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AR15.COM
7/15/2010 4:54:05 PM EDT
My kids each have a laptop, and I'm sick of having to reload them when they manage to screw them up with a virus or in other ways.

Any recommendations of a good software package that will let me image their entire drive, then restore that image later on?  The only one I know of offhand is Symantec Norton Ghost, but I'm hearing bad reviews about it.

Both laptops are running Windows 7.

7/15/2010 4:55:29 PM EDT
[#1]
replace with ubuntu, don't give them root/superuser access, never worry about it again?
7/15/2010 4:58:52 PM EDT
[#2]
Quoted:
replace with ubuntu, don't give them root/superuser access, never worry about it again?


No.

I can do the same with Windows 7, lock them down to the point where they can't install/run anything but whatever applications I want.  But then I'm pestered left and right to open access for this or that.

I want to tell them, "Here's your loaded laptop, working just fine.  Screw it up and all I do is restore it back to this point."
7/15/2010 4:59:01 PM EDT
[#3]
I use Paragon Backup and Recovery Free Edition. It is FREE and works great.

http://www.paragon-software.com/home/db-express/index.html



7/15/2010 4:59:05 PM EDT
[#4]
I use deploy studio, no idea how well it works for winblows.
7/15/2010 4:59:59 PM EDT
[#5]
acronis trueimage
7/15/2010 5:00:13 PM EDT
[#6]
Quoted:
replace with ubuntu, don't give them root/superuser access, never worry about it again?


This is the correct answer.

Ph34r t3h penguin!  
7/15/2010 5:01:02 PM EDT
[#7]




Quoted:

acronis trueimage




this
7/15/2010 5:04:40 PM EDT
[#8]
Just use the native backup that comes with Window 7.  It creates a VHD image of your machine.
7/15/2010 5:04:47 PM EDT
[#9]
Clonezilla

Works good and it is FREE
7/15/2010 5:11:41 PM EDT
[#10]
Quoted:
Just use the native backup that comes with Window 7.  It creates a VHD image of your machine.


Interesting, I'll take a look at that.
7/15/2010 5:12:02 PM EDT
[#11]
Quoted:
I use Paragon Backup and Recovery Free Edition. It is FREE and works great.

http://www.paragon-software.com/home/db-express/index.html





Thanks, I'll look into this one as well.
7/15/2010 5:12:54 PM EDT
[#12]
tag
7/15/2010 5:13:12 PM EDT
[#13]
Another vote for clonezilla, I use it at work and at home.
7/15/2010 5:41:32 PM EDT
[#14]
I've used Norton Ghost since 03' and it has worked flawlessly. I hate all their other products but ghost has worked for me for 7 years. I hear good things about Acronis as well.
7/15/2010 5:50:05 PM EDT
[#15]





Quoted:



I use Paragon Backup and Recovery Free Edition. It is FREE and works great.





http://www.paragon-software.com/home/db-express/index.html
I cannot recommend Paragon more.  It is fucking tits.






Otherwise Marcrium Reflect or Clonezilla Live.







I was thinking of posting a tutorial on how to clone and restore - as there are so many "I fucked up my computer" threads.




EDIT:  Primary reason I prefer Paragon over Acronis, etc, is:  The bootable USB stick.  Acronis may have that now, but they didn't when I beta tested for them in 2009.







 

 
7/15/2010 6:19:39 PM EDT
[#16]
Quoted:
Another vote for clonezilla, I use it at work and at home.


And a third vote for Clonezilla.
7/15/2010 7:03:30 PM EDT
[#17]
Clonezilla is free, and it works on some images that I couldn't get Acronis to drop.




7/15/2010 7:07:43 PM EDT
[#18]
Quoted:
Clonezilla

Works good and it is FREE


Yup.  I use it on 4 different computers.
7/15/2010 8:13:47 PM EDT
[#19]
Quoted:
Clonezilla is free, and it works on some images that I couldn't get Acronis to drop.



Sounds like I need to check out Clonezilla as well.  Thanks!