Mysterious hosts file activity

Alright, Karen's Replicator can copy only the files that have been created after a certain date. I t looks a lot like files aren't compressed, but I think I can work with this.

OK Charles, let's look at two options. One is that I use my 20 gig as a backup, using Karen's Replicator. The other is that I partition my 160 gig hdd. Wouldn't it be better to use another hdd, than partitions on the same drive?

 

Hi Paul,

Ok, starting at the bottom, Karen's Replicator from what I can tell is not an imaging program. I see you're thinking of imaging data as well and there is a compression factor - see below. I only image the OS partitions.

An example: http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/bootitng.html - Image for Windows is.

Other drive imaging apps are various versions of Ghost, and Acronis True Image http://www.wilderssecurity.com/index.php

The one I use is Apricorn EZ Gig II http://www.apricorn.com/shopping.php?ID=25 I got it bundled with a external drive enclosure.

EZ will image partitions or hard drives. It compresses - user picks compression ratio. It also clones the drive - used it once when I replaced a 40 GB drive with an 80 GB drive.

Cmpression: my C OS is on a 12+ GB partition, the actual size is about 4 GB, the compressed image is 1.72 GB - use a compression ratio of 3. When cloning a drive, something different from imaging, the cloned image can only be restored to a drive that's equal to or greater.

Sure, I create the image(s) to H and I, both are external drives. If the C drive heads south, the image is on another physical drive.

And it is easy once you know the drill. It takes me about 10 minutes to create an image (I'm creating to a USB external drive), and about half that time to restore.

One other factor that makes it easy for me: since I dual boot, I'm in the other OS (the D OS) when imaging/restoring C and vice versa, so I don't need the boot cd.

Regards - Charles

 

Thanks, Charles, I'm looking into these various options.

I do have one more question about the old hdd. I got XP up and running on my new hard drive, but there are some photos that I'd like to recover from my old one if I can. Now when booting up with my new hdd as master and the old fried one as slave, not only does the computer not boot up at all, but in BIOS, niether drive is seen. The IDE configuration sees neither one, and gives 0 megs for primary master and slave; the bootup sequence only gives me options to boot in CD, floppy, or LAN. As soon as I unplug the old hdd, the new one is seen and i boot up just fine.

Would it make sense for me to create a pre-installed (CD) edition of XP or even Knoppix, in an attempt to recover data? Last time I tried looking at a drive that wasn't detected in BIOS, knoppix couldn't see it either (which really shouldn't e surprising). Got any other suggestions, apart from sending it to a company and paying $500 for the data?

 

Hi Paul,

I would start a thread in the hardware section - I think those with the expertise and experience can better make a judgement on Now when booting up with my new hdd as master and the old fried one as slave, not only does the computer not boot up at all, but in BIOS, niether drive is seen.

Regards - Charles

 

Charles, I'll take you up on your suggestion re: my old hdd. It's just that I thought you knew everything, that's all.

 

Hi Paul, yeah I wish.

Never had to wrestle with this kind of problem.

Regards - Charles