Server 2003 - Best Software To Make Drive Image?

[Nobody Important]

I am supporting someone who just installed Sever 2003 and is running a
custom program that took quite a number of hours at a high billing rate to
'tweak' so the user wants an image done of the server's boot drive.

I looked at Norton Ghost and it does not support Server 2003.

We want to make an image file that will store on DVD DL

Can anyone recommend a program that you have made image files and restored
them on Server 2003?

TIA

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

"Nobody Important" <nobody@myfakeemailserver.org> wrote in message
news:sGnoi.962$RQ5.111@bignews8.bellsouth.net...
>
> I am supporting someone who just installed Sever 2003 and is running a
> custom program that took quite a number of hours at a high billing rate to
> 'tweak' so the user wants an image done of the server's boot drive.
>
> I looked at Norton Ghost and it does not support Server 2003.
>
> We want to make an image file that will store on DVD DL
>
> Can anyone recommend a program that you have made image files and restored
> them on Server 2003?
>
> TIA
>

I use Acronis DriveImage (Server).

 

[WorkingHard]

the best and cheapest, nothing to install runs even from CD, USB ...

Build a CD with Bart PE or such to restore ...

http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/news.htm



"Nobody Important" <nobody@myfakeemailserver.org> wrote in message
news:sGnoi.962$RQ5.111@bignews8.bellsouth.net...
>
> I am supporting someone who just installed Sever 2003 and is running a
> custom program that took quite a number of hours at a high billing rate to
> 'tweak' so the user wants an image done of the server's boot drive.
>
> I looked at Norton Ghost and it does not support Server 2003.
>
> We want to make an image file that will store on DVD DL
>
> Can anyone recommend a program that you have made image files and restored
> them on Server 2003?
>
> TIA
>
>
>
>
>
>

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I know the Bart PE boot CD very well. Cheapest - certainly:
it's free. Best - this is highly subjective. If the OP is happy with
a tool that lets him create a carbon copy of an installation -
fine. If he requires a tool that lets him create an image file,
or several image files (e.g. one every month), with a few bells
and whistles added, then a commercial imaging tool would
probably be a better choice.

The OP should reword his Subject line. There is no "best"
product - it all depends on his requirements and his budget.


"WorkingHard" <WorkingHard@microsoftdiscussions.com> wrote in message
news:%23tNJe75yHHA.1484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> the best and cheapest, nothing to install runs even from CD, USB ...
>
> Build a CD with Bart PE or such to restore ...
>
> http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/news.htm
>
>
>
> "Nobody Important" <nobody@myfakeemailserver.org> wrote in message
> news:sGnoi.962$RQ5.111@bignews8.bellsouth.net...
>>
>> I am supporting someone who just installed Sever 2003 and is running a
>> custom program that took quite a number of hours at a high billing rate
>> to 'tweak' so the user wants an image done of the server's boot drive.
>>
>> I looked at Norton Ghost and it does not support Server 2003.
>>
>> We want to make an image file that will store on DVD DL
>>
>> Can anyone recommend a program that you have made image files and
>> restored them on Server 2003?
>>
>> TIA
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>

 

[WorkingHard]

True. Best is non existent. But this is not about BartPe or another
Bootable OS. It's about the imaging. Snapshot.exe is fully scripatable and
require nothing to be installed on the system (2 very important things in my
opinion), just run the exe from anywhere. The need for NIC & disk controller
drivers is universal with any product zhen building a bootable recovery disk
to restore the image.


