive Snapshot.
     
    kegobeer, Jun 7, 2008
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  3. de.1337

    de.1337 Notebook Evangelist

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    Yeah, I'm using NTFS on my 160 GB external, so...
     
    de.1337, Jun 7, 2008
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  4. The_Observer

    The_Observer 9262 is the best:)

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    Using this BartPE,and the image saved in an external drive.is the recovery via the same method too?Boot the BartPE and then restore from external drive?Seems like a good solution.
     
    The_Observer, Jun 7, 2008
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  5. The_Observer

    The_Observer 9262 is the best:)

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    But is it bootable?
     
    The_Observer, Jun 7, 2008
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  6. kegobeer

    kegobeer 1 hr late but moving fast

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    Yes, it's the same method.
     
    kegobeer, Jun 7, 2008
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  7. de.1337

    de.1337 Notebook Evangelist

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    I don't know... I haven't tried booting from it. But I don't see why it shouldn't... but if I'm wrong, anyone feel free to tell me. :D
     
    de.1337, Jun 7, 2008
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  8. kegobeer

    kegobeer 1 hr late but moving fast

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    If you are talking about a Windows operating system, it's quite a task to get it to install to a removable drive. This article explains how to do it, and you aren't restricted to FAT32.

    You can install Linux distros to an external drive, and they don't use FAT32 or NTFS. You can install Linux, boot to your external drive, and run imaging software in Linux to make a backup of your Windows drive.
     
    kegobeer, Jun 7, 2008
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  9. de.1337

    de.1337 Notebook Evangelist

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    Ah yes, running Windows portably can be a challenge. I read an article about it a while back...
     
    de.1337, Jun 7, 2008
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  10. Andy

    Andy Notebook Prophet

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    Andy, Jun 7, 2008
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  11. The_Observer

    The_Observer 9262 is the best:)

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    After 2 more coasters decided to go with the external drive thing :)
     
    The_Observer, Jun 7, 2008
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  12. Andy

    Andy Notebook Prophet

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    dont understand why it would hang while making the dvds..?!
     
    Andy, Jun 7, 2008
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  13. The_Observer

    The_Observer 9262 is the best:)

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    I dnt know.It was in this verification stage asking for DVD's and then it took like eternity.I aborted it then.have a feeling it's done.

    Anyway trying the Drive Snapshot method now.
     
    The_Observer, Jun 7, 2008
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  14. The_Observer

    The_Observer 9262 is the best:)

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    Used drive snap shot and seems like it works.Never had a chance to test it out though.
    Thanks and repped.
     
    The_Observer, Jun 8, 2008
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