I rebuilt a server and installed Server 2008 Standard on the old Hard Drive while waiting on a new hard drive to arrive. Now I need to create an image to the new hard drive. Ghost 2003 and Ghost v. 15 are not compatible with server 2008. What third party software will image the drive for me.? Server 2008 is installed as 32 bit

You can use Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2010 http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=3bd8561f-77ac-4400-a0c1-fe871c461a89&displaylang=en Santhosh Sivarajan | MCTS, MCSE (W2K3/W2K/NT4), MCSA (W2K3/W2K/MSG), CCNA, Network+ Houston, TX http://blogs.sivarajan.com/ http://publications.sivarajan.com/ This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Is there not a simpler way to image a drive. I recently had to image a drive with Server 2003 and used Ghost 2003 with no problems. Isn't there a third party that I can just simply clone a hard drive that has Server 2008 as the operating system?

Hi David, You can simply use ImageX command-line tool to capture the image of the old disk drive as a .wim file and store it on a third USB or hard drive, plug in the new hard drive, and then apply the .wim image onto the new drive. Please note that the drive letter of the old drive and the new drive that is applied should be the same. For example, the image is captured from C: drive. The target drive that the image is applied to will have to be C: drive. ImageX is a tool included in Windows Automated Installation Kit(WAIK). Here’s the download link of WAIK. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c7d4bc6d-15f3-4284-9123-679830d629f2&displaylang=en For more information of ImageX tool, please refer to the following article. ImageX Technical Reference http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc748966(WS.10).aspx Regards, Karen JiThis posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Karen, This is some info I founs at those links: • Supported Operating Systems: Windows Server 2003 SP1; Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista • Windows XP SP2 with KB926044 • Windows Server 2003 SP1 with KB926044 • Windows Server 2003 SP2 • Windows Vista family What about Server 2008. Have you used this with server 2008? Thanks, David

Hi David, ImageX can be used in Windows Server 2008. Actually, the version of WAIK that you download differs based on operating system. This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Karen, I have never used ImageX so are there any simple step by step instructions available to use ImageX to clone a drive. Can I image from the old drive directly to the new drive and then swap them out and the system will then boot from the new drive or do I have to use a third drive as the operating system drive to perform the operation. I need clear instructions. Thanks David

Hi David, If you want to use the new hard drive to replace the old one, I suggest storing the captured image in a third drive or a network share for temp use. 1. Build a bootable Windows PE media to work with ImageX. For more information about how to build the WinPE media, please check Windows PE walkthroughs from the following link. Remember to add ImageX tool to the media. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc748899(WS.10).aspx 2. Capture an image of the old hard drive using ImageX /capture command. 3. Copy the image to a network share or a third drive 4. Replace the old hard disk with the new one and partition it as C: drive. Please remember the drive letter of the old drive and the new drive should be the same. 5. Apply the image from the network share or a thrid drive using ImageX /apply command. Here’s a step-by-step guide of deploying an image from a network share for your reference. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc722406(WS.10).aspx Regards, Karen JiThis posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

I have a friend who is a financial advisor who has a windows 2008 server in his 3 person office running as a file server only, no AD. Due to the critical nature of his business, he wants to buy another idential server to put in his home office and periodically image the server in his regular office as a backup. He will buy the proper licenses for the 2nd server in his home. Both servers will not be connected any way. If he restores the office server image to his home computer server, will he be violating any licenses? He was thinking of purchasing the $850 Acronis server image software and writing the office server image to a removable Drive then taking it home and restoring it to his home server> Any restrictions that anyone can think of? thanks RichLearn -> Teach Or it is all wasted.

if you need restore the image onto the other hard drive right away, i think cloning hard drive is suitable if you just need preserve an image for security, ok, those server backup utilities can do this good luck everybody.

hey David, I found that an upgraded software, todo backup , can support server 2008. you can both clone or create a image for the hard drive. what's more, the universal restore function can enable the old system work on a new computer.