Hi all. I've been using Drive Image for several years to image my HD and it works great. However, I keep running into this problem where some program decides to write to either my master boot record, my sector zero or slightly higher sectors, or alter something in the partition table etc.
Once this happens it messes up drive image and it won't run correctly since it relies on storing it's own info in order to boot on a "fake floppy" image. Then the only way to fix it is to zero the drive's first million bytes with a util. Either that, or boot from a floppy. Fix MBR won't work either. It makes booting errors go away, but as soon as drive image is used again, the problem just comes back. Yet notice how those problems would NEVER be there before I ran into the offending software. It's like a one way ticket to madness. So then I run a HD util and zero the first million bytes and it wipes out all partitions. Then a tedious restore is needed. After that my backup software works wonderfully. Maybe for months, until I run into the next episode where something has modified the drive again. Notice the modified parts of the drive lie outside the partition that normally would get backed up by drive image.
I'm hoping I can find a better drive image/ clone program that can not only copy partitions, but wil copy everything. I mean everything including the MBR (master boot record), sector zero, others near by sectors. Actually the first million bytes would be great. I'm just a bit tired of sneaky software that tries to make changes that cause these compatibility problems etc. The first program I ran into is Paragons drive program.
http://www.drive-backup.com/home/personal/features.htm
But I don't know if it will really do the trick yet. I have heard of Norton Ghost and Acronis True Image but have not read everything yet. So for all I know they will do the trick of copying those sectors, but I will need to read more on them. I also know of a small utility that can backup the MBR, But it's clumsy in that it's not automatic and you to save each sector in pieces in separate files.
If anyone knows of better software that would be great. Or any other suggestions. Thanks. 😀
Once this happens it messes up drive image and it won't run correctly since it relies on storing it's own info in order to boot on a "fake floppy" image. Then the only way to fix it is to zero the drive's first million bytes with a util. Either that, or boot from a floppy. Fix MBR won't work either. It makes booting errors go away, but as soon as drive image is used again, the problem just comes back. Yet notice how those problems would NEVER be there before I ran into the offending software. It's like a one way ticket to madness. So then I run a HD util and zero the first million bytes and it wipes out all partitions. Then a tedious restore is needed. After that my backup software works wonderfully. Maybe for months, until I run into the next episode where something has modified the drive again. Notice the modified parts of the drive lie outside the partition that normally would get backed up by drive image.
I'm hoping I can find a better drive image/ clone program that can not only copy partitions, but wil copy everything. I mean everything including the MBR (master boot record), sector zero, others near by sectors. Actually the first million bytes would be great. I'm just a bit tired of sneaky software that tries to make changes that cause these compatibility problems etc. The first program I ran into is Paragons drive program.
http://www.drive-backup.com/home/personal/features.htm
But I don't know if it will really do the trick yet. I have heard of Norton Ghost and Acronis True Image but have not read everything yet. So for all I know they will do the trick of copying those sectors, but I will need to read more on them. I also know of a small utility that can backup the MBR, But it's clumsy in that it's not automatic and you to save each sector in pieces in separate files.
If anyone knows of better software that would be great. Or any other suggestions. Thanks. 😀
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