I just wanted to get a jump start on wishing everyone a Happy and Safe New Years! See you all next year!
App of the Week:
Other Places I Hangout:
Friday, December 31, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Last Tech News of The Year! Kinect & WoW, Bad Frogger, OGA, and Duke Nukem!!
This will be the last tech news for 2010. It seems like we just rang in 2010. Now it's time to bid it farewell. And with it, we have a great list of topics for this weeks news.
-Kinect Meet World of Warcraft...
-Playing Real World Frogger can be hazardous to one's life expectancy.
-Linux News on the Front Page of Google's Tech News today!
-Bye-Bye Office Genuine Advantage...Says Microsoft.
-Duke Nukem Fan-Film...And yes, it's awesome!
-First up is what will sure to be a warm meeting indeed amongst WoW players who own/want a Kinect. If you have been living under a rock for the last couple of months, the Kinect is the new motion control camera available for the Xbox 360. Yes, it looks sweet. Even more interesting are the advancements being made in the PC communities about integrating Kinect with personal computers. This particular implementation actually sets up a form of emulation that allows you to map movement to keyboard shortcuts. See for yourself:
Personally, it looks awesome. Would I want to run around an open world MMO like WoW while moving around my room. Probably not, on the other hand it would cut down on the time a person would spend in the game before becoming to tired to play. As always, it's fun watching the different ways Kinect is being utilized in the PC communities.
Secondly, on Monday December 27, 2010, a South Carolina man and some of his buddies decided to try and play 'Frogger'. However, instead of breaking out the game console or iPhone. The decided to play using real world traffic and a road. I'm sure this sounded much more fun than it actually turned out to be. He was struck by a Lexus SUV and is in stable condition. Word of advice, for the younger generation of gamers...This guy is 23 years old and should no better. Under NO circumstances whatsoever should a person ever attempt anything in the real world, that they can do in the video game world. Whether it is play 'Frogger', attempt Mortal Kombat fatalities on a younger brother, emulate anything in a GTA style game, etc. This will always end up in a 'poor-life-decision'. Play smart, and use your brains.
Third in the news is a surprise...I was doing my typical news checking routine this afternoon when I surfed past the Tech News frontpage on Google. And to my surprise there was a Linux headling about halfway down the list of recent articles. It read: "How You Know When It's Time to Switch to Linux". This is a great basic Linux article that lists 10 reasons you know it's time to switch to Linux. If you have ever been curious as to what advantages you have by switching, do yourself a favor and read this article. Check it out at:
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/214929/how_you_know_when_its_time_to_switch_to_linux.html
In other recent news is the revelation that Microsoft has discontinues the Office Genuine Advantage antipiracy tool. Good riddance. I have bumped into more than one issue with the OGA tool saying that a user was using a copyright version of Office. When in fact they weren't. Looks like Microsoft has decided to halt that practice. Windows still has the WGA check to make sure you're using a legit version of Windows, but as far as Office goes, you'll just need to activation key now. Should you decide to skip the activation process the software will still function but somewhat of a limited capacity. As always, there's nothing better than the real deal so use legit software. If you feel you need free software checkout open-source. There are great, free alternatives which takes us back to the "How You Know When It's Time to Switch to Linux" article above. For more info checkout:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-20026196-75.html
Lastly, in the news is somewhat of a light hearted topic. On Christmas Day a gift was given to the world from from Finnish Film producers New Dawn. They released their fan-film teaser for 'Duke Nukem: Fate of Humanity'. Okay, so what's in the film? Aliens, action, violence, etc.? Nope. Not an alien to be found. Just the lone Duke, sitting in a strip club. When a loud crash and earth shaking rumble occurs. We see Duke grab his pistol and slow-mo run out of the club. Despite the fact that no pig cops are shown. we get to see a pretty convincing take on Duke.
Check it out, but keep in mind this is probably borderline NSFW and shouldn't be viewed by children.
Okay folks, that's it. I hope everyone has a fantastic New Year and let's make 2011 the best, geekiest year ever! Happy surfing!
-Kinect Meet World of Warcraft...
-Playing Real World Frogger can be hazardous to one's life expectancy.
-Linux News on the Front Page of Google's Tech News today!
-Bye-Bye Office Genuine Advantage...Says Microsoft.
-Duke Nukem Fan-Film...And yes, it's awesome!
