backup/restore dilema

[roy67ss]

Hi guys and gals,

I've got a bit of a problem with my laptop. It came with only 1 partition. I would like to non-destructively create an extended partition so that I can create a backup/image of the system. I went and downloaded the free trial version of Partition Magic but it does not include the option to create another partition.
I am wirelessly networked to my desktop and have tried to backup the laptop to it from the laptop. It estimated that it would take 30+hrs to do and there is only 2.5gigs of info.
My dilema is that I did not get any win2k disks with the laptop because it was used. I am afraid that I may lose everything if I try to create another partition and would want a complete system backup before I try it.
I can't use Norton Ghost because it has to be run on an inactive partition which makes it imposible to use in this senario.I have also checked out internet backup options but they all seem to only backup the data files and not complete systems.
Does anyone have any simple/cheap/freeware suggestions that might help me accomplish this seemingly easy task ?

[Paul Komski]

I don't know what the limitations of the demo version of PM are but if you can either split or resize the single partition - that would be the first manouvre to do.

Even though PM can achieve these results with partitions containing data - no partitioning utility is totally safe and backing-up important data beforehand should always be performed.

Drive Image (maybe Norton Ghost too) should be capable of making an image file directly onto the desktop as long as you have a mapped drive letter on it for the software to utilise.

No experience with wireless networks but that transfer time sounds excessive. Perhaps direct networking should be attempted if such networking is so slow.

[roy67ss]

Hi Paul,

That is exactly what I want to do - resize and then designate the remainder as extended logical partition. PM trial version won't do it.
And backing up the existing is what is creating a dilemma with only the one large partition. Because programs like Ghost and Drive Image run in dos there is no way to make the connection and map the drive that I know of from dos.
I don't believe that the wireless networking is the bottleneck with the trnsfer rate. I use it all the time for high speed internet and file/program/printer sharing and the speed seems to be way faster than when I used direct cable connections.
Is it possible that I didn't wait long enough to let things get going with that backup? I notice many times when downloading that the estimated time starts out quite high and then drops significantly once it is working.

[Paul Komski]

Well you could give it a try for an hour or so. I can transfer about 1GB on 10/100 Ethernet cable in 20minutes - though what sort of a yardstick that is I don't really know.

I've eMailed you some other help.

[IANUK]

Dont know what country you live in but if you are uk this months PC ANSWERS magazine has a free disk with PARTITION COMMANDER on it & is a full program (free ) also it has another program ACRONIS TRUEIMAGE DELUXE also full program & free , I saved my image with ACRONIS last night to my data drive only took 20 minutes , after install in the program files you also get the chance to burn a bootable disk in case of windows not working , you can then restore your copied drive from there

IANUK

[ErnieK]

Ian
Thanks for that info. I am a subscriber to PCA and was going to have a look at Acronis (just got my reg number today). Good to know that it is easy to use.

[IANUK]

Ernie in the mag it says you have to make booable cd before you install but there is no option that I could find , however as I said it is in accessories under Acronis after install then there is a make bootable rescue disk . I tried the bootable up to the proceed point it is well explained & easy to follow .

IANUK

[roy67ss]

Maybe, if I wait Partition commander will have a trial version seeing as how they are giving it away in jolly old England.
I had another thought that should work, tell what you think.
A person can buy an adapter to use a laptop hard drive in a full 3 1/2" bay. If I got/borrowed one of those I could put the laptop drive in the desktop as a slave and copy everything to the desktop drive, repartition the laptop drive and then reload and re-install it in the laptop. At least that sounds simple enough.