BladeRunner Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 I am currently running a JaS 10.4.6 install on my IBM ThinkCenter system. I have been searching for a workable method to backup the system boot disk prior to attempting an upgrade to 10.4.7. I *really* don't want to start from scratch if that goes south. I have searched this and other fora in addition to Google searches. Most of what I found is either aimed at backup for personal data files or it's very costly enterprise level software that would be way overkill for my system. I would REALLY appreciate some pointers from those of you who have walked this path before me. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/26703-best-method-for-system-backup-restore/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldschool Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Use Norton/Symantec Ghost for an exact 1:1 backup... Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/26703-best-method-for-system-backup-restore/#findComment-181278 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rene204 Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Try CarbonCopyCloner, i do not know, if it is working on Intel, but for my PPC-Mac it the best.... to have a bootable copy of your system on an external Drive. Rene Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/26703-best-method-for-system-backup-restore/#findComment-181300 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meridio Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Best way is as OLDSCHOOL says.... Norton Ghost. But let me add some info. I´m using command prompt version (boot CD with drivers for IDE, USB, Firewire devices, and a GUI), named ghost.exe (1,5 Mb) Look for an updated version, else you can have some troubles with SATA disks (app just doesn´t starts). I´ve never lost any working disk image with this little app. GREAT. But DON´T FORGET THIS... Ghost can´t see any kind of file system in a HFS+ disk/partition. It takes that as binary content. For example: 6 Gb of files, in a 30 Gb. partiton. Ghost makes a 30 Gb. backup!! HOW TO PROCEED: In OSX, disk utility, select volume. Choose "delete empty space" (it will overwrite unasigned space in partiton with zero, this will prevent ghost to read temp and deleted files as valid info) Then, reboot and use ghost, choose "fast compression". OK!, NOW YOU HAVE YOUR VALID 6Gb. backup. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/26703-best-method-for-system-backup-restore/#findComment-181354 Share on other sites More sharing options...
BladeRunner Posted September 4, 2006 Author Share Posted September 4, 2006 Best way is as OLDSCHOOL says.... Norton Ghost. But let me add some info. I´m using command prompt version (boot CD with drivers for IDE, USB, Firewire devices, and a GUI), named ghost.exe (1,5 Mb) Look for an updated version, else you can have some troubles with SATA disks (app just doesn´t starts). I´ve never lost any working disk image with this little app. GREAT. But DON´T FORGET THIS... Ghost can´t see any kind of file system in a HFS+ disk/partition. It takes that as binary content. For example: 6 Gb of files, in a 30 Gb. partiton. Ghost makes a 30 Gb. backup!! HOW TO PROCEED: In OSX, disk utility, select volume. Choose "delete empty space" (it will overwrite unasigned space in partiton with zero, this will prevent ghost to read temp and deleted files as valid info) Then, reboot and use ghost, choose "fast compression". OK!, NOW YOU HAVE YOUR VALID 6Gb. backup. . Thanks to all for the fast replys. I use Ghost on a WinXP system in my office, but had not realized it also ran on Mac OSX systems. I will give it a try. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/26703-best-method-for-system-backup-restore/#findComment-181407 Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhalls Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 with my installation there seem to be problems with carbon copy coner, tribackup and the restor-function in apple disc utils. none of those made working bootable copys. so ill try ghost, lets see what happens. btw., i think ghost only works on windows, so ill have to clone my install disk with it in windows. hope it works. ill report. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/26703-best-method-for-system-backup-restore/#findComment-181421 Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin1976 Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 You can always create a disk image with disk utility and then restore from it... Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/26703-best-method-for-system-backup-restore/#findComment-181506 Share on other sites More sharing options...
BladeRunner Posted September 5, 2006 Author Share Posted September 5, 2006 You can always create a disk image with disk utility and then restore from it.. Actually, that was the first thing I tried - before the searching and my question at the beginning of the thread. For me, it didn't work. Given I am quite new to Mac OSX, I could have been doing something wrong. I restarted the system from the OSX install DVD and selected the disk utility. I selected the option to build a new image and was able to identify the source ( boot drive ) but was never able to enter anything in the destination slot. I could not type into it and I was never able to get anything to begin the drag&drop process. I have no problem with drag&drop when the system is running from the boot volume. Is there some special keyboard selection required to get drag&drop to work under the disk utility? Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/26703-best-method-for-system-backup-restore/#findComment-181739 Share on other sites More sharing options...
fireshark Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 the ghost that is booted (old style version) Ghost NET 7.5 - is dos based. I would recommend to do a 1:1 backup - just the first time. you always want to have an exact image, if for nothing but placebo. I like it. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/26703-best-method-for-system-backup-restore/#findComment-181748 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meridio Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Best way is as OLDSCHOOL says.... Norton Ghost. But let me add some info. I´m using command prompt version (boot CD with drivers for IDE, USB, Firewire devices, and a GUI), named ghost.exe (1,5 Mb) Look for an updated version, else you can have some troubles with SATA disks (app just doesn´t starts). I´ve never lost any working disk image with this little app. GREAT. But DON´T FORGET THIS... Ghost can´t see any kind of file system in a HFS+ disk/partition. It takes that as binary content. For example: 6 Gb of files, in a 30 Gb. partiton. Ghost makes a 30 Gb. backup!! HOW TO PROCEED: In OSX, disk utility, select volume. Choose "delete empty space" (it will overwrite unasigned space in partiton with zero, this will prevent ghost to read temp and deleted files as valid info) Then, reboot and use ghost, choose "fast compression". OK!, NOW YOU HAVE YOUR VALID 6Gb. backup. Letme explain you all something... You must use a boot CD!! Norton Ghost is a x86 app, no way in OSX... You can boot yours x86 mactels from a boot cd... don´t has you a optical drive? don´t has you the chance of making changes on your bios (F10?) to boot from optical drive? ...I don´t remember where I get the working image to use ghost. Try to boot with any DOS diskette and run ghost.exe. It must run. Compression works, I know it because I use it. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/26703-best-method-for-system-backup-restore/#findComment-183156 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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