Topic: Ghost software

[beo]

ok, got a big stack of laptops that we're loaning out to kids. some of these kids are going to right royally fuck these laptops up, at which point i'll have to reinstall everything. to make my life easier, i was thinking of creating a ghost image of a fully patched and functioning laptop, which can just be stuck on any system that comes back. since all of the laptops are the same model, drivers and the like won't be an issue.

so anyone have any experience with hard drive ghosting software? any recommendations or pitfalls i should be aware of?

[Xessive]

I've heard good things about Acronis True Image 11. I haven't used it personally, but my friends say it's quite decent.

[Pugnate]

I have nothing constructive to add, except you could leave some hidden porn in there. You know, like a reward for those kids who are really earnest and dedicated.

[beo]

considering i'm installing software to prevent them from accessing teh pr0n, that might be slightly counter productive, pug. it's all relatively easy to bypass though, so the kids with the brains to do it can find their own rewards.

Xessive, i'm glad you've heard good things about the Acronis stuff, because that was the software i was leaning towards. there's stuff in Acronis which would mean i could just do the installs and patching on one system and then install the image via a network to all the other laptops at once, which would cut out days worth of work.

[Cobra951]

As much as I hate Symantec, Norton's Ghost around version 9 did a fine job of cloning a 40-GB drive into a 160-GB drive for me once.  Did it under Windows too, GUI and all that.  Too easy.

[beo]

ok, thanks. i've heard mixed things about Norton Ghost from other sources, plus i can't find a trial anywhere. can't really justify investing in the software unless i can give it a go first.

[scottws]

If I remember right, before Ghost-ing the clean install, you want to run sysprep.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302577

Xessive, i'm glad you've heard good things about the Acronis stuff, because that was the software i was leaning towards. there's stuff in Acronis which would mean i could just do the installs and patching on one system and then install the image via a network to all the other laptops at once, which would cut out days worth of work.

Ghost can do that too from what I've gathered from various lab managers at the University of Cincinnati.

Edit:  I don't want to sound like I'm advocating Norton Ghost.  I've never truly used any imaging software.  I've just heard that Ghost can do the things you've mentioned.  I've also heard people praise Arconis Tru-Image on Anandtech.

Be careful with Arconis though; I know there are different versions.  I had the home/small office version installed for a short while and all it seems to be able to do is create a recovery area on a second hard drive and place backup images of the other drive there.  I don't think it would be able to do what you are trying to accomplish.