# Disk Image Over LAN



## Delta_X7 (Nov 8, 2008)

Basically all I want to do is this:
Create a disk image on a computer, save it to a shared location on a server, do this automatically ever week/month/etc...

The long version:
I recently made a contract with a local business to do their IT support. They have about 20 Windows XP machines and a CentOS server. What I am trying to do is run a program on the Windows machines, that will create a disk image every week, and save it to a shared folder on the server (Samba(Windows File Sharing) or FTP). In the event that a rig goes down, I just burn the disk image to a DVD, or better yet, boot the machine off of a boot disk that would allow me to restore from the image over the network.

I have tried a few programs at my house, but have not been happy with the way they have worked. Any suggestions on creating a disk image and saving it over the network? FYI free programs = good.

EDIT: I also can't use a program that requires me to boot off of a disk to CREATE the image, it needs to run as a Windows program, it would take a long time to image 20 machines once a week if I had to do it after everyone was out of the office...


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## Rivendale (Sep 17, 2010)

Hello Delta_X7

I've heard good things about this one

http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm

never did an eval on it myself but iv'e seen it used and believe it will create a bootable recovery disk, and the personal version is free. 

Riv


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## Wand3r3r (Sep 17, 2010)

Sorry but this isn't a good approach. It will result in data loss.

You only need one image of each pc unless apps have been installed. Then you would need a new image.
Data should not be saved per pc but to a central location that gets backed up [nas server would be a good start in your situation]

Otherwise you need to do your imaging once a day not once a week.


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## Flatmeat (Nov 12, 2010)

Are you creating seperate images for everyone including all working data? Or just the O/S and programs? Are all the machines the same? The company I used to work for had something similar worked out with their clients, you make a RIS image on the server, then set up Home drives with AD and folder redirection if you want. The user's working data gets saved on the server in their own personal home drive, that way the data is not actually on the PCs. Then if the machines go down you re-image using a network boot, and it's easy because the image only has the O/S and programs on it, and the user's documents are saved on the server. Otherwise the new images will only get bigger and more bloated as time goes by. Plus, the User can log in to the domain as themselves on a spare machine and keep working while you do the network reboot.


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## Rivendale (Sep 17, 2010)

if i understood correct, we wish to create a recovery plan for a client

recovery disks updated regularly by the OS, and a bootable set of disks to recover individual systems, systems that are significantly different in setup, some are not even windows systems

if i understand correct

Riv


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