-=PCTechTalk=- Re: Backup and latest Ghost (12.0)
- From: RMB White <roguer@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:17:24 +1300
GMan!
I now have only 4% spare space on my C drive so am gathering Life raft
and Emergency rations around me in preparation for a COMPLETE RESTORE.
For ease of reference I have allocated Letters A - D to YOUR reply below.
A.. 1. I have never done a dual boot, but will now.
I have 60G laptop hard drive partitioned into
C = 33G (including Win XP Prof) Primary
Extended = 5G Primary
E = 3G Logical
F = 2.5G Logical
However I see (from Partition Magic) that logical partitions
may only exist within an extended partition and should only
contain data and Operating Systems ( so maybe I have another problem??)
and 250G Seagate External partitioned into
G = 77G Primary
H = 87G Primary
J = 31G Primary (surprsingly this partition is also titled (on
Partition Magic) "SA122560......" the same number as my C drive,
but I can't boot from it
I = 44G Primary ..........all Gs are approx
2. So first I need to decide HOW to repartition the 60G laptop AFTER
I have backed up and BEFORE I boot C with Win XP; also on which
External partition to boot the dual (and should it be a "clean"
partition containing ONLY the XP).
Please help with your best recommendation
3. I propose to Backup absolutely everything I can, and to the
External partition with the largest UNUSED space
B. I note your comment regarding SOME Recovery disks wiping out
everything INCLUDING the Partitions, so I shall see how MY
recovery disk behaves when I repartition the laptop drive AFTER
disconnecting the External. If the disk THEN wipes those
partitions, I may decide NOT to put a dual boot on the External (or,
FIRST backup everything on the External to a third external)
C. 1. I have been experimenting with a complete backup of C (highlight
C, Copy to Folder, choose H, Copy) and struck the problem
you mentioned of SOME files halting the process because they are in use
e.g. "cannot copy user.dat it is in use by another person or
program. Close any program that might be using the file and try
again"
2. Since I am the only person using the computer, I go searching for
a program that might be the holdup, but without success. I also got
"cannot copy hiberfil .........". I thought this might be something to
do with "hibernating" so I disabled hibernate and tried again .... no
success, and a search for hiberfil said it didn't exist! I typed in
"rhubarb"; it relieved some of my frustration.
3. I have followed the process of going to that file's folder and
continuing the process from the following file.
4. I have then tried to copy JUST THAT recalcitrant file by sneaking
down in the middle of the night and trying to succeed before the
computer is properly awake (it didn't work)
D. Does this part of your reply mean that if I DO try and copy the
individual files you have set out in your Zip, then I shan't get any
halts from files that claim they are in use??
I look forward in hope to your wise advice.
Roger W.
GMan wrote:
> Roger,
> After additional review of the reply in question, it would appear that I
> am the one guilty of reading too little into your choice of words. You DID
> say "individual", but in my haste to provide my own thoughts, I did the
> 'assume' thing, figuring it meant ALL apps installed without the OS. My
> crime is simply reading too fast and I completely accept responsibility for
> the results.
>
> So, to hear that you are now able to install any given OEM-supplied app
> at any time, I am almost heartwarmed by their generosity (and also puzzled
> by their evasiveness). In several ways, this is better news than what I
> originally understood.
>
> The rest of this reply is my response to your #4.
>
> A. First, let me point out that I always set up my systems for at least
> 'dual-boot' with WinXP represented twice. They sometimes have more, but
> that discussion is well beyond the scope of this reply. When I prepare for
> a "redo", I simply reboot into the 'other' WinXP and then copy the entire
> contents of the volume (drive partition) that I intend to replace to a
> "Backups" folder located on yet another volume. This allows me to back up
> the entire mess in one fell swoop, redo the operating system and then, at my
> leisure, go through and reclaim anything I wish to keep or transfer to the
> new system. So, to answer your question, Yes, it would probably be best to
> copy as much of the drive as possible to another volume and then proceed
> with the Recovery CD.
>
> B. However (you knew that was coming, right?), some Recovery disks are
> designed to wipe out EVERYTHING, including all partitions on the primary
> hard drive so they can set it all back up from scratch. If you save your
> stuff to a self made partition, that partition might be wiped out as well.
> I'm not saying that all Recovery disks function like this, but I am not
> willing to find out with your most important data playing the part of 'lab
> rat'. If you wish to take this approach, either burn it to a CD/DVD or copy
> the data to an external drive (and then disconnect that external drive
> before running the Recovery disk).
>
> C. Also, you WILL run into several files that will halt the entire process
> because they are currently 'in use' AND because they are 'hidden & system'
> files. It can get rather confusing trying to work around these since, once
> you hit one, you have to go into that file's folder and try to continue the
> process from the file just after the one that caused the halt. After
> several of these occurring 3 and 5 levels deep into your folder hierarchy,
> you'll understand much better what 'frustration' really means.
>
> D. Still, the reason I put together that Zip file is to make it easier to
> target the most often used locations for things you don't want to lose. It
> should help both in the collection & return of these items since the
> unnecessary stuff is not in the way. But again, my disclaimer still stands
> in that you'll want to go through each and every folder on the drive to make
> sure you're not leaving anything you want behind.
>
> Peace,
> GMan
> http://reddit.com
> "The only dumb questions are the ones we fail to ask!"
>
>
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