[OLD_Newbie]

Our cnc service guy thinks the hard drive on the Cincinnati 3 axis malicron mill is going out and suggest we back it up. We have all programs backed up on the network but we need to copy the parameters and the Cincinnati environment programs. He suggested loading a dos version of ghost tools on the current hd the coping to a new hd. Has anyone here done this or know of any way to copy EVERYTHING of this hard drive so that if it does go out we can simply replace hd? I know we can order a new hd with everything loaded for the machine but the cost in downtime as well as the price of the hd with programs we already have and paid for at one time is just not preferred. Thanks for any suggestions in advance.

[Switcher]

I havn't tried this.

What If you pulled the drive from the cnc, daisy chain it to a drive on an XP PC, & try something like this http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing...cts/trueimage/

You might send them an email, see what they think (would it work).

They say you can get the OS off the disk, also.

Just an idea...


.

[pminmo]

In a PC enviornment I use Ghost 2003. I have it setup on a USB pen drive, which I boot and then do an image. It was a little hard to get it setup on the USB stick. Floppy is easier if you have one. Ghost 2003 is cheap and reliable in that mode.

[High Seas]

Has anyone here done this or know of any way to copy EVERYTHING of this hard drive so that if it does go out we can simply replace hd?

Pretty sure Acronis can do that - BUT its not cheap - -don't know if they have a trial version! The Acronis advantage it would keep you a running - live update.
I liked the 30 day free trial version of XXCLONE - did everything I needed. Mind you I didn't want to get into the whole DOS-thing (even though I'm a bit of a dos-dino). XXCLONE worked so well its on my list of sw to purchase! Price is pretty good for all the utilities it includes. - You'll need to google it til I get back with a URL. here it is: http://www.xxclone.com/idwnload.htm
:cheers: Jim
Mind you, my experience was all pc-based - suppose you could pull the drive after hours and do the cloning overnight.

[walter]

Ghost works for me, it's fast and reliable. I use it in DOS, just like your guy suggested.

You simply boot your PC from Ghost floppy and get bunch of options.

You can create a partition image or the entire disk image and put it on DVD, another drive or whatever. Compression optional. There's also a tool that checks your 'images' for errors.

I usually buy two identical HDD's and create a Ghost copy on one of them. When the system goes down, just swap th drives. Incremental images can be stored on DVD's.

Simple and reliable.

[Eurisko]

Pull the drive and do a Ghost backup before it fails.

I picked up a copy of Norton Systemworks (with Ghost) at the Dayton Hamvention for 5 bucks. Best investment I ever made.

There is no need to install Ghost tools on the failing drive.

1) Install Ghost (dos version) on any PC, install the failing drive as a slave drive.

2) Boot the PC from a Ghost boot disk OR a Windows 98 boot disk.

3) Run Ghost from the command prompt and follow the instructions to create a Ghost image of the failing drive. Store the image on the PC's original drive.

4) Turn off the PC, take the failing drive out, install a new hard drive as a slave.

5) Boot the PC as before, run Ghost and restore the new hard drive from the image.

6) Install the new hard drive in the Cinci.

7) Remember the image on the PC's hard drive? Use your favorite DVD burning software and back it up to DVD.

The whole procedure should take less than an hour to complete.

[pastera]

Ghost will burn directly to an ATA CD/DVD burner - great for making self contained backups. The software will ask if you want to copy your boot disk to the CD/DVD when making the image.

You can even boot a system off a backup and use that to creat a new backup, so when you first create your system make an image BEFORE you install any software. Then make a new backup at each milestone of the installation (drivers, setup, running, etc) and you can back through any issues quickly.

Another great product is ReadyOn (Win2K & WinXP), but it is only sold in bulk (25 copies min). It allows you to hiberate once/restore many with write filters - one of my embedded systems boots in 12 seconds from compact flash this way, boot time without it is 1min40sec from a 2.5" HD (great improvement!)

Aaron