Imaging a Drive

Discussion in 'Software' started by TimoftheC, Jul 10, 2008.

  1. TimoftheC

    TimoftheC Kilobyte Poster

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    OK, I know what it is and what it does but I have never actually created an image before.

    I have been asked by the place where I volunteer to look at creating a new image with updated versions of AVG as well as sp3 for XP. They do have their own software for this (can't remember its name) but I thought I'd get me hands on a free version and have a play at home first to get an insight into imaging.

    My question is, when I image a computer from the server at the workshop, the process appears to follow the same process as installing XP, in that it first formats the drive as an NTFS Partition and then installs all the relevant files. Is this how the imaging of a drive normally works?

    Oh, sorry for the lack of info :oops:
     
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  2. paradoxni

    paradoxni Nibble Poster

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    Creating an image usually means taking an exact copy of a drive so you dont have to install all the OS files and programs again.

    I have done it on my home machine using Trueimage to create a bootable DVD-R which dumps the image back onto a HDD in 15-20 mins (including all my usual software / settings and drivers already installed.)

    In work we also image from a server, which involves booting from a network bootable floppy, connecting to the image server and starting the imaging process, the drive gets formated and image copied across the network. Nothing should actually "install" as you mention.

    There are other utils on the XP CD that you can use (e.g. sysprep) which will prepare an XP installation for imaging and allow you to image onto differing hardware, by allowing you to include extra drivers for the differing hardware.
     
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  3. Gingerdave

    Gingerdave Megabyte Poster

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    The standard one that gets used is Symantic (previously Norton) ghost. they way we use ghost is with a TCP/IP boot disk and a server installed copy of ghost.

    The process goes along the lines of

    1) startup with boot disk in
    2) map a network drive pointing at the server share with ghost in.
    3) run ghost
    4) create an image using the to disk option
    5) specify a location to save the image to
    6) press the magic go button and the image gets created.

    However before you do all of that you need to create the base source for the image. In your case this would include avg and SP3 then run sysprep off the XP cd and before it reboots and starts the hardware detection process take the image.

    A better description can be found tips-on-making-standard-corporate-pc-images

    I'm sorry its a bit vague, but although I deploy images often and understand the basics of the creation I have never done it myself.

    Good luck though
     
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  4. TimoftheC

    TimoftheC Kilobyte Poster

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    Thanx for the reply paradox :)

    I think it's the formatting part that I am latching on to a bit as once that part is done I move on to doing other stuff and randomly check a PC to make sure everything is progressing. The thing that I am a bit confused about is that the formatting of the hard drive is in exactly the same format as when you do a proper install of XP i.e. the light blue screen with the progress bar whilst it formats. Is that what you get when you image a drive?
     
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  5. paradoxni

    paradoxni Nibble Poster

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    umm no im our imaging software takes care of that, perhaps your using the sysprep method which has a "mini-setup" a bit like a normal XP install.
     
    Certifications: A+, Network+, MCP, MCDST, CCENT
    WIP: Server+

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