-First up is what will sure to be a warm meeting indeed amongst WoW players who own/want a Kinect. If you have been living under a rock for the last couple of months, the Kinect is the new motion control camera available for the Xbox 360. Yes, it looks sweet. Even more interesting are the advancements being made in the PC communities about integrating Kinect with personal computers. This particular implementation actually sets up a form of emulation that allows you to map movement to keyboard shortcuts. See for yourself:
Personally, it looks awesome. Would I want to run around an open world MMO like WoW while moving around my room. Probably not, on the other hand it would cut down on the time a person would spend in the game before becoming to tired to play. As always, it's fun watching the different ways Kinect is being utilized in the PC communities.
Secondly, on Monday December 27, 2010, a South Carolina man and some of his buddies decided to try and play 'Frogger'. However, instead of breaking out the game console or iPhone. The decided to play using real world traffic and a road. I'm sure this sounded much more fun than it actually turned out to be. He was struck by a Lexus SUV and is in stable condition. Word of advice, for the younger generation of gamers...This guy is 23 years old and should no better. Under NO circumstances whatsoever should a person ever attempt anything in the real world, that they can do in the video game world. Whether it is play 'Frogger', attempt Mortal Kombat fatalities on a younger brother, emulate anything in a GTA style game, etc. This will always end up in a 'poor-life-decision'. Play smart, and use your brains.
Third in the news is a surprise...I was doing my typical news checking routine this afternoon when I surfed past the Tech News frontpage on Google. And to my surprise there was a Linux headling about halfway down the list of recent articles. It read: "How You Know When It's Time to Switch to Linux". This is a great basic Linux article that lists 10 reasons you know it's time to switch to Linux. If you have ever been curious as to what advantages you have by switching, do yourself a favor and read this article. Check it out at:
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/214929/how_you_know_when_its_time_to_switch_to_linux.html
In other recent news is the revelation that Microsoft has discontinues the Office Genuine Advantage antipiracy tool. Good riddance. I have bumped into more than one issue with the OGA tool saying that a user was using a copyright version of Office. When in fact they weren't. Looks like Microsoft has decided to halt that practice. Windows still has the WGA check to make sure you're using a legit version of Windows, but as far as Office goes, you'll just need to activation key now. Should you decide to skip the activation process the software will still function but somewhat of a limited capacity. As always, there's nothing better than the real deal so use legit software. If you feel you need free software checkout open-source. There are great, free alternatives which takes us back to the "How You Know When It's Time to Switch to Linux" article above. For more info checkout:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-20026196-75.html
Lastly, in the news is somewhat of a light hearted topic. On Christmas Day a gift was given to the world from from Finnish Film producers New Dawn. They released their fan-film teaser for 'Duke Nukem: Fate of Humanity'. Okay, so what's in the film? Aliens, action, violence, etc.? Nope. Not an alien to be found. Just the lone Duke, sitting in a strip club. When a loud crash and earth shaking rumble occurs. We see Duke grab his pistol and slow-mo run out of the club. Despite the fact that no pig cops are shown. we get to see a pretty convincing take on Duke.
Check it out, but keep in mind this is probably borderline NSFW and shouldn't be viewed by children.
Okay folks, that's it. I hope everyone has a fantastic New Year and let's make 2011 the best, geekiest year ever! Happy surfing!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Merry Christmas!
On behalf of TechieSmarts, we'd like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!
Take this time to enjoy your friends and family and remember the reason for the season!
Take this time to enjoy your friends and family and remember the reason for the season!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Marvel's Thor: The Trailer
Okay, back in July I saw saw a few teaser shots Marvel had released from it's upcomming 'Thor' feature length film. Admittedly, I was probably a little rough; if not judgmental about it's release. The teaser shots did not give it justice (based on the scenes from the trailer). However, I am still undecided about this movie. I will end up seeing this film due to it being inline with the buildup to the 'Avengers' film. I like how they are piecing the movies together (like the Cap. America shield in the first Iron Man, and Thor's Hammer at the end of Iron Man 2). It will be neat to see what they throw into Thor.
And by the way, this week it was announces that Jon Favreau won't be directing 'Iron Man 3'. According to several articles I have read, it doesn't sound like there is any bad blood between Mr. Favreau and Marvel. For the details checkout this article:
http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/12/16/jon-favreau-on-why-he-wont-direct-iron-man-3/
And in the meantime, checkout the trailer for 'Thor'.
