How Can I Network A Lap Top And Desktop?

[JSixpack]

Just  in case you're wondering what the  current state of play is with my lap top and network.... I'm having a bit of trouble creating a Norton ghost image of my C drive on CDs. It worked fine about a month ago, but I've had it fail on disc 5 during the image integrity check, and on disc two - on another set - during the restoration phase (even though it passed the integrity check ).

So the network fixing is on hold until I can get a Ghost image  done, and restore  it successfully to my spare drive.

I'll then work on the spare drive to try to fix the network.

So thanks to bino, melus, Thairish and billd766 for the latest posts - I haven't replied because I've been off-line feeding CD-R's into my PC .

I'll have another go in half an hour.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Consider getting a USB external HD drive cage. Use your desktop HD temporarily or buy new HD (later to be used in the desktop) for backups. You can also use a DVD burner in the drive cage. Don't use CD R/W disks for backups if you are--not reliable enough.

[RDN]

Consider getting a USB external HD drive cage. Use your desktop HD temporarily or buy new HD (later to be used in the desktop) for backups. You can also use a DVD burner in the drive cage. Don't use CD R/W disks for backups if you are--not reliable enough.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, I have an external USB hard drive - which is where all my "data" files are stored, except for a few programs that work better writing data to the C drive, or programs that I need to work without the D drive present, e.g. Outlook Express (if I go to the UK, I don't want to carry the D drive with me).

So I will try to minimise my C drive "used space" to reduce the number of CDs in the image set, and to increase the chances of getting the CDs written without any errors.

I will definitely let you know what happens.

[Thomas_Merton]

Consider getting a USB external HD drive cage. Use your desktop HD temporarily or buy new HD (later to be used in the desktop) for backups. You can also use a DVD burner in the drive cage. Don't use CD R/W disks for backups if you are--not reliable enough.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, I have an external USB hard drive - which is where all my "data" files are stored, except for a few programs that work better writing data to the C drive, or programs that I need to work without the D drive present, e.g. Outlook Express (if I go to the UK, I don't want to carry the D drive with me).

So I will try to minimise my C drive "used space" to reduce the number of CDs in the image set, and to increase the chances of getting the CDs written without any errors.

I will definitely let you know what happens.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have 2 x 40 GB internal HDs (plus 450 GB external drives where all the important data is).

The function of the one internal HD (D:) is to backup C:.

Both backup, or restore, take under 30 mins (unattended) with Norton Ghost (including image verification).

I would never use anything as unreliable as removable media (CDs or DVDs) for an operation as vital as a backup.

Years of living under Murphy's Law, has taught me this is the safest and only way for me.

[RDN]

I have 2 x 40 GB internal HDs (plus 450 GB external drives where all the important data is).

The function of the one internal HD (D:) is to backup C:.

Both backup, or restore, take under 30 mins (unattended) with Norton Ghost (including image verification).

I would never use anything as unreliable as removable media (CDs or DVDs) for an operation as vital as a backup.

Years of living under Murphy's Law, has taught me this is the safest and only way for me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

CD-Rs are fairly reliable. I can usually burn an image set of 6 without a problem. In fact, a month ago I did, and restored the image onto my spare drive (which is what I'm running on now). In fact, every time I make a big software change, I make an image backup first, restore it immediately to the other drive and use the other drive. I then make the big changes to that drive, so my original drive is untouched and I can revert to it if necessary.

I did this exact process when I went from W98 to XP, and from XP on fat32 to XP on NTFS. Usually never a problem once I get the 6 or 8 CDs burned without any errors.

But this time it failed on disc 5 during the image integrity check, and on disc two - on another set of CDs - during the restore phase (even though it passed the integrity check). This last failure was a "internal inconsistency error". - which means the Symantec don't have a clue what the problem is. I tried 3 times to restore, and got the same error each time.

The Symantec web site gives about 6 different changes to try to make it work, none are guaranteed. So, no thanks. Now I'm looking at using my USB 1.1 drive as the destination for the image. This does work... in writing to the image, but I can't read it back using the bootable floppy that usually works. The DOS USB drivers can't handle the USB connection, and it is essential that they do in order to restore the image to the spare drive.

So if I can't restore using a DOS bootable floppy, the next thing to try is to put XP + Ghost on the spare drive, boot it, and try to restore the image that way, overwriting the bare XP already there.

There are many articles on the web about problems with Ghost and USB 1.1 drives.

I wonder if Peter Norton is at all interested in the Symantec products - I think they've well and truly fukced up quite a few of his good ideas.

I also looked at "True Image" - a product that appears to do the same as Ghost. But it's got just as many problems, with new "releases" (bug fixes) coming out weekly!

A final resort is to buy a PCMCIA USB 2.0 card - there are USB 2.0 drivers that appear to work with Ghost. More expense!

[RDN]

I see another thread on the same subject has started "System Restore - Norton 'go Back' - Other, What works for you?" http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=34929

Acronis is the company that makes "True Image". Look at their forum for an idea of how reliable it is!

