5a3a0018
XPost: alt.windows-xp, microsoft.public.windowsxp.setup_deployment,
microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support
XPost: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
From: greegor47@gmail.com
On Nov 28, 4:39 pm, OldGuy wrote:
> I am working with laptops.
> They are SATA drives in each.
> I just upgraded my laptop 120G to 320G SATA without problem and set
> three partitions of ~100G each. Loaded Win XP Pro and all my apps on
> C: and data on D:, reserving E: for an Image (Image also to external
> USB drive).
>
> I decided to use Macrium Reflect Free.
> Why? It can create a clone or an image.
> I like the image since it can go to any media easily.
> This can be written to another new drive or overwrite the corrupted C:
> using the Macrium Reflect Free rescue CD that I finally figured out how
> to create.
>
> The Image process was very quick. I can just copy that single image
> file anywhere, like a USB drive. The image is about 70% of the
> original C:.
>
> I am not doing dual-boot on these laptops. Don't need it here.
> I have dual boot on my desktop using Win 7 dual booting to Win XP Pro.
> That works just fine.
>
> Thanks for yor insights.
I'm glad it's working for you!
100 GB for system partition is probably WAY too big!
The main reason I switched from having just one
huge partition with system and data all mixed together
was that I could not just replace just the system partition
without involving EVERYTHING stored on the drive.
Image files have the advantage that they are like
time capsules of everything on the drive yet they
can be stored as data files, even on a USB drive
or an old IDE drive.
If your boot partition gets jammed up with
registry clutter, virii or Windows updates
failing in a "grey state" then you would
need to boot from something other than
the boot partition to re-write the boot partition.
That's why they use a Rescue CD, right?
So you can boot from that and rewrite the
boot partition from an image file?
Do your laptops all identical and do they all
use the same Windows "Product Key"?
I don't mean from the sticker on the side
but if you extract it using Magic Jelly Bean
or some other Key Finder program?
(OEM computers typically only use the
COA sticker product key as a last resort
after the factory install is lost or wiped.)
So you've got to pull it from SW...
If conditions are right you might be able
to make a "master" image for each
model of laptop, instead of each individual one.
Ghost was wildly popular at one point back
on the Win98SE era of machines because
you could stash images or clone drives or partitions.
But if you clone a drive with it installed
to multiple machines, then you are
obligated to remove it from all machines
you don't legally have Ghost licenses for.
And the Ghost proprietary formats changed,
so that new versions could not retrieve
image files created two versions back.
This slowed it down considerably with IT
people who have to conform to software
copyright audits.
Macrium is copyrighted software and they
want to get paid for each machine also,
don't they?
The thing I liked about XXClone (Free) is that
I can clone the heck out of it, right
ON every drive/partition and not violate
their copyright restrictions.
Being able to actually BOOT the clones
is the ultimate integrity test for fitness.
Does Macrium's copyright allow for that?
Or do they expect you to PAY for a license
to cover every laptop you have?
The Macrium image files might be slightly
less vulnerable to virus infection but I would
certainly advise you to make the boot partition
smaller and more easily swapped right
out from under your data partition.
Again though, glad you found what works for you.
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)
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