"Pegasus (MVP)" <I.can@fly.com> wrote in message
news:eKcW8P6yHHA.1212@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>I know the Bart PE boot CD very well. Cheapest - certainly:
> it's free. Best - this is highly subjective. If the OP is happy with
> a tool that lets him create a carbon copy of an installation -
> fine. If he requires a tool that lets him create an image file,
> or several image files (e.g. one every month), with a few bells
> and whistles added, then a commercial imaging tool would
> probably be a better choice.
>
> The OP should reword his Subject line. There is no "best"
> product - it all depends on his requirements and his budget.
>
>
> "WorkingHard" <WorkingHard@microsoftdiscussions.com> wrote in message
> news:%23tNJe75yHHA.1484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> the best and cheapest, nothing to install runs even from CD, USB ...
>>
>> Build a CD with Bart PE or such to restore ...
>>
>> http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/news.htm
>>
>>
>>
>> "Nobody Important" <nobody@myfakeemailserver.org> wrote in message
>> news:sGnoi.962$RQ5.111@bignews8.bellsouth.net...
>>>
>>> I am supporting someone who just installed Sever 2003 and is running a
>>> custom program that took quite a number of hours at a high billing rate
>>> to 'tweak' so the user wants an image done of the server's boot drive.
>>>
>>> I looked at Norton Ghost and it does not support Server 2003.
>>>
>>> We want to make an image file that will store on DVD DL
>>>
>>> Can anyone recommend a program that you have made image files and
>>> restored them on Server 2003?
>>>
>>> TIA
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I misunderstood you - I thought you were recommending
Bart as a pseudo-imaging tool.

Regardless which product the OP uses, he should go
through a full test recovery process. This applies in particular
to Snapshot. I used to use the product extensively until
I had some spectacular failures. I then realised why its
cost is so low.


"WorkingHard" <WorkingHard@microsoftdiscussions.com> wrote in message
news:ODJ2En6yHHA.988@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> True. Best is non existent. But this is not about BartPe or another
> Bootable OS. It's about the imaging. Snapshot.exe is fully scripatable and
> require nothing to be installed on the system (2 very important things in
> my opinion), just run the exe from anywhere. The need for NIC & disk
> controller drivers is universal with any product zhen building a bootable
> recovery disk to restore the image.
>
>
> "Pegasus (MVP)" <I.can@fly.com> wrote in message
> news:eKcW8P6yHHA.1212@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>I know the Bart PE boot CD very well. Cheapest - certainly:
>> it's free. Best - this is highly subjective. If the OP is happy with
>> a tool that lets him create a carbon copy of an installation -
>> fine. If he requires a tool that lets him create an image file,
>> or several image files (e.g. one every month), with a few bells
>> and whistles added, then a commercial imaging tool would
>> probably be a better choice.
>>
>> The OP should reword his Subject line. There is no "best"
>> product - it all depends on his requirements and his budget.
>>
>>
>> "WorkingHard" <WorkingHard@microsoftdiscussions.com> wrote in message
>> news:%23tNJe75yHHA.1484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>> the best and cheapest, nothing to install runs even from CD, USB ...
>>>
>>> Build a CD with Bart PE or such to restore ...
>>>
>>> http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/news.htm
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "Nobody Important" <nobody@myfakeemailserver.org> wrote in message
>>> news:sGnoi.962$RQ5.111@bignews8.bellsouth.net...
>>>>
>>>> I am supporting someone who just installed Sever 2003 and is running a
>>>> custom program that took quite a number of hours at a high billing rate
>>>> to 'tweak' so the user wants an image done of the server's boot drive.
>>>>
>>>> I looked at Norton Ghost and it does not support Server 2003.
>>>>
>>>> We want to make an image file that will store on DVD DL
>>>>
>>>> Can anyone recommend a program that you have made image files and
>>>> restored them on Server 2003?
>>>>
>>>> TIA
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

 

[WorkingHard]

I'll agree they will happen, ... with all products. That's why testing
restores is so important and sadly so few people really commit to doing
that, what ever the products that fits the need, budget and environmet.

