Ghost/cloning issues

[Adam.]

Right, we have one machine in the office that runs a program for epay server s**t.
This costs 1.5k for an install (you can't do it your self). The machine is on its last legs and we have a new machine sitting here. The epay folk want another 1.5 to move it over for us.

I've tried swapping the old drive into the new machine with the hope of just adding a few drivers but naeee chance, it just keeps looping in windows startup recovery mode.

So basically we need the current machine cloned onto the new machine. They are not the same hardware though.

Due to this Ghosting the drive isn't looking promising either.

Both os's are windows 7.

Anyone else been in a situation like this and what was your solution?

 

[dum1983]

Had this before I use a lot of bespoke software at work. try an http://www.acronis.co.uk you will need
Acronis® Backup & Recovery™ 10 Workstation £50
Universal Restore™ add-on £25.

I have used acronis for my backups and imaging for the last 8 years never had a problem and always works better then anything else I try. i have used it a lot for home (home version) and at work (advanced server version). haven't used the workstation version so let me know how it goes.

 

[Darren S]

We used Symantec Ghost just this week to start imaging 12 new PCs. No issues there however as the dozen PCs are identical.

I did use Acronis years ago, but didn't really spend much time with it. From the bits I did see, it seemed a pretty decent product tbh.

D.

 

[conneh]

Have you just just putting the old HDD into the new machine, while the new one is still there - and making sure it's not trying to boot from the old HDD in the BIOS? Can't see why it won't boot by doing that.

 

[Adam.]

Had this before I use a lot of bespoke software at work. try an http://www.acronis.co.uk you will need
Acronis® Backup & Recovery™ 10 Workstation £50
Universal Restore™ add-on £25.

I have used acronis for my backups and imaging for the last 8 years never had a problem and always works better then anything else I try. i have used it a lot for home (home version) and at work (advanced server version). haven't used the workstation version so let me know how it goes.

You may have just saved my day!

We used Symantec Ghost just this week to start imaging 12 new PCs. No issues there however as the dozen PCs are identical.

I did use Acronis years ago, but didn't really spend much time with it. From the bits I did see, it seemed a pretty decent product tbh.

D.

From what I gathered with Ghost is that its a bit for bit copy, therefore not resolving the issue of the hard drive not liking the new hardware! :dead:

Have you just just putting the old HDD into the new machine, while the new one is still there - and making sure it's not trying to boot from the old HDD in the BIOS? Can't see why it won't boot by doing that.

New machine only takes one drive. Old machine is a Pentium Duo and new one is a Core i3. the HAL files on the old drive will be different to what is required on the new machine which is stopping the hard drive booting. Also why doing a 'Ghost' of the drive won't work!



FML, why did I choose a career in IT. lol

 

[dum1983]

FML, why did I choose a career in IT. lol

This question often goes through my head!

 

[conneh]

Only takes 1 drive? So it only has 1 SATA port?

 

[Adam.]

Only takes 1 drive? So it only has 1 SATA port?

Only room for one hard drive, several sata ports though. Its a small form factor machine.

I misread your post above. This won't work as it will still be loading the HAL file off the primary hard drive (which is from the other machine) and not off the secondary one which is from the new machine. This is where the problem lies.

It looks like the acronis universal restore is exactly what I was looking for though.

 

[Sym0n]

FML, why did I choose a career in IT. lol

I ask myself that everyday...and is why I've just applied for a job in a totally different sector.

I've used Acronis quite heavily and have never had an issue, great bit of software especially for the price.

 

[dum1983]

I ask myself that everyday...and is why I've just applied for a job in a totally different sector.

If i could find another job where i am payed anywhere near the same as I get here I would too! But unfortunately it seems to be my only reasonably strong point.

 

[Darren S]

FML, why did I choose a career in IT. lol

I've thought that too. But unfortunately a job as a Mitsubishi Evo test driver with Rachel Weisz as my 'personal' secretary, seems quite difficult to come by.

D.

 

[Longy]

Virtualisation

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/ee656415

 

[dum1983]

Virtualisation

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/ee656415

A good point well made. I am implementing virtualisation products into my company more and more now.

 

[Longy]

A good point well made. I am implementing virtualisation products into my company more and more now.

Same, especially old bespoke servers, planning on doing some VDI's in the next few weeks for remote office workers instead of TS, should be fun.

 

[Padso]

Surely if the hardware is different on the old machine compared to the new machine then ghosting or imaging is not going to work?

 

[Adam.]

We have 2 Parallels bare metal servers atm for out virtulisahtion stuff. Unfortunately due to the nature of this software and the people that administer it, we can't have it on virtual at the moment as there is someone sitting at during working hours!

 

[Adam.]

Surely if the hardware is different on the old machine compared to the new machine then ghosting or imaging is not going to work?

Hence why I posted this.

Acronis Universal Restore overcomes this problem though.

 

[Padso]

Hence why I posted this.

Acronis Universal Restore overcomes this problem though.

Ah! Never realised this. We use Acronis for imaging across machines we refurb but wasnt aware you could universal restore.

I was going to suggest a repair install in case the imaging doesnt work.

 

[Adam.]

Ah! Never realised this. We use Acronis for imaging across machines we refurb but wasnt aware you could universal restore.

I was going to suggest a repair install in case the imaging doesnt work.

A repair install deactivates the software - resulting in a 1.5k installation fee. :dapprove:

Yeah I wasn't aware universal restore worked untill dum1983 pointed it out, it seems pretty s**t hot!!!!

ARGHHHHHHH. Once again I wonder why I chose a career in this haha.

 

[dum1983]

A repair install deactivates the software - resulting in a 1.5k installation fee. :dapprove:

Yeah I wasn't aware universal restore worked untill dum1983 pointed it out, it seems pretty s**t hot!!!!

ARGHHHHHHH. Once again I wonder why I chose a career in this haha.

Nice to know that every now and then I can be useful.

 

[Adam.]

I ended up virtualizing it in the end. Stops them moaning incase a hard drive fails etc.

Acronis worked fine though!! So backup has been taken for worst case scenario!

Thanks for all the help guys.

 

[Longy]

Good option

 

[dum1983]

I ended up virtualizing it in the end. Stops them moaning incase a hard drive fails etc.

Acronis worked fine though!! So backup has been taken for worst case scenario!

Thanks for all the help guys.

Glad it worked out ok.