"Anna" wrote...
This limitation (re the demo version of Casper 5) is not present using
the licensed version of Casper. The full disk space of the destination
HDD would be utilized to contain the cloned contents of the source HDD so
that there would be no "unallocated" disk space on the destination HDD
(unless of course the user desired to have unallocated disk space on the
destination drive).


"Mickey Mouse" wrote in message
...
*** So, if say I have a 500gb HD and partition it to C:200gb (system
drive), D: 200gb and E: 100gb
I can tell Casper to use E: for it's own use where it would create a
dynamic partition on E: for say a 40gb backup and turn
the rest of E: into unallocated. When it needed more space for the next
backup, say 45gb it would allocate some of the unallocate
space to accomodate the extra 5gb leaving C: and D: at there original
size. In short, Casper here has only the E:100gb to play with.
Mickey


Mickey:
Let me try to explain it more clearly using as an example that you have
another 500 GB HDD that you will be using as the recipient drive for clones
from your source HDD.

If you want to clone *only* the 40 GB of data contained in your source
drive's 100 GB partition you could do so quite easily and virtually
automatically with the Casper 5 disk-cloning program by choosing the option
to set up a partition on the destination drive *only* sufficient in size to
contain that 40 GB of data. (You need not select a specific size for the
partition). So I guess you can say the program has set up a partition
"dynamically".

So now you have a destination HDD with a 40 GB partition with the remaining
disk-space of that 500 GB HDD "unallocated" disk space.

Now, as in your example, when you make the next backup of that 100 GB
partition, the contents of such has increased from the original 40 GB to 45
GB. At this stage you have two options...
1. You can delete (through the Disk Management utility) the 40 GB partition
on the destination HDD and then, once again, select the option for the
Casper program to create a minimally-sized partition on that drive to hold
the 45 GB of data that you are cloning; or,

2. You can simply select the option (as you did originally) for the program
to create a partition on the destination drive only sufficient in size to
hold the cloned contents of 45 GB. However, in this case if you did not
delete the 40 GB partition that was originally created, you will now have
*two* partitions on the destination drive - one of 40 GB and one of 45 GB

It's just your choice. Obviously if all you were interested in is that the
destination HDD contain the latest contents of your source drive's 100 GB
partition, then you would presumably have deleted the previously-created
partition on the destination HDD. In any event, the option is yours to make.



"Anna" wrote...
5. You say that you are not interested in "incremental backups". Let me
tell you frankly if that is indeed the case, there is really no special
need for you to purchase the Casper 5 program. If all you're interested
in is some "one-shot deal" where you will clone the contents of your
day-to-day working HDD to another HDD and nevermore use the program for
routine systematic backups to keep your system reasonably up-to-date,
then *any* disk-cloning (or disk-imaging) program would probably suffice
for your needs.
Anna


"Mickey Mouse" wrote in message
...
**** Please let me clarify my stand on incremental backups.
Yes, I'm not in my situation concerned with incremental backups as I
myself have no need for them.
(SNIP)
Having said that I do however acknowledge the need for incremental backups
and their importance for certain situations.
In my case however, my only concern is the integrety of my installed
applications and the registry.
The number of times my system has crashed for one reason or another you
wouldn't believe.
In my case each time I've only had to reinstall the OS, updates and
applications. I'm just looking for a quicker way to do it.
Mickey


Mickey:
I'm somewhat at a loss to understand your comment above. First you indicate
you "have no need for (incremental) backups"; then you go on to say "The
number of times my system has crashed for one reason or another you wouldn't
believe. In my case each time I've only had to reinstall the OS, updates and
applications. I'm just looking for a quicker way to do it."

But is it not clear to you that the whole point of a disk-cloning program
such as Casper (or for that matter, a disk-imaging program) is to do
precisely that, i.e., to restore your system to a bootable, functional,
up-to-date state so that you would *not* need to manually "reinstall the OS,
updates and applications". And using a program such as Casper 5 the process
to do just that would be simple, straightforward, and reasonably quick, with
a minimum expenditure of time & effort on one's part. Isn't that a most
desirable thing for most users?

In any event, as I previously stated, if you have no intention of using a
disk-cloning or disk imaging program for routine, systematic, frequent
backups of your system, and you're only interested in a backup of your
system that you might do, for example, once every few months or so, my
advice would be to save your money and secure one of the free disk-copying
programs available from a number of HDD manufacturers, e.g., Hitachi,
Seagate, Western Digital and use one of those programs for your needs. Also,
there are a number of free (or shareware) disk-cloning & disk-imaging
programs available through the net - some of which have been mentioned by
posters to this thread. And you can always do a Google search for these type
of programs (or other backup programs) that might better serve your needs.
Anna