And by the way, this week it was announces that Jon Favreau won't be directing 'Iron Man 3'. According to several articles I have read, it doesn't sound like there is any bad blood between Mr. Favreau and Marvel. For the details checkout this article:
http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/12/16/jon-favreau-on-why-he-wont-direct-iron-man-3/
And in the meantime, checkout the trailer for 'Thor'.
Tron Guy!
With the flare of the release of the new 'Tron: Legacy', I stumbled onto this guy. He has been around the net for a while. Seriously, this guy is my hero. With that being said, I'll do the world a favor and not show up in my own Tron suit. So, with this being the case. Sit back and enjoy...
The Tron Guy!
The Tron Guy!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Feed your Pod! Free Downloads for Your iPod/Media Player!
Well, happy Tuesday to all. As we're counting down until Christmas, a lot of people are strapped for extra cash this month (due to wonderful Christmas shopping). I can count myself into this group of people. So what can you give yourself, that will not cost a penny out of your own pocket?
Easy, a little lovin' for your iPod (or media player or choice). Checkout these free podcasts for your listening pleasure. These podcasts are Techie Approved!
If you like audiobooks or old-school radio dramas, it doesn't get any better than these:
'We're Alive'
'We're Alive' is an awesome podcast where the story is told like old-school radioshows used to be. It has a great story about a group of survivors in the midst of a zombie outbreak. This podcast is active, has a host of voice talent, and has regular releases of new episodes. By far, one of my favorites.
'The Leviathan Chronicles'
Homepage: http://www.leviathanchronicles.com/
I am pretty new to 'The Leviathan Chronicles' podcast. I have listened up to about Chapter 6, and I must say that I am impressed. The story is pretty complex. It revolves around a group of immortals who reside in Leviathan; which is an underwater structure where they have lived for a really long time. Now something is in the works that is trying to destroy it, the story picks up our protagonist who is swept up in the middle of the whole thing. It's an awesome podcast to check out.
For the Tech Minded Person:
'The Tech Guy'
Homepage: http://twit.tv/
'The Tech Guy' is the aforementioned podcast by computer guru Leo Laporte. This podcast is centered around people who call and ask tech advice from Leo. This podcast is also part of a large podcast network called: 'TWiT'. Highly recommended.
'Podnutz'
Homepage: http://www.podnutz.com/
Another great tech resource for computer geeks and repair guys.
'The Linux Action Show'
Homepage: http://www.jupiterbroadcasting.com/
An awesome, fun podcast about Linux and open-source goodness. If you're a Linux fan (like myself, check it out). This podcast is also part of a larger podcasting network: Jupiter Broadcasting.
For the gamer:
'Massively Speaking'
Homepage: http://massively.joystiq.com/
A great resource for MMO fans.
'The CAGcast'
Homepage: http://www.cheapassgamer.com/
A great gaming podcast brought to us by CheapAssGamer.com.
These are just a few of the podcasts that I frequently keep up with. I hope you can find some you'd like. Merry Christmas!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Game Trailer!
This is one of the trailers from the VGA's from the other evening. It was posted today on the offical Deus Ex Youtube Channel. This game looks freakin' sweet!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Game Review: 'Donkey Kong Country Returns' (Wii)
This holiday season has already been a great one. We celebrated Thanksgiving a few weeks ago and now we're coming up on Christmas. I love this time of year, we get a lot of good food, and time with friends and family. Also, we get some good games from developers trying to hit the Christmas shopping season. And lucky us, this year is a good one.
Up for a quick review today is 'Donkey Kong Country Returns' for the Wii. I'm going to have to be completely honest, this game had high expectations from me going into this. I was an avid fan of all things Donkey Kong back when the original 'Donkey Kong Country' franchise rolled to us years ago. With time, and the development of the Donkey Kong 64 catastrophe, I'll admit had seemed forgotten to me. So when I intially saw this title's trailer on G4 a few months ago, I was very excited.
First thing is first, let me go on the record and say that if you are looking for a truly awesome game for the Wii...DK doesn't fall short. Simply put, this game is nothing less than awesome. And what a treat for those of us who grew up rolling around in mine carts with Diddy Kong in tow. And for the generation of gamers who had never had to chance to play the original DK Country games, do yourself a favor and find them on the Wii Virtual Console. You will not be sorry!
