Imagining Software – Still Using Ghost (very old copy)

aidan80

I’ve been not been a 9-5 tech in almost 4 years now and I feel a bit left behind in some areas lol. One of those areas is my tools! I’m planning on some software upgrades as I plan to start working again as a SOHO tech outside office hours.

What type of imagining software you recommend for the small networks or home/office network? I talking mainly about single machines in someone’s home or a few in a small office. I’ve still got a copy of Ghost that’s about 6+ or so years old! Part of it needs to be loaded from floppy lol.. I’ve patched it up and got the entire thing running out of a CDROM but it lacks a few things. I don’t mind it, I actually prefer it over some of the more modern point and click programs out there but there has to be something that is it’s equal that’s up to date and out now?

Any suggestions? Something that would run off a USB HDD or even a CDROM/DVDROM that I could use to image clients machines quickly and easily is what I’m after. Typically when I image a machine and span the image if needed over a few DVD’s and set the first as bootable so the client can reload their machine again if needed without me. What works easily and quickly for you? I could poke around online and read reviews till my eyes bleed but I’d prefer to ask the people who actually use this software right now!

Thanks!

PC509

Acronis may work, but I'm not sure if it would run off USB....

UBCD and UBCD for Windows has a few built into their CD distributions. You might try those.

But, Acronis backup and imaging works great.

Jordus

Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE) 2.0

Bootable from hard drive, external hard drive, USB flash drive, CD, DVD, etc.

You can customize almost every aspect of it. Familiarity with windows scripting will work (because its just a tiny windows)

its FREE!

Good training for understanding parts of WDS as well.

aidan80

Thanks!.. I've used WinPE in the past as well as BartPE and the UBCD's as well. I'll check out Acronis as well.

NightShade03

I have to say I've spent alot of time on imaging lately. There are two paths you can take.

1) You can download the newest version of ghost and set it up on a laptop. Even though its a trial edition you can still you it for imaging up to 10 computers at one time (most SOHO don't have more then that). The ghost console will also allow you to use USB, CD, or PXE to boot the clients and image them. Although this might be a nice easy way to go I don't recommend it! Ghost is rarely used outside the SOHO scene and it locks you into Symantec was is not very keen on implementing changes or updates into their products.

2) Like someone else suggested use WinPE. It's also free, customizable, and fairly easy. There are some free tools on sourceforge that integrate nicely as well. You can capture an image and then use it for any machine (it will apply the drivers automatically after imaging). This will also allow you to use scripting to automate a nice workflow. This is the path I'd recommend (plus many larger companies use this software so you'll already be ahead).

Hope this helps.

Tyrant1919

I'd go with WinPE 100%. I made us switch from ghost to WDS here at work. I'm still trying to get XP images to work but I haven't had time to work on it.

Jordus

Tyrant1919 wrote: »

I'd go with WinPE 100%. I made us switch from ghost to WDS here at work. I'm still trying to get XP images to work but I haven't had time to work on it.

What problems are you having with XP images?

As far as ive found, you just cant do clean installs of XP with WDS (non RIS mode).

But ive had XP sysprep'd images in WIMs working fine on WDS.

Hallucinate

Acronis is where it's at. You can use it from USB as well.