How do you back up a client's computer before working on it?

[BCS Head Tech]

Wouldn't that require that I (or each of my clients) purchase a license for GHOST? The licensing does not allow it to be installed on unlimited customer's computers, does it?

I don't actually install it it is run on a cd or floppy, but not installed. It is just cloning or imaging one drive to another

 

[JustInspired]

Another +1 for Reflect to image the drive. As mentioned we can stick the whole image file on their PC when finished if there is space for it. It will only image the space that's used so you don't have to store huge unnecessary files. We can then install the free version of Reflect with which they can mount, explore, and copy data from.
With XP you could pretty much merge the old user folders with the new ones to transfer the files and settings providing they weren't corrupted in the first place. Vista threw a fit about security problems when I tried to do the same thing. That was just after it was released and I never attempted it again. Admittedly this was a dirty way of doing it as a lot of unwanted files and dead shortcuts were also transferred.
May have to look at Fabs instead of using Windows easy transfer.
Does Fabs extract settings via PE if Windows is hosed?

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I'm a little surprised noone has mentioned this. We use disk to vhd most of the time. Fast and easy. If we need to do multiple partitions, we'll use a different tool.

Cuz you're one of the few that I see think outside the box!

Used P to V convert tools so many times...on servers, I'd never think of them for this purpose...you genius you!

 

[angry_geek]

Cuz you're one of the few that I see think outside the box!

Used P to V convert tools so many times...on servers, I'd never think of them for this purpose...you genius you!

Thank you sir. As you know, it's a painfully easy tool to use, and it's free. It has the added advantage of being able to mount as read only in disk manager, and the images can be easily restored with any tools if something goes wonky.

 

[JustInspired]

Is this the tool you use for doing it? http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/ee656415

 

[angry_geek]

That's the one! .....

 

[JustInspired]

Have done a test run on my own computer and successfully attached it again. Have found out it will not actually work probably because the disk signature is exactly the same as the one which is mounting it causing a 'signature collision'.
I suppose this is hardware related so if I made an image of a client's machine using this, then reinstalled Windows on their machine, I would not be able to simply dump this image in a folder for them to mount and browse for any missing data? It would have to be mounted on another machine/hard-disk right?

On another note I went and bought Fabs Auto Backup 4Tech for user settings etc. - discount code still works!

 

[16k_zx81]

vhd idea is nice. will give this a go over the weekend

 

[angry_geek]

Have done a test run on my own computer and successfully attached it again. Have found out it will not actually work probably because the disk signature is exactly the same as the one which is mounting it causing a 'signature collision'.
I suppose this is hardware related so if I made an image of a client's machine using this, then reinstalled Windows on their machine, I would not be able to simply dump this image in a folder for them to mount and browse for any missing data? It would have to be mounted on another machine/hard-disk right?

On another note I went and bought Fabs Auto Backup 4Tech for user settings etc. - discount code still works!

You can dump it in a folder. 7 zip will open and extract the vhd.