best disk cloning software?

[Captain Fizz]

I've used Norton Ghost for years now. It has never let me down and has been able to do anything of which I have required.

SATA->PATA, RAID 0 array -> Another HDD - Fully bootable of course.

If you read the PDF that comes with it then you can see what all of the options are/do. I've never needed any other drive cloning software and it is easier to use than Driveimage. (Or so I found anyway...)

A lot of people prefer Driveimage so it will be worth a look. TBH it seemed a little awkward to change partition sizes etc during the clone operation whereas Ghost always did exactly what you told it.

[Blub2k]

Not ghost it is CRAP! It could not be slower or more annoying, and crashed almost every time. Probably wont happen for most people, I cant say ive ran chkdisk that often.... though my drive has no physical damage.

Ghost is not crap unless you care to qualify what you have said a little more, this piece of advice is not very helpful, hardware etc problems?

[peterb]

Another vote for CasparXP.

[malice19]

Have used both... Ghost is not bad but could be better. I would recommend Acronis True Image, works well and never let me down at work.

[directhex]

[EtheAv8r]

I tried Acronis True Image 10 and found getting it to boot from a recovery CD a nightmare and to backup and restore my images took a huge amount of time.

I now use Shadow Protect. Excellent, easy to use and very quick too. Well worth the money and it means I can quicky revert my system to it's fresh good state after I break it with some naff software!

[evilwalter]

I registered JUST to defend that poor man, Goodman. I am a employee at a College in their PC helpdesk. We have used programs such as Ultimate Boot CD, and Hiren's Boot CD, for AGES... They DO NOT*** contain any versions of software which are not trial, freeware, open source, or restricted for home use. I find it apalling that the good-for-nothing moderators here have no brain and can't simply perform the research of the matter themselves. Are you lazy? I mean, come on, before bashing a member be an ADULT first.

[Splash]

UBCD is entirely legit, Hirens most certainly isn't. Care to let us know which college you work for so we can advise the BSA?

[chavo]

Acronis True Image if you are changing hardware

[directhex]

UBCD is entirely legit, Hirens most certainly isn't. Care to let us know which college you work for so we can advise the BSA?

the forum tracks IPs, and the IP points back to an educational institution.

[Bios]

Products Used For Home:

- Norton Ghost 9.0: few minor problems in the past i.e corrupt images
- Acronis 11 (Currently use) - Works fine

Products used at work:
- Norton 10.0 - imaged probably over 2000+ Pcs without any problems.

Summary

I really think you can't go wrong with Ghost or Acronis (both do a great job) and it's really matter down to your own personal preference which one you like.

[Bios]

We have used programs such as Ultimate Boot CD, and Hiren's Boot CD, for AGES... They DO NOT*** contain any versions of software which are not trial, freeware, open source, or restricted for home use.

I think you have been mis-informed & you have not really done your homework.

This is for being a bad boy:

[Moby-Dick]

I registered JUST to defend that poor man, Goodman. I am a employee at a College in their PC helpdesk. We have used programs such as Ultimate Boot CD, and Hiren's Boot CD, for AGES... They DO NOT*** contain any versions of software which are not trial, freeware, open source, or restricted for home use. I find it apalling that the good-for-nothing moderators here have no brain and can't simply perform the research of the matter themselves. Are you lazy? I mean, come on, before bashing a member be an ADULT first.

Good for nothing ?

not quite.

whist usually a benign dictator , I'm prone to random acts of banning , and reporting people for Piracy.
now seems like a good time for one of those acts.

[Saracen]

I registered JUST to defend that poor man, Goodman. I am a employee at a College in their PC helpdesk. We have used programs such as Ultimate Boot CD, and Hiren's Boot CD, for AGES... They DO NOT*** contain any versions of software which are not trial, freeware, open source, or restricted for home use. I find it apalling that the good-for-nothing moderators here have no brain and can't simply perform the research of the matter themselves. Are you lazy? I mean, come on, before bashing a member be an ADULT first.

Just to re-affirm what Moby-Dick has said, a while ago I took the trouble to get hold of a copy of that CD and, as a journalist with direct contacts in some of the relevant companies, to check with the manufacturers of some of the content as to whether their material was :-

a) copyright, or released into public domain
b) whether they had granted permission for their material to be used.

The answer was emphatically that the material was copyright, and was neither in public domain nor used with permission. At that time, it was most certainly an illicit product. That was a while ago and in relation to an old version, but current opinion is certainly that it STILL contains copyright material, though it also contains freeware. I haven't personally checked whether that opinion is correct, but it is still regarded as such.

Assuming that you do work in a college helpdesk, that doesn't mean that they have authorised the use of this tool, and even if they have, it doesn't mean that it's legal for them to do so. They may either be ignorant of what you're using, or ignorant of it's illegal status, or have decided to take the risk of prosecution anyway. But even if they have decided to take that risk, we do NOT choose to take it.


EDIT - Following a PM (thanks,Splash) I should clarify - I was referring to Hirens. I haven't done the same re: UBCD but as I understand it, it's legit.

[5cupa]

does Acronis 11 support sata drives though?