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Issues when building a mirror pc...(help pc experts!!!)
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ess765
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
25
Posts :
169
Posted : Jun 15, 2007 06:23
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Hi,
I use an amd atholn 3500 64 bits socket 939 in a asus a8v deluxe motherboard. I was planning to start doing backups for my projects, although I m a little lazy for that. Now I ll need to buy another pc to install at my office.
I was told there s a software which can make an exact copy of my pc with everything exactly identical and all programs and operational system installed( I m not sure if its called Ghost, or if it s from Norton.
So I decided to kill both needs: have a back up and also have a second machine for some extra office use.
The good issue would be that for me I could write some tunes at the office, where I might have some free time.
My concern is: someone told me that this ghost operation would only work perfectly if both the machines are identical regarding motherboard and processor (cpu).
Is that true? Has anyone here ever used this program? Which hardware should be really identical? Any other sugestions or warnings?
Thanks.
  Ess765 (aka Physical Absence)
Visit me at my project s page at:
www.myspace.com/physicalabsence
"when you think you know all the answers, life suddenly changes all the questions" |
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Glitch_CapeTown
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
36
Posts :
952
Posted : Jun 15, 2007 11:20
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Tomos
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
84
Posts :
981
Posted : Jun 15, 2007 12:19
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Norton Ghost is best for backing up the current state of a machine. ie, if the OS install gets seriously corrupted then you can return it to the last time you used Ghost. This is not recommended for making a copy of your computer as any differing components will cause Windows to bluescreen when booting. I don't think there are any specific components, as Windows is extremely sensitive to changes to prevent piracy.
Glitch is right in that it would be easier to just install everything you want again. Ghost would probably take more time to complete as it spans your backup across hundreds of CDs or DVDs. For a full 400GB HD you're looking at ~85 DVDs...
As a side note - when I worked in an office I was so bored, I set up a virtual remote control and used it to control my DAW at home. However sound doesn't travel over remote connections so I had to bounce what I was working on, email it to myself, put it on my ipod, check it out and continue working. Yes, I really was that bored. Office work sucks! |
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bilbobagginz
Started Topics :
8
Posts :
399
Posted : Jun 19, 2007 03:01
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just note you don't need so many backups of the system, as you need the backups with the projects.
* make a separate partition for system/programs and your music files
* make a ghost image for the system right after you've finished to install it all.
After this you only need to setup a backup procedure for the music files.
the OS and programs will be avail if you need to recover for some reason. ( like hard disk crash ).
if you have a FAST network (1Gb), I think it makes sense to have a network attached RAID and write music over the network on a network share.
RAID computer with of ~1.5 TB can cost about 1600-2000$ depending on the elements and the amount of storage you need.
Cheers.
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Work4Acid
Started Topics :
2
Posts :
30
Posted : Jun 19, 2007 03:30
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This is a little tutorial i wrote in this post:
http://forum.isratrance.com/viewtopic.php/topic/109629/forum/2/start/30
For this to work i asume you have a minimum knowlege managing partitions, if not, stay away! its dangerous if you dont know what you're doing, a simple error can be fatal.
You need your HD partitioned in two parts, for ex.:
[C:] 40 gigs (enough for soft & plugs and the rest of your stuff)
[D:] with the rest of your HD space (where i put my projects, songs, sounds, presets and all those thing that need to be modified all the time, so i dont loose it next time i re-image the partition.The things here are not installed nor need setups, they are only files.
A VERY important tool its the 'Hiren Boot CD', wich its a booteable CD (like XP), this great tool has TONS of software of all kind, like partitioners, disk imaging, recovery tools, diagnostic, etc,etc... you can dwnload this from pages like demonoid.com, or p2p programs like emule, search, you wont have any problems to find it( any version will do the job).
Steps: (this could sound long, but its really simple and when you learn how to do it, will save you SO MUCH TIME wasted installing and doing all that boring shit!)
