Bootable Image

[sweenster]

If i create an image of a hard drive onto a CD is there any way to make this bootable so it can be self installing? (Sounds a fairly obvious question, but i've recently got my hands on a copy of norton ghost and am planning just that!)

Is there any alternative imaging software out there that anyonerecommends instead of ghost?

Finally, would it be possible to modify the CD so that it could execute a .bat file first before copying the image automatically? The .bat file would work fine for a FAT32 hard drive, but is there a similar process that could work for an NTFS system?

[sage45]

Sween,

You thinking way too hard on this one... :p

I have a bootable ISO at home that I can send to you just send me an email and I'll get it out to you...

As for imaging software... I would recommend either Norton Ghost or PowerQuest Imagecenter... Both are equally good... Either way the ISO that I have is setup for both utilities and can use them equally... I can send you more details in the email... ;)

-sage-

[Celtboy]

sage, is it a BartPE cd?

[sage45]

It's based on Barts CD ISO (non-PE), I've modified the bat files and added utilities... I did the same with the network boot disk... :thumbsup:

Even before Bart got his hands into PE I was expiramenting with using PE as a mainstream tech tool... Dernit, shoulda patented that, oh well... :p

-sage-

[sweenster]

I was having a look at bartPE the other day - thats what set my mind rolling on this thing.

Basically my idea is to get a CD or DVD that can completely reinstall windows on any computer in half an hour - rather than 3 hours by doing things the long way.

First step I want to do is to rename Docs & Settings, Program Files and Windows folders to doc2, prog2, win2. Then I want to move all the contents of the c:\ directory (boot.ini, autoexec.bat etc) to a folder called "old_c" or something similar.

Then the image can be copied onto the users computer, reinstalling their OS whilst leaving all the users files intact. The image would be a basic installation of windows without most of the device drivers installed, but with things like firefox, acrobat reader, zone alarm etc already there.

Third stage is to activate windows (using "change product key" option), install specific device drivers, and then move the users old files back from doc2 et al folders.

Computer user dead happy, me also happy with £40 in my pocket for 1 hours work rather than 3!!

[keener635]

Sween,

You thinking way too hard on this one... :p

I have a bootable ISO at home that I can send to you just send me an email and I'll get it out to you...

As for imaging software... I would recommend either Norton Ghost or PowerQuest Imagecenter... Both are equally good... Either way the ISO that I have is setup for both utilities and can use them equally... I can send you more details in the email... ;)

-sage-

Sage,

I'm having a similar issue. I have Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 2.5 that contains both Ghost and DeployCenter 5.7. A while back my company used deploycenter (was PowerQuest at the time) to image our PCs and Laptops. For the life of me however, I can't remember how to make it work. I'm trying to do something as simple as make a bootable CD that will automatically start PQImg and allow me to make an Image of my Laptop. I would like to write the files (images) out to a USB drive from which I would then restore to like laptops. DeployCenter allows me to make boot disks to floppies, but like I said for the life of me I can't make a bootable CD. Any ideas? Also, I wouldn't mind getting a look at that Bootable ISO that you have. Could you please email it to me?

Thanks in advance...