What software do I need for this?

robt_2

Once I have done a fresh install, I would like to make a total system recovery possible, in the style of how the likes of Dell etc do it, but not from a hidden partition.

Will a program such as Norton Ghost allow the following? If Ghost doesn't, is there anything that will?

1) Allow the restore data to reside on an external hard drive, and to be restored from an external hard drive (USB2)?

2) Be able to enter the system recovery console from a bootable USB stick? Booting from a CD into it is not an option.

Cheers

ABH_3

You could download a program called http://www.nliteos.com/ which is freeware and about the easiest method once you've downloaded all of the updates for your operating system you then slipstream them onto one disk and create a bootable .iso image.

Alternatively, there is as you've found Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image and a whole host of other drive cloning programs, there's a list here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_cloning that all do the same job.

HTH

robt_2

Thanks, I don't think you read my post properly though, as I have very specific requirements and questions.

Slipstreaming is not an option unless it includes all my regular applications in the install, and is NOT from cd or dvd media.

robt_2

Hmmm think I have answered my own question.

Vista Ultimate has 'Complete PC Backup & Restore' which does exactly what I want (restore from an external drive, and recovery environment as part of the 'F8' options on bootup)

robt_2

So before I use that, anyone else got any ideas, bearing in mind my requirements?

albertross_2

ghost 2003 allows 1, not sure about the usb key bit, but floppy works

superscaper

Acronis True Image allows you to create a bootable recovery thing on pretty much any medium including flash/pen drives.