Take care

Cheers
"Pegasus (MVP)" <I.can@fly.com> wrote in message
news:em3OM26yHHA.1168@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>I misunderstood you - I thought you were recommending
> Bart as a pseudo-imaging tool.
>
> Regardless which product the OP uses, he should go
> through a full test recovery process. This applies in particular
> to Snapshot. I used to use the product extensively until
> I had some spectacular failures. I then realised why its
> cost is so low.
>
>
> "WorkingHard" <WorkingHard@microsoftdiscussions.com> wrote in message
> news:ODJ2En6yHHA.988@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> True. Best is non existent. But this is not about BartPe or another
>> Bootable OS. It's about the imaging. Snapshot.exe is fully scripatable
>> and require nothing to be installed on the system (2 very important
>> things in my opinion), just run the exe from anywhere. The need for NIC &
>> disk controller drivers is universal with any product zhen building a
>> bootable recovery disk to restore the image.
>>
>>
>> "Pegasus (MVP)" <I.can@fly.com> wrote in message
>> news:eKcW8P6yHHA.1212@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>>I know the Bart PE boot CD very well. Cheapest - certainly:
>>> it's free. Best - this is highly subjective. If the OP is happy with
>>> a tool that lets him create a carbon copy of an installation -
>>> fine. If he requires a tool that lets him create an image file,
>>> or several image files (e.g. one every month), with a few bells
>>> and whistles added, then a commercial imaging tool would
>>> probably be a better choice.
>>>
>>> The OP should reword his Subject line. There is no "best"
>>> product - it all depends on his requirements and his budget.
>>>
>>>
>>> "WorkingHard" <WorkingHard@microsoftdiscussions.com> wrote in message
>>> news:%23tNJe75yHHA.1484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>>> the best and cheapest, nothing to install runs even from CD, USB ...
>>>>
>>>> Build a CD with Bart PE or such to restore ...
>>>>
>>>> http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/news.htm
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "Nobody Important" <nobody@myfakeemailserver.org> wrote in message
>>>> news:sGnoi.962$RQ5.111@bignews8.bellsouth.net...
>>>>>
>>>>> I am supporting someone who just installed Sever 2003 and is running a
>>>>> custom program that took quite a number of hours at a high billing
>>>>> rate to 'tweak' so the user wants an image done of the server's boot
>>>>> drive.
>>>>>
>>>>> I looked at Norton Ghost and it does not support Server 2003.
>>>>>
>>>>> We want to make an image file that will store on DVD DL
>>>>>
>>>>> Can anyone recommend a program that you have made image files and
>>>>> restored them on Server 2003?
>>>>>
>>>>> TIA
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

 

[Coraleigh Miller]

Appologies.. I meant Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 2.0 (which supports
server 2003)
http://www.symantec.com/enterprise/products/overview.jsp?pcid=2247&pvid=865_1

However Pegasus's suggestions are great, and I do quite like the Acronis
sofware as well...
http://www.acronis.com/enterprise/products/ATISWin/


Coraleigh


"Nobody Important" <nobody@myfakeemailserver.org> wrote in message
news:sGnoi.962$RQ5.111@bignews8.bellsouth.net...
>
> I am supporting someone who just installed Sever 2003 and is running a
> custom program that took quite a number of hours at a high billing rate to
> 'tweak' so the user wants an image done of the server's boot drive.
>
> I looked at Norton Ghost and it does not support Server 2003.
>
> We want to make an image file that will store on DVD DL
>
> Can anyone recommend a program that you have made image files and restored
> them on Server 2003?
>
> TIA
>
>
>
>
>
>

 

[Kaddie]

Just read this post. Since my boss is also looking at software like this how
do these work with Win2003 servers that are the Domain controllers housing
the Active Directory structure. Once the server is rebuilt do we have to
restore AD structure back onto server. I'm thinking of worse case senario
when a server completely dies.
thanks
--
Kath


"Nobody Important" wrote:

>
> I am supporting someone who just installed Sever 2003 and is running a
> custom program that took quite a number of hours at a high billing rate to
> 'tweak' so the user wants an image done of the server's boot drive.
>
> I looked at Norton Ghost and it does not support Server 2003.
>
> We want to make an image file that will store on DVD DL
>
> Can anyone recommend a program that you have made image files and restored
> them on Server 2003?
>
> TIA
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

 

[Coraleigh Miller]

Hi Kaddie,

Basically with imaging backup software (such as Acronis), a snapshot is
taken of your server, then when you need to restore your image backup,
everything is exactly the way it was (including your DC structure) at the
time the image was taken. Provided that your image is up to date, no file
level restoration or reconfiguration would be needed.

Check out Acronis's overview for more info...
http://www.acronis.com/enterprise/products/ATISWin/
They also have an additional option called Acronis Universal Restore which
allows you to restore your image to a server with different hardware than
the server it was imaged off of. Which would help if your server hardware
fails and your new server hardware is different.
http://www.acronis.com/enterprise/products/ATISWin/universal-restore.html

Its important to note, with image software restorations, that you should not
restore an image onto a server which exists at the same time on the same
network as the originally imaged server, without using Microsofts sysprep
utility to give it a new SID and prevent other domain conflicts.