Graphics:
I'll start with the graphics; it is easily one of the best looking games on the Wii. That's it. Hands down. Don't even try to argue it. It's gorgeous. The devs gave us a retro gaming experience by keeping the game in a '2D platform' style. But it has full 3D graphics. The renders are beautiful, the backgrounds are amazing. Unlike the original titles where the backgrounds were pretty static, these backgrounds are very much the polar opposite.
Objects are constantly moving between the back and foregrounds. And numerous times through the game you'll be required to navigate between the two as well. Barrels will launch you into the background to pickup a hidden puzzle piece or kill a bad guy. The graphics are very immersive; all the while keeping true to what we have come to love from the Donkey Kong Country visual style. In the screen to the left you will see DK and Diddy flying on a rocket barrel while the train is actually coming out of the background using the spirals. It's awesome.
Controls:
There are two control schemes that can be utilized while playing through DKC Returns. The newest involves using the Wiimote and the Nunchuck to play and the other scheme utilizes only the Wiimote. Personally, the nostalgia factor was purely enough for me to go with the Wiimote only control scheme. So I haven't actually tried the newer setup. However, the controls are very tight and responsive. It keeps the game as simple as possible by designating the '1' button to grab for swinging from vines and grabbing onto grassy surfaces, and the '2' button is set up to jump. While movement is done via the 'D-Pad'. You hold the Wiimote sideways like a classic Nintendo controller.
To execute moves like rolls and ground pounds simply shake the Wiimote while moving to roll. Likewise, shake the Wiimote will stationary to ground pound. With the addition to hold down on the d-pad while shaking the remote allows DK or Diddy to blow objects on the ground to unveal hidden items.
Sounds:
If you have ever played any of the previous DKC titles, the sounds are pretty much the same. There have been additions that involve boss fight music, etc. But it's all pretty much standard DKC fanfare.
Co-Op/Multiplayer:
This game has crazy multiplayer for those who are co-op minded. You both play on the same screen at the same time. The upside, it's nothing like in 'New Super Mario Bros.' where you'll accidentally bounce off of other player's heads and die. Instead, DK can pick up Diddy (aka Player 2) and let them ride on his back to get through troubled spots. Also, it feels more like teamwork. 2-Player mode has enabled my wife to pick up a Wiimote and take the helm of Diddy. Sometimes the inclusion of another player does muddy the waters a little bit.
I'm easily distracted and catch myself looking at the wrong character on screen from time to time. But that's a 'me' problem, not a game problem. The hardest part about co-op play are the riding components to the game. Like minecarts and rocket barrels. During a 2-Player game, both players can control the ride at any time. This leads to the other person hitting jump prematurely sending you both to an early death. Depending on your level of patience, this can be fun or really annoying. Personally, it's all fun and games for me. So when it happens, it's almost funny.
Other:
Outside of regular gameplay there are loads of hidden stuff throughout the game; banana coins, bananas, KONG letters, and hidden puzzle pieces. As you find KONG letters and puzzle pieces you are working toward unlocking stuff in the Extras Menu (which consists of songs from the game and concept art). So replayability factor is extremely high in this game.
Returning members of the cast include Donkey and Diddy Kong (rocking his red Nintendo hat and peanut shooter) and Cranky Kong. For the Kong's that is it. For the animals, we get to control Rambi the Rhino again. Also Squaks the bird comes back as a puzzle piece finder. The Kremlins and King K. Rool have all been traded for the evil Tiki's. Which is nice that they were able to bring a fresh concept to the table.
The game is rather story driven with cut scenes that are short, sweet, and to the point. But fun to watch.
Downfalls:
The only downfall to this game is it's difficulty level. I never remember DKC being as brutal as some of the levels in DKC Returns can be. Of course, that was years ago. It just seems like some of the level designs want to break your spirit. But, this is quickly forgotten when you throw a second player into the mix and just have fun with it.
Rating:
This is a great game, no matter how you look at it. If you own a Wii, you must own this title. So, go buy it.
This game gets a 5 out of 5 from TechieSmarts!
Donkey Kong Country Returns is rated 'E' for Everyone by the ESRB.
Note: Donkey Kong Country Returns and all characters, images and assets therein are owned by Nintendo.
