Make A Backup Of Windows-partition?

[ajsie]

Hi!

I often have to reinstall my windows xp because it - after a while - runs slower or because it has been infected with some virus or trojans. Its really a hard work to reinstall all my applications and drivers and make the same configuration over and over again.

Some years ago I made a copy of the Windows 98-partition (C with Nero, which made it easier for me when reinstalling Windows. I just put in the cd and it made an exact copy to my harddrive, the same as when i backed it up. What it did was that it copied the whole partition, which means it also copied the unused space. That forced me to use a bunch cds. And another problem was that it couldnt copy the partition when Windows was running on it. Because of that I had to remove my harddisk from my local box and place it into another computer which ran windows too. And from there I could make a partition-copy of the harddrive because it didnt use that harddrive when it loaded windows (I hope you understand what I mean).

So my questions are:
1. Is there any program that can make an exact copy of my Windows partition (C although I am running windows from it?

2. Is there a program that does NOT copy the unused space?

3. Is there a program that make the backup of a partition in dos mode before windows starts (which then solves the problem mentioned in question 1)?

4. Is it better that the program copy the entire partition to backup the Windows than just copy the files?

5. If it copys my partition does that mean that it cant be used in another harddisk than the origin harddisk where I made the backup from although they both have the same partition size?

NOTICE THAT MY GOAL IS TO MAKE A BACKUP ("AUTO INSTALLATION") CD WHICH MEANS THAT I JUST HAVE TO PUT IN THE CD AND FOR EXAMPLE TYPE IN "RESTORE MY BACKED UP FILES TO (C DRIVE)" AND I CAN JUST START WINDOWS WITH ALL APPLICATIONS AND CONFIGURATIONS INSTALLED AND SET AS LIKE IT WAS BEFORE I MADE THE BACKUP

thx!

 

[Praetor]

1. None that will let you do so while the OS is active because they are still protected

2. Most programs wont copy empty space

3. Yes

4. Yes

5. Yes although you may need to do adjustments if hardware platform changes drastically

The software i have in mind is something like Norton Ghost or PowerQuest's Drive Image

 

[Zeon]

I use Norton Ghost 2003 myself. Also another thing you can do to keep from having to reinstall all your data. Is (if you got the extra money) buy a second hard drive and divide it into two partitions. Then install the OS and the applications to one drive and all your songs/movies/files to the other drive partition. Then send game installs to the other partition on the second drive as well. This way even if your OS is hit with slowness or a virus you won’t have to reinstall all your files (the non-os files). Also if you ghost your hard drive it will take less space to Ghost C: drive when games files are on a different hard drive.

 

[Praetor]

Then send game installs to the other partition on the second drive as well. This way even if your OS is hit with slowness or a virus you won’t have to reinstall all your files (the non-os files)

For 90% of the games out there you still have to reinstall them to register the DLLs and stuff. THis makes sense because otherwise people could just pirate by installing the game and making a copy of the installation path

 

[Zeon]

Yeah this is true but if I’m ghosting my hard drive I don’t to also back my 9-10 gigs of game files as well. Since I usually try to ghost on DVD-R s the less I use the less expensive it is.

But when you do reinstall your games the settings and profiles are still there. So I don’t have to start all over again.

 

[Praetor]

Yeah this is true but if I’m ghosting my hard drive I don’t to also back my 9-10 gigs of game files as well. Since I usually try to ghost on DVD-R s the less I use the less expensive it is.

Suppose you have your games on "E:" and your operating system on "C:". If you ghost "C:" then your game registry will still preserved and you can play the games immediately upon restoring that ghost -- PROVIDED that you havnted deleted them or something off the E: drive (common sense).

But when you do reinstall your games the settings and profiles are still there. So I don’t have to start all over again.

If you install your game on "E:" then odds are your settings will be on "E:". A few games (STUPIDLY) store their stuff in My Documents (which can be redirected or backed up) however even without that, if you ghost "C:" then when you restore "C:" then those settings will be restored.