Next i explain the thing you are going to do only one time:
1)Insert the CD and re-boot, you will find a menu, enter the 'Partition tools' section and open Ranish partition manager (the one i used, its really small,fast and efficient, not very cute actually)
You can use Partition Magic, wich is Window oriented, and a little more user friendly, but i dont like it!
Make only one partition on this one, it can be even smaller than the 'destination' partition on your main disk (most of the imaging software ask you if you want to EXACTLY imaging the unit or leave the rest of the free space available.
2)Take your MASTER disk (wich is the one you only used for imaging, dont even conect it for any other reason, you shoud even shoot the people trying to touch it ^^) and setup all your stuff really well)
IMPORTANT TIP: Label this disk as MASTER (not only with a pen, i mean the partition (this will avoid a posible human FATAL error in the future)
******************************************************************
The recovery process:
So, now you are fucked up, WinXP died and you want to keep producing... help!!!
1) Conect the MASTER disk, usually i do it like Slave)
2) Insert the Hiren Boot CD
3) Re-boot.
4) Enter your prefered Imaging software, most of them are Wizard-like setups, you select your ORIGIN drive, and next your destination drive (here it will be very easy to avoid problems as you label MASTER your master disk so you can go wrong!) The destination HD can be with no part. at all.
5) Disconnect your master disk
6) Reboot
7) And thats it, it takes not more than 15 minutes in my computer.
*******************************************************************
A VERY important tip:
Any HD has a 'Boot Flag', what is this? a logic flag that tells the computer wich partition will be the one that firs starts.
When you do the things mentioned before, some times Windows automatly changes the boot flag of the Master disk to zero (when in slave mode) so, when you finish the imaging, the destination HD will be without this FLAG, and you wont be able to boot XP!
To solve this is very very simple, enter your Partition Tool, and set the C: 'Boot Flag' ON.
In Ranish you do this just selecting C: and pressing 'B' (an X should be marked)
And you are done!
To keep the things working good, it would be cool that you have a folder named 'New plugs' inside your VST/i folder.
Why? This way, the new plugins installed after the imaging will be here, so, once in a while you connect your MASTER disk and install this plugs.
Its a good practice to take note of changes,not only about the new soft installed, also the software configuration you made since the last 'imaging'.
You can also imaging from DVD's (of course yo have the space limiting)
Think about this, your XP on your laptop suddently dies, but you have a DVD with all your stuff ready for imaging, also with the portability of a DVD. (i never tried this one althoug)
I just had never installed Windows manually
EVER again doing this...
anyone who want to add me im at MSN: escarabus666@hotmail.com
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Dharma Lab
Started Topics :
8
Posts :
342
Posted : Jun 20, 2007 06:48
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Used Ghost for years, and it is a great program. I've recently switched to Acronis TrueImage, as it does everything that Ghost does, and much more. If you are not a computer person, Acronis is much easier to use.
Using disk imaging between 2 computers with different components is essentially asking for trouble. very quickly, you will run into driver issues, and spend lots of time working on it.
Disk imaging for backup of any machine is an absolute must in my book. Not only will it retain your data, but save you hours in reload times. I'd recommend using disk imaging to backup your machine, but not to try to 'transfer it to a different computer'.
Last note, disk imaging can fail when restoring an image to a different hard drive. Has to do with drive specs. If you ghost'ed your drive, and it dropped dead, you can sometimes run into trouble restoring it to a new drive. With any backup solution, every once in awhile you should do a test restore to make sure everything works. I've had plenty of clients give me their backups only to find out it was missing something, or the file was corrupted, or something else.
It's not a bad idea to have a 2nd drive & test a restore to it while everything is working properly, so you know you can use it when a failure happens.
Keep The Faith,
Christian K. |
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ess765
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
25
Posts :
169
Posted : Jun 20, 2007 07:51
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Guys,
I d like to say many thanks for your patience and kind support. Work4acid, thhank you a lot for your time man. I think this is the kind of topic that should be read by a lot of people soon...
Ess765 (aka Physical Absence)
Visit me at my project s page at:
www.myspace.com/physicalabsence
"when you think you know all the answers, life suddenly changes all the questions" |
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