Up for a quick review today is 'Donkey Kong Country Returns' for the Wii. I'm going to have to be completely honest, this game had high expectations from me going into this. I was an avid fan of all things Donkey Kong back when the original 'Donkey Kong Country' franchise rolled to us years ago. With time, and the development of the Donkey Kong 64 catastrophe, I'll admit had seemed forgotten to me. So when I intially saw this title's trailer on G4 a few months ago, I was very excited.
First thing is first, let me go on the record and say that if you are looking for a truly awesome game for the Wii...DK doesn't fall short. Simply put, this game is nothing less than awesome. And what a treat for those of us who grew up rolling around in mine carts with Diddy Kong in tow. And for the generation of gamers who had never had to chance to play the original DK Country games, do yourself a favor and find them on the Wii Virtual Console. You will not be sorry!
Graphics:
I'll start with the graphics; it is easily one of the best looking games on the Wii. That's it. Hands down. Don't even try to argue it. It's gorgeous. The devs gave us a retro gaming experience by keeping the game in a '2D platform' style. But it has full 3D graphics. The renders are beautiful, the backgrounds are amazing. Unlike the original titles where the backgrounds were pretty static, these backgrounds are very much the polar opposite.
Objects are constantly moving between the back and foregrounds. And numerous times through the game you'll be required to navigate between the two as well. Barrels will launch you into the background to pickup a hidden puzzle piece or kill a bad guy. The graphics are very immersive; all the while keeping true to what we have come to love from the Donkey Kong Country visual style. In the screen to the left you will see DK and Diddy flying on a rocket barrel while the train is actually coming out of the background using the spirals. It's awesome.
Controls:
There are two control schemes that can be utilized while playing through DKC Returns. The newest involves using the Wiimote and the Nunchuck to play and the other scheme utilizes only the Wiimote. Personally, the nostalgia factor was purely enough for me to go with the Wiimote only control scheme. So I haven't actually tried the newer setup. However, the controls are very tight and responsive. It keeps the game as simple as possible by designating the '1' button to grab for swinging from vines and grabbing onto grassy surfaces, and the '2' button is set up to jump. While movement is done via the 'D-Pad'. You hold the Wiimote sideways like a classic Nintendo controller.
To execute moves like rolls and ground pounds simply shake the Wiimote while moving to roll. Likewise, shake the Wiimote will stationary to ground pound. With the addition to hold down on the d-pad while shaking the remote allows DK or Diddy to blow objects on the ground to unveal hidden items.
Sounds:
If you have ever played any of the previous DKC titles, the sounds are pretty much the same. There have been additions that involve boss fight music, etc. But it's all pretty much standard DKC fanfare.
Co-Op/Multiplayer:
This game has crazy multiplayer for those who are co-op minded. You both play on the same screen at the same time. The upside, it's nothing like in 'New Super Mario Bros.' where you'll accidentally bounce off of other player's heads and die. Instead, DK can pick up Diddy (aka Player 2) and let them ride on his back to get through troubled spots. Also, it feels more like teamwork. 2-Player mode has enabled my wife to pick up a Wiimote and take the helm of Diddy. Sometimes the inclusion of another player does muddy the waters a little bit.
I'm easily distracted and catch myself looking at the wrong character on screen from time to time. But that's a 'me' problem, not a game problem. The hardest part about co-op play are the riding components to the game. Like minecarts and rocket barrels. During a 2-Player game, both players can control the ride at any time. This leads to the other person hitting jump prematurely sending you both to an early death. Depending on your level of patience, this can be fun or really annoying. Personally, it's all fun and games for me. So when it happens, it's almost funny.
Other:
Outside of regular gameplay there are loads of hidden stuff throughout the game; banana coins, bananas, KONG letters, and hidden puzzle pieces. As you find KONG letters and puzzle pieces you are working toward unlocking stuff in the Extras Menu (which consists of songs from the game and concept art). So replayability factor is extremely high in this game.
Returning members of the cast include Donkey and Diddy Kong (rocking his red Nintendo hat and peanut shooter) and Cranky Kong. For the Kong's that is it. For the animals, we get to control Rambi the Rhino again. Also Squaks the bird comes back as a puzzle piece finder. The Kremlins and King K. Rool have all been traded for the evil Tiki's. Which is nice that they were able to bring a fresh concept to the table.
The game is rather story driven with cut scenes that are short, sweet, and to the point. But fun to watch.