Coraleigh Miller


"Kaddie" <kathied@tweed.nsw.gov.au(donotspam)> wrote in message
news:2DCAE45B-8D16-44A9-B9A6-C106143A2516@microsoft.com...
> Just read this post. Since my boss is also looking at software like this
> how
> do these work with Win2003 servers that are the Domain controllers housing
> the Active Directory structure. Once the server is rebuilt do we have to
> restore AD structure back onto server. I'm thinking of worse case senario
> when a server completely dies.
> thanks
> --
> Kath
>
>
> "Nobody Important" wrote:
>
>>
>> I am supporting someone who just installed Sever 2003 and is running a
>> custom program that took quite a number of hours at a high billing rate
>> to
>> 'tweak' so the user wants an image done of the server's boot drive.
>>
>> I looked at Norton Ghost and it does not support Server 2003.
>>
>> We want to make an image file that will store on DVD DL
>>
>> Can anyone recommend a program that you have made image files and
>> restored
>> them on Server 2003?
>>
>> TIA
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>

 

[Kaddie]

thanks heaps thats been the best explanation Ive seen in years. I will pass
this onto my boss.
--
Kath


"Nobody Important" wrote:

>
> I am supporting someone who just installed Sever 2003 and is running a
> custom program that took quite a number of hours at a high billing rate to
> 'tweak' so the user wants an image done of the server's boot drive.
>
> I looked at Norton Ghost and it does not support Server 2003.
>
> We want to make an image file that will store on DVD DL
>
> Can anyone recommend a program that you have made image files and restored
> them on Server 2003?
>
> TIA
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

 

[WorkingHard]

Please start reading about USN rollback and imaging of DC's this is not
support afik. AD restore mode and playing with the registry setting forcing
an authoritive restore from the DC you restired from the image can fix this
but I havn't got the details at hand, but rememer this is not supported.

Cheers
"Kaddie" <kathied@tweed.nsw.gov.au(donotspam)> wrote in message
news:2DCAE45B-8D16-44A9-B9A6-C106143A2516@microsoft.com...
> Just read this post. Since my boss is also looking at software like this
> how
> do these work with Win2003 servers that are the Domain controllers housing
> the Active Directory structure. Once the server is rebuilt do we have to
> restore AD structure back onto server. I'm thinking of worse case senario
> when a server completely dies.
> thanks
> --
> Kath
>
>
> "Nobody Important" wrote:
>
>>
>> I am supporting someone who just installed Sever 2003 and is running a
>> custom program that took quite a number of hours at a high billing rate
>> to
>> 'tweak' so the user wants an image done of the server's boot drive.
>>
>> I looked at Norton Ghost and it does not support Server 2003.
>>
>> We want to make an image file that will store on DVD DL
>>
>> Can anyone recommend a program that you have made image files and
>> restored
>> them on Server 2003?
>>
>> TIA
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>

 

[Coraleigh Miller]

Hi Kath,

WorkingHard has brought up some good info. Here is a doc from Microsoft
which goes into more detail about the USN rollback possible issues and
recovery... http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875495

Coraleigh

"WorkingHard" <WorkingHard@microsoftdiscussions.com> wrote in message
news:Oz8mT6izHHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Please start reading about USN rollback and imaging of DC's this is not
> support afik. AD restore mode and playing with the registry setting
> forcing an authoritive restore from the DC you restired from the image can
> fix this but I havn't got the details at hand, but rememer this is not
> supported.
>
> Cheers
> "Kaddie" <kathied@tweed.nsw.gov.au(donotspam)> wrote in message
> news:2DCAE45B-8D16-44A9-B9A6-C106143A2516@microsoft.com...
>> Just read this post. Since my boss is also looking at software like this
>> how
>> do these work with Win2003 servers that are the Domain controllers
>> housing
>> the Active Directory structure. Once the server is rebuilt do we have to
>> restore AD structure back onto server. I'm thinking of worse case
>> senario
>> when a server completely dies.
>> thanks
>> --
>> Kath
>>
>>
>> "Nobody Important" wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> I am supporting someone who just installed Sever 2003 and is running a
>>> custom program that took quite a number of hours at a high billing rate
>>> to
>>> 'tweak' so the user wants an image done of the server's boot drive.
>>>
>>> I looked at Norton Ghost and it does not support Server 2003.
>>>
>>> We want to make an image file that will store on DVD DL
>>>
>>> Can anyone recommend a program that you have made image files and
>>> restored
>>> them on Server 2003?
>>>
>>> TIA
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>

