Disk Cloning help.. URGENT!!!!!

[khandu]

What i want to know is Norton GHOST 2003 capable of cloning a HDD containing windows XP AND Linux.. dual boot ?? if yes.. how to do it..

If no, can some1 please suggest a software for it..

cause i have to setup 15 system with exactly same config.. and i cannot go running setup on each system

The HDD company and space is also exactly the same too.. 20 GB..

Urgent please..

[sailendra]

hmmm,
take a look at this freeware alternative:
g4u - Harddisk Image Cloning for PCs

http://www.feyrer.de/g4u/

[khandu]

any other suggestions..

1st of all is it possible ?? i mean cloning a dual OS HDD ??

[sailendra]

Khandu
It is possible very much. PM me for more info.

[khandu]

I have PM'd u.. anyone else..

Here is my situation again..

I have 15 identical computers.. same configurations and hard disk too..

I have setup Windows XP and Fedora Core 2 on one hard disk and boot sector contains GRUB..

Now I need to clone it.. Obviously I dont want to run setup 15 times..

I tried Norton Ghost 2003.. Now that while using from DOS gives that the destination drive is smaller than the Source.. but both are 20 GB Maxtor HDD.. the destination is formatted in FAT32 format.. and windows XP is also loaded in FAT32..

But I tried to clone a windows 98 SE HDD.. and it worked prefectly ( ofcourse it was not dual boot ).. using same Maxtor 20 GB HDD...

Now my questions are :

1) Is the cloning of dual OS HDD possible at all?? ( i've heard it is )

2) If yes, then y isint GHOST 2003 working ?? any ideas

3) Can some1 suggest any alternative software and tell me how to use it.. ( i researched and saw something called Paragon Hard disk ... but it was demo version)

4) Will the cloning software make the partitions and boot sector automatically ( theoritically it should , making a clone )

Please ppl its very urgent.. tell me what to do and how to do it..

[Satan_Rulez]

Dual boot or not doesnt matter for Norton Ghost.
Cos it saves an exact image of the raw content of the disk.
The partition table n the boot sector are saved as is.
1)Yes it is.
2)Dunno why.Try creating a brand new partition table on the empty hdd.Create only one primary partition of the entire free space. ie only c:.
3)There r many available freeware,shareware,demos available.
Go to Download.com. N brouse through the utilities section.
There ar loads of them available n the better part is u also get to read
reviews n points awarded.
4)Most applications do.

[khandu]

hey satan.. thankx for info..

mine is a re-formatted fat32 destination drive fully empty, no partition.... dunno y still the error..

[khandu]

Problem solved guys...

Found an excellent software for it.. Acronis True Image 8.0

Does it very smoothly.. np @ al .... GHOST 2003 sucks infront of it..

now i can relax on this matter..

[Satan_Rulez]

Kool.
Now how about some more info. on Acronis True Image 8.0.
Like Freeware,Shareware any limitations.
Please share ur expireance.
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R.I.P.

[khandu]

Well,

can find the software at www.acronis.com .. its a 15-days trialware.. no limitations in it..

very easy step-2-step cloning procedure..

even has facility to install on a smaller or a bigger destination HDD.. so dont worry if the size of ur 2 HDD differ..

Did a 20 GB dual OS HDD cloning.. and took 15 min on a celeron + 64 MB ram.. so good speed ( cause my conf is slow )

do check it out..

[rajendra99]

XXClone is the best thing for cloning XP. not used with dual linux boot. But u can try. WinXP's activation doesn't kick in after u clone hdd with xxclone.

[Satan_Rulez]

Hmmm
Acronis is OK.
I id still prefer Norton for its reliability (Time Tested).
Thnx anyway.
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RIP.