Downfalls:
The only downfall to this game is it's difficulty level. I never remember DKC being as brutal as some of the levels in DKC Returns can be. Of course, that was years ago. It just seems like some of the level designs want to break your spirit. But, this is quickly forgotten when you throw a second player into the mix and just have fun with it.
Rating:
This is a great game, no matter how you look at it. If you own a Wii, you must own this title. So, go buy it.
This game gets a 5 out of 5 from TechieSmarts!
Donkey Kong Country Returns is rated 'E' for Everyone by the ESRB.
Note: Donkey Kong Country Returns and all characters, images and assets therein are owned by Nintendo.
Restoring Data with DriveImageXML v.2.14
Okay, the last post taught us how to make a clone image of our hard drive using DriveImage XML. Now, I figured I'd show you how to restore data from that image. This is actually very easy to do.
First up, run DriveImage XML. And click on the 'Browse' button.
Keep in mind, you can restore individual files from your backup image only if you left 'Raw Mode' unchecked when creating the image file.
Once you have click the 'Browse' button, you should see a box pop up that says 'Select A Backup Image (XML file)' in it's title bar. Simply navigate to the directory/drive you stored the backup image. For me, it is my external hard drive. Once you have found the image file, click the 'Open' button.
A status box will appear, and show the progress as it reads the image file. Once it has completed, you should see a screen that resembles Windows Explorer. This is where you will locate and extract the files you want. Simply, navigate the file structure using this screen. For this test, I wanted to locate my iTunes library so I can migrate my music over to my new Windows install. So I navigated to: 'C:\Documents and Settings\*myusername\My Documents\My Music\iTunes' where I have located my music files.
Now, simply right click on the file you would like to extract and choose 'Extract'. A box will appear asking where you'd like to extract the file to. When you have chosen the file's destination folder simply click 'Ok'. Now, DriveImage XML will do it's job and move the file. When you are done, simply close the program.
When creating the image there was the 'Split Large Files' option. If you left it checked, you can actually go into the directory where your image is saved, and burn each of those images to a DVD (or depending on size a series of DVD's) for future use.
Okay, that's it! Happy computing!
Get DriveImage XML at: http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm
First up, run DriveImage XML. And click on the 'Browse' button.
Keep in mind, you can restore individual files from your backup image only if you left 'Raw Mode' unchecked when creating the image file.
Once you have click the 'Browse' button, you should see a box pop up that says 'Select A Backup Image (XML file)' in it's title bar. Simply navigate to the directory/drive you stored the backup image. For me, it is my external hard drive. Once you have found the image file, click the 'Open' button.
Now, simply right click on the file you would like to extract and choose 'Extract'. A box will appear asking where you'd like to extract the file to. When you have chosen the file's destination folder simply click 'Ok'. Now, DriveImage XML will do it's job and move the file. When you are done, simply close the program.
When creating the image there was the 'Split Large Files' option. If you left it checked, you can actually go into the directory where your image is saved, and burn each of those images to a DVD (or depending on size a series of DVD's) for future use.
Okay, that's it! Happy computing!
Get DriveImage XML at: http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm
Backing Up with DriveImage XML v2.14
Last week I decided it was time to wipe and reload my desktop operating system. At this time, I also decided to move up to Windows 7 from XP (still not sure I'm too happy with that decision, but I will adapt with time). During the planning stages of my plan, I didn't want to loose all of my data. Especially not remembering what had infact been backed up to CD or DVD prior to reformatting. I had an external hard drive handy and I decided to jump into making a clone image of my Windows XP Partition.
The next task was to find a clone solution that didn't cost a whole lot (because I'm cheap), and would be pretty reliable. I did some research over about 3 days time and I settled down with DriveImage XML. For several reason, DriveImage XML has the ability to make a clone image of the drive without having to reboot and load up a live cd or boot utlility. This was the first check on my list. Second, it had to have a built in viewer. So after my image was complete, all I needed to do to extract my data is to run DriveImage XML and load the clone image. DriveImage XML offered this feature as well; second check on my list. And lastly, it's Private Edition is free of charge. That price was definitely in my price range. :) Other features include creation of a WinPE boot CD used for restoring the image to a new drive/partition.
The program is small, weighing in around 1.78MB. It's a quick download and setup. Once installed, you are greeted with a rather dated looking GUI interface. But, I'd trade pretty for functional any day. And it is exactly that. I found the software to be extremely user friendly. Simply run the application and select the 'Backup' button.