 

[Coraleigh Miller]

A great writeup from another support site with step by step instructions on
successfully preventing the USN rollback issue when imaging a DC in a
multi-DC environment...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two methods:

One: Do a daily scheduled ntbackup of system state to a data disk - if you
ever need to restore an image of a DC, reboot in non-authorative domain
controller restore mode (F8 at startup) and restore the latest NTbackup
system state. DC will think it's non-auth restored, and at reboot will
request DC information from the other DC's.

Just *never ever* run the restored DC in normal mode before doing this, or
you are in USN rollback hell.

Method two:

Only if your 2003 DC's are running SP1 - you can "fool" a DC in thinking
it's non-authoratively restored without actually running ntbackup - again,
if you restored a DC and started it normally, you are scr*w*d.

To restore a previous image when USN rollback has not occurred
1.Using the previous , start the domain controller in Directory Services
Restore mode.
2.In a registry editor, if the entry DSA Previous Restore Count under
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NTDS\Parameters is
visible, make a note of the value. If the entry is not visible, assume a
value of 0. Do not add the entry.
3.Add the registry entry Database restored from backup under
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NTDS\Parameters
Data type: REG_DWORD
Value=1
This setting creates a valid system state backup and immediately restores
the backup.
4.Restart the domain controller normally.
5.In the registry, check to be sure that the value in DSA Previous Restore
Count is equal to its previous value plus 1.
6.In the Directory Service event log, check to see that event ID 1109
appears. This event confirms that the .vhd file has been restored and the
invocation ID has been changed. Event ID 1109 places the following
information in the log:
Active Directory has been restored from backup media, or has been configured
to host an application partition. The invocationID attribute for this
directory server has been changed. The highest update sequence number at the
time the backup was created is a%n
%nInvocationID attribute (old value):%n%1
%nInvocationID attribute (new value):%n%2
%nUpdate sequence number:%n%3
%n
%nThe invocationID is changed when a directory server is restored from
backup media or is configured to host a writeable application directory
partition.

This works for all imaging based products - the actual text above is from
MS, they had to come up with something that works in virtual PC
environments, because DC's get "paused" for more than 12 hours in these
situations - works for physical as well!
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?p=552065#post552065


Coraleigh


"Coraleigh Miller" <CoraleighMiller@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:uIpZBPjzHHA.5160@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Hi Kath,
>
> WorkingHard has brought up some good info. Here is a doc from Microsoft
> which goes into more detail about the USN rollback possible issues and
> recovery... http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875495
>
> Coraleigh
>
> "WorkingHard" <WorkingHard@microsoftdiscussions.com> wrote in message
> news:Oz8mT6izHHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> Please start reading about USN rollback and imaging of DC's this is not
>> support afik. AD restore mode and playing with the registry setting
>> forcing an authoritive restore from the DC you restired from the image
>> can fix this but I havn't got the details at hand, but rememer this is
>> not supported.
>>
>> Cheers
>> "Kaddie" <kathied@tweed.nsw.gov.au(donotspam)> wrote in message
>> news:2DCAE45B-8D16-44A9-B9A6-C106143A2516@microsoft.com...
>>> Just read this post. Since my boss is also looking at software like
>>> this how
>>> do these work with Win2003 servers that are the Domain controllers
>>> housing
>>> the Active Directory structure. Once the server is rebuilt do we have
>>> to
>>> restore AD structure back onto server. I'm thinking of worse case
>>> senario
>>> when a server completely dies.
>>> thanks
>>> --
>>> Kath
>>>
>>>
>>> "Nobody Important" wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> I am supporting someone who just installed Sever 2003 and is running a
>>>> custom program that took quite a number of hours at a high billing rate
>>>> to
>>>> 'tweak' so the user wants an image done of the server's boot drive.
>>>>
>>>> I looked at Norton Ghost and it does not support Server 2003.
>>>>
>>>> We want to make an image file that will store on DVD DL
>>>>
>>>> Can anyone recommend a program that you have made image files and
>>>> restored
>>>> them on Server 2003?
>>>>
>>>> TIA
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>>
>
>