Free Harddrive Image Making Software

Max Powerz · Apr 27, 2004

I wanna make a backup of my drive after a reformat and reinstall of windows, they're any easy/free way to do this?

Coco · Apr 27, 2004

Well if your reinstalling windows you don't really want an image. Sort of defeats the purpose. Just back up the files you want to keep and reinstall the programs you need.

I mean you can make an image but that essentially is like deleting everything to clean it up and then putting everything back including the garbage you were trying to get rid of. I mean making an image is usually done because you like the way things are currently and you want to be able to restore to that point. But if the whole point is to reinstall then you don't want an image.

Max Powerz · Apr 27, 2004

Coco said:

Well if your reinstalling windows you don't really want an image. Sort of defeats the purpose. Just back up the files you want to keep and reinstall the programs you need.

I mean you can make an image but that essentially is like deleting everything to clean it up and then putting everything back including the garbage you were trying to get rid of. I mean making an image is usually done because you like the way things are currently and you want to be able to restore to that point. But if the whole point is to reinstall then you don't want an image.
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Huh? I want an image so when I f it all up I can revert back to the original, nice clean default fresh install.

Coco · Apr 27, 2004

If that's the case just use norton ghost. Of course I realize that doesn't meet your free criteria but I think they may have some trial version. At any rate Ghost is the only program iv'e ever used for this and i've not really heard of others. Or well I suppose Deep freeze could do it too but i'm sure that's way more expensive and it's not its intended purpose.

Ghost might have some free version though, i'm not sure.

alanc · Apr 27, 2004

Max Powerz said:

I wanna make a backup of my drive after a reformat and reinstall of windows, they're any easy/free way to do this?
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Max, DrvImagerXP is a free imager I've heard good things about.

@Coco -- maybe if you'd actually read Max's original post you might have been able to offer some help.

Major Attitude · Apr 27, 2004

If you dont understand the question, dont answer. Your first sentence goes opposite of answering him.

I know of no free way to do it unless you own Nero. I use Acronis Drive Image.

Coco said:

Well if your reinstalling windows you don't really want an image. Sort of defeats the purpose. Just back up the files you want to keep and reinstall the programs you need.

I mean you can make an image but that essentially is like deleting everything to clean it up and then putting everything back including the garbage you were trying to get rid of. I mean making an image is usually done because you like the way things are currently and you want to be able to restore to that point. But if the whole point is to reinstall then you don't want an image.
Click to expand...

Coco · Apr 27, 2004

Major Attitude said:

If you dont understand the question, dont answer. Your first sentence goes opposite of answering him.

I know of no free way to do it unless you own Nero. I use Acronis Drive Image.
Click to expand...

Well if I knew I didn't understand him I wouldn't have answered that way. I understood his above post to mean he wanted to reinstall windows normally and then somehow use an image to put back all his files and install programs. That isn't possible so I said that.

Of course it was me who misunderstood what he wanted and I corrected my response once i knew that. It's not like i'm giving bad information to be annoying. I just misunderstood what he wanted.

Fw190 · Apr 27, 2004

never leave home without it
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/
has a drive imager built in, can use USB enclosures, has network support all on one disc. Excellent to have around/. Saved me a few times.

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Free Harddrive Image Making Software

Max Powerz Sergeant

Coco Sergeant Major

Max Powerz Sergeant

Coco Sergeant Major

alanc MajorGeek

Major Attitude Co-Owner MajorGeeks.Com Staff Member

Coco Sergeant Major

Fw190 Lt. Anti-Social