Hi Harriet,
There are many programs to do this, free as well as paid.
For a safe bet - Acronis True Image (shareware) , is an excellent choice
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/
See link freecountry > " (Incidentally, if you are getting
TrueImage try the coupon code "coolcoupon",
without the quotes, which may give you a discount
if it is used before 30 November 2009.)"
Some people prefer Norton Ghost http://www.symantec.com/norton/ghost
* However, the following are my favorites:
Free:
Macrium Reflect http://www.macrium.com/ReflectFree.asp
TODO Backup http://www.todo-backup.com/
http://www.todo-backup.com/products/features/free-backup-software-winpe.htm
Shareware (paid)
Drive Snapshot Simple interface, Limited to XP and Win2003 ,but very
fast and reliable.
http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/
You may also want to look at this page that lists a few more.
http://www.thefreecountry.com/utilities/backupandimage.shtml
do check out the links to the shareware ones as well.
> Drive XML (also in this list) was mentioned before, but seems to have its problems,
like being very slow and restoring may be troublesome in some cases.
I tried most of them but come back to the ones I mentioned.
For most people, the less "geeky" ones are the easiest to use ;)
However, I realize other people may have their preferences so it's your
choice.
The programs will explain how to make an image and it should preferably
be stored
on a second, internal harddrive or a USB- external, harddrive.
Important to note - It should have some sort of live CD with it for
restoring to a bootable - or even a non bootable drive.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
# Hugh Vandevoort wrote:" Imaging, while a good thing, would be a very
conservative approach for installing a Service Pack."
and " MS suggests you back up your files, and service packs have their
own
uninstall routine" .
My answer: Yes, it's conservative. To start with, an image before a
major change,
is not only a sensible thing to do, it should be a given to do so.
If I had to pay just $1 for every failed SP install and subsequent
failed uninstall,
I would be totally bankrupt by now.
I suggest you check the numerous pages about this on the web.
Too many things can go wrong when it comes to MS files and updates.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
# Robert Citkowitz wrote: " When my XPPro failed, and a "helpful" tech's
"parallel installation" of XP lost all my files, a more helpful tech's
booting with a Linux-live disc enabled recovering my lost files."
Better yet, why not build your own Live CD ,not based on Linux, but on
XP.
Much easier to deal with plus it can have all kinds of extra programs on
it.
Use Winbuilder http://winbuilder.net/
Associated with them is BootLand - one of the nicest forums you could
have to help you out.
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/ and LiveXP section
From webpage
Recommended steps to build LiveXP:
Method 1
1) Download ZIP archive from here;
http://winbuilder.net/download.php?view.35
2) Extract ZIP and then run WinBuilder.exe;
3) Update through the Download Center by clicking the 'Download' button;
and
4) Then build LiveXP by pressing the 'Play' button.
Method 2
1) Download suitable WinBuilder.exe from here:
http://livexp.boot-land.net/Compressed/WinBuilder.exe and run it;
2) Update through the Download Center by clicking the 'Download' button;
and
3) Then build LiveXP by pressing the 'Play' button.
Peter E.
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Re: [PCBUILD] Any latest advice re: do/don't install SP3?
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Date: Sun, October 18, 2009 2:52 am
> To: [log in to unmask]
> How and where do you make an IMAGE of the drive before you install SP3 ???
> Harriet
>
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