The program will then scan your system and report the partitions found during the scan. Here you can select the partition (or partitions) you'd like to copy. As you can see in the screen cap, DriveImage XML found two partitions (in this case two separate hard drives). Make note that if you have multiple partitions on a hard drive (i.e.: if you have two Windows installs on the same drive), if will detect those as well. In my case, I had my external hard drive connected and it found it as well. On this screen you can also see detailed information about each drive/partition found. Simply select the drive/partition to copy and click 'Next'.
Now the 'Backup Wizard' will launch and step you through the process of initiating the backup. The first screen shows the drive you selected, simply click 'Next'. The second screen in the Wizard will let you rename the image file's name, allow you to select whether or not to use 'RAW mode' and set compression. You can also select where you'd like the image to be stored. Other options let you select what 'strategy' to use when backing up. The way DriveImage XML makes it's backup images without the need to stop using the computer is accomplished by using 'Microsoft's Volume Shadow Services (VSS)', here you can choose whether to let DriveImage attempt to 'Lock' the volume being backed up first or try VSS first. If you leave it at the default, the program will simply try to lock the Volume. Since it's in use, it will fail and default to using VSS instead. Personally, I left the defaults alone (except for Compression, which I sat at Fast). And hit the 'Next' button.
One quick note, if you choose to use 'Raw Mode' the image created can only be used for restoring to a new partition/drive. If you want to be able to load up the image in DriveXML later to pull out a single file (instead of using it to fully restore the system), leave 'Raw Mode' unchecked. Also, raw mode copies everything (used and unused sectors) so it will be the same size as your original system.
That's it! The program will initiate the back up and all you need to do is let it run. Keep in mind, the system can be backed up using VSS while you are using it. An ideal practice would be to leave the system alone until it is finished backing up. But in today's world, it isn't a necessity. Also remember, if you download a file after invoking the backup, it will not be saved.
For restoring data with the created image, look for the next post!
Get DriveImage XML at: http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm
The next task was to find a clone solution that didn't cost a whole lot (because I'm cheap), and would be pretty reliable. I did some research over about 3 days time and I settled down with DriveImage XML. For several reason, DriveImage XML has the ability to make a clone image of the drive without having to reboot and load up a live cd or boot utlility. This was the first check on my list. Second, it had to have a built in viewer. So after my image was complete, all I needed to do to extract my data is to run DriveImage XML and load the clone image. DriveImage XML offered this feature as well; second check on my list. And lastly, it's Private Edition is free of charge. That price was definitely in my price range. :) Other features include creation of a WinPE boot CD used for restoring the image to a new drive/partition.
The program is small, weighing in around 1.78MB. It's a quick download and setup. Once installed, you are greeted with a rather dated looking GUI interface. But, I'd trade pretty for functional any day. And it is exactly that. I found the software to be extremely user friendly. Simply run the application and select the 'Backup' button.
Now the 'Backup Wizard' will launch and step you through the process of initiating the backup. The first screen shows the drive you selected, simply click 'Next'. The second screen in the Wizard will let you rename the image file's name, allow you to select whether or not to use 'RAW mode' and set compression. You can also select where you'd like the image to be stored. Other options let you select what 'strategy' to use when backing up. The way DriveImage XML makes it's backup images without the need to stop using the computer is accomplished by using 'Microsoft's Volume Shadow Services (VSS)', here you can choose whether to let DriveImage attempt to 'Lock' the volume being backed up first or try VSS first. If you leave it at the default, the program will simply try to lock the Volume. Since it's in use, it will fail and default to using VSS instead. Personally, I left the defaults alone (except for Compression, which I sat at Fast). And hit the 'Next' button.
One quick note, if you choose to use 'Raw Mode' the image created can only be used for restoring to a new partition/drive. If you want to be able to load up the image in DriveXML later to pull out a single file (instead of using it to fully restore the system), leave 'Raw Mode' unchecked. Also, raw mode copies everything (used and unused sectors) so it will be the same size as your original system.
That's it! The program will initiate the back up and all you need to do is let it run. Keep in mind, the system can be backed up using VSS while you are using it. An ideal practice would be to leave the system alone until it is finished backing up. But in today's world, it isn't a necessity. Also remember, if you download a file after invoking the backup, it will not be saved.
For restoring data with the created image, look for the next post!
Get DriveImage XML at: http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm
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