Two Full System backups with Norton Ghost 2002, not readable/useable. Last File/Files unreadable.

Hello,

Here is a report out of the trenches/practice.

In 2003 and 2004 I made Full System Backups with Norton Ghost 2002.

This happened in ms-dos mode.

The Norton Ghost software backup up a couple of gigabytes to little files of

1.46 MB onto (Lenco) cd-r's.

Now in the year 2008, the last few files on some cd's can't be read by a BenQ dvd/cd drive.

These cd's look a little bit weird... They have a golden edge at the sides.

The outer side of the cd's probably get scratched really easily...

A tiny little light scratch is enough to make it unreadable. That's my theory at least.

The disappointment is mostly with the ghost software itself.

It's completely unable to read any files what so ever.

It sucks big time.

Unless I can find some special switch to at least restore some files... I will not be using Norton Ghost backup software ever again.

I might even write my own simple backup software in the future to know for sure that it's better.

I just need a couple of little html files which were not stored in other data backup's.

So I am quite disappointed at all this technology in general.

Waste my time, wasted my money, sucks.

I hope to learn from this.

I hope to backup my Dream PP 2008 in the future much better than I did my previous computers ;)

You've be warned people... also I am not the only one having "corruption" problems. Google shows many people having these kinds of issue's which is ownly logical... We need better technology that can survive multiple bit errors... Like even a million bit errors should be possible...

Anyway... I still have some other backups... I have an even older backup from 2002... But it probably does not contain the files I need.

I also have copies of these backup's in a data safe in another place... However first I need to go there... and then unlock the safe and get it out =D

I will try to that some days from now... maybe those cd's are better ?

It's interesting to find out if a big "data safe" provides any better storage conditions ;)

So: to be continued... ! =D

Bye, Skybuck.

Reply to
Skybuck Flying
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CDr disks go bad over time, about 5 years and your files are rotten. Sounds like you didn't know that going in or else you wouldn't have even attempted such a thing.

Good news is that all is not lost just yet. You can us CD duplication technology to create new versions of the supposed bad Ghost disks and be very surprised to learn that the new ones will work just fine. I'm not really sure how that works exactly, but it does - so quick - do it before it really is too late.

And then don't ever use a CDr for long term data storage ever again.

Reply to
melee5

Nothing that you do with computers seems to work. Interesting.

John

Reply to
John Larkin

I've always suspected that you lived in a trench, cave, or hole.

Ghost 2002 sucked. Ghost 2003 fixed most of the problems. I still use it today. Make sure you get the updated version (i.e. Live Update) for Symantec.

Sounds like water got into the CD. It might still be read by a CD recovery service using a tweaked laser.

Scratching a CD makes little difference to the data integrity. Try it. Sandpaper a CD and it will still read. It may not write, but it will read.

Try it. You have to destroy a fairly large part of the CD before it will spew errors.

That's about what I would expect from Ghost 2002. Try 2003 and see if it reads your CD's.

I can say that about Symantec in general, but Ghost is one of their better products and one of the few that I use religiously and regularly.

Symantec stock prices didn't move much as a result of your announcement.

There are other disk imaging software available. They'll all screw up if your media is junk. However, I'm sure your code will be better.

Sorry, there is no hope for you.

I have trouble saving my dreams. I tend to forget them after I wake up.

Temperature and humidity control are usually good ideas. When we had an earthquake in 1989, I had a different problem. The bank vault where I stored my customers backups was intact, but the entry to the building was kinda shakey. The authorities would not allow access to the backups for about a month until the attorneys settled on who was responsible if the roof fell in while we were retrieving the tapes. Add access control to the list of good ideas.

I recently had to recover some 9 track tape. Resurrecting the machine was easy enough. Replacing the crumbling rubber idler wheels and cleaning the oil that had turned to tar was no fun. Fortunately, I had someone else do the dirty work and I just got to deal with a tape print through problems. One of my customers just called and announced that her last Syquest 2GB removable platter drive had fatally crashed. I suggested a proper funeral and an update to DVD+R. Besides, I'm on vacation.

--
Jeff Liebermann     jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D    http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
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Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

Skyduck is in the Netherlands. My guess is that he is Bill's Protégé. :(

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Reply to
Michael A. Terrell

les of

a

ides.

Skydork isn't *that* stupid.

--=20 Keith

Reply to
krw

He is still learning. Give him time. :(

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Reply to
Michael A. Terrell

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