[Thomas_Merton]

I see another thread on the same subject has started "System Restore - Norton 'go Back' - Other, What works for you?" http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=34929

Acronis is the company that makes "True Image". Look at their forum for an idea of how reliable it is!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can see two possible solutions to your problem:

1. You need a boot CD (XP) with your version of Ghost on it. This you can make with http://www.ubcd4win.com/ . It will take a bit of time and concentration and you will need a working system in order to make the boot CD, but it is free and you will always have a boot CD - booting into XP regardless of the configuration or state of your machine - that will automatically load the USB drivers, and from which, you can start Ghost.

or

2. Buy the latest version of Ghost (2005) as this contains a boot CD that also loads Ghost. I cannot guarantee it loads the USB drivers, but it would seem illogical to me that Symantec should change from a floppy boot to a CD boot without taking the advantage of automatically installing all relevant drivers.

Before buying Ghost 2005, bare in mind, there is most probably no downward compatibility with disc images made in earlier versions of Ghost.

[JSixpack]

I can see two possible solutions to your problem:

1. You need a boot CD (XP) with your version of Ghost on it. This you can make with http://www.ubcd4win.com/ . It will take a bit of time and concentration and you will need a working system in order to make the boot CD, but it is free and you will always have a boot CD - booting into XP regardless of the configuration or state of your machine -  that will automatically load the USB drivers, and from which, you can start Ghost.

or

2. Buy the latest version of Ghost (2005) as this contains a boot CD that also loads Ghost. I cannot guarantee it loads the USB drivers, but it would seem illogical to me that Symantec should change from a floppy boot to a CD boot without taking the advantage of automatically installing all relevant drivers.

Before buying Ghost 2005, bare in mind, there is most probably no downward compatibility with disc images made in earlier versions of Ghost.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good solutions, but caveats:

1. Given that you're on a dialup and the UBCD4WIN is 62MB (+12 MB of optional drivers), you might well get away with just Bart's PE, which is more like 3 MB:

http://www.nu2.nu/

There's space for a plugin for Ghost, but it's for the commandline Ghost--no problem because that's also part of Ghost 9.0 that includes the incorporated Drive Image product now used for real-time backups in the Win environment.

2. I believe that the so-called recovery environment (accessed by booting from the CD) for Ghost 9.0 is not for backups but only for restores, and that only for the latest images made w/ the incorporated DI; and as is said above the USB drivers may or may not be loaded, though I'd assume they would be.

[JSixpack]

I see another thread on the same subject has started "System Restore - Norton 'go Back' - Other, What works for you?" http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=34929

Acronis is the company that makes "True Image". Look at their forum for an idea of how reliable it is!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

True Image, yes. It's quite a good product. I've used it reliably many times. I've also had a failure or two w/ Ghost. There's always the wetware problem you know, the problem located between the chair and the keyboard.

[RDN]

.... the wetware problem...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've never heard it called that before!

Current situation: I have managed to get Ghost to work at last. This is the version that comes with Norton System Works 2004. So the problem (Internal Inconsistency Error when restoring the image from CD) went away after I deleted the majority of the Temporary Internet Files, and after I ran Disk Defrag, Norton Disk Doctor, WinDoctor, and Speed Disk, followed by a final MS Disk Defrag. (I like to be thorough ). These tips I read on a Symantec web site.

The backup to 5 CDs and restore to the spare internal C: drive then worked without errors. So I am now running on the restored C: drive and have put the original drive in a safe place.

So tomorrow I will start to try the suggestions given earlier to get the network going between this lap top and the new desk top. As soon as I have a result - or some more questions - I'll post again.

Thanks everyone for the help so far.

[billd766]

I have been following this thread with interest as I want to do the same thing when I come home next month.

I was thinking of using a 10 port hub (I have thoughts of helping schoolkids in the future) and I am wondering if I can connect my external hard drive to the net as well.

Does anybody know how?

Thanks

[bino]

I have been following this thread with interest as I want to do the same thing when I come home next month.

I was thinking of using a 10 port hub (I have thoughts of helping schoolkids in the future) and I am wondering if I can connect my external hard drive to the net as well.

Does anybody know how?

Thanks

There is really no way to connect an external drive directly to a hub as you need an operating system to control the disk. You would need to connect your external hard drive to a computer as you do now, and set the sharing properties to "all users" to make it accessible to anyone on the network.

Edited May 27, 2005 by bino

[billd766]

I have been following this thread with interest as I want to do the same thing when I come home next month.

I was thinking of using a 10 port hub (I have thoughts of helping schoolkids in the future) and I am wondering if I can connect my external hard drive to the net as well.

Does anybody know how?

Thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There is really no way to connect an external drive directly to a hub as you need an operating system to control the disk. You would need to connect your external hard drive to a computer as you do now, and set the sharing properties to "all users" to make it accessible to anyone on the network.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the info Bino

[JSixpack]

There is really no way to connect an external drive directly to a hub as you need an operating system to control the disk. You would need to connect your external hard drive to a computer as you do now, and set the sharing properties to "all users" to make it accessible to anyone on the network.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wrong. In fact, you can use an external network drive. They are sold in Panthip Plaza and include backup software for easy configuration on the network. But they aren't cheap!

Here's an example from Maxtor:

Maxtor Network Drive

Edited May 28, 2005 by JSixpack

[bino]

Wrong. In fact, you can use an external network drive. They are sold in Panthip Plaza and include backup software for easy configuration on the network. But they aren't cheap!

I haven't ever seen (or noticed) these yet. Thanks for the info!