If I installed Ghost yesterday, and made a backup.
And today I did a disk clean, registry clean, disk defrag & optimise.
Would tomorrows Ghost backup have to start from scratch?

If you mean by "backup" only your data files, then it would depend on whether or not you made an incremental or full. But then I'm not sure what you mean by "scratch".

If you mean an image of the OS, which is very different than a simple backup of data files,then again I'm not sure of what you mean by "scratch", but my guess would be that it would include your disk clean, registry clean, disk defrag & optimise.

Part of my problem in understanding lies in the terminology. "Backup" usually refers to data files only, but it is sometimes used to refer to an OS image also.

You can ask your question on the Wilders Security forum on Acronis TI (just leave out the reference to Ghost <grin>) here: http://www.wilderssecurity.com.....y.php?f=65

Or there is a Ghost Security software forum there too (though it may not be pertinent to your question) at: http://www.wilderssecurity.com.....y.php?f=76

Hey, now there's no need to be running off to some other forum when we have plenty of Ghost users here. Also, let's stick to Ghost terminology even if it doesn't match some standard.

LH, when you create a backup job in Ghost, you should run the Define Backup wizard. Yes, even us geeks should use the wizard in this case. One of the first choices that you get is between imaging a partition ("Back up my computer") and data file backup ("Back up selected files and folders"). For your primary system backups, you want to image. After choosing the partitions to image, the next choice is whether to make a base plus incrementals ("Recovery point set") or a full backup ("Independent recovery point"). You will save space by choosing a Recovery point set.

On the Backup Time screen you can choose a schedule and also when to make a new base. Under "Start a new recovery set (base)" choose weekly, monthly, and so on or make a custom schedule of your choice. This works whether you have scheduled backups or not. I do all of mine manually, but the new base setting works the same. Any questions?

OzSpitt, yes, yes, yes, and yes.

i was under the impression vista ultimate did this. when i tested it all it wanted to do was reinstall files. cool beans, now i'll get this program...

The recovery of files you can do from the installed Ghost. The system recovery you have to do with the disk.

No need to release a virus. The procedure/result will be the same without. But you can do a virus check as part of the recovery procedure. That I have never done. Just make sure you have the reference file up-to-date.

That would be interesting to see the results. But maybe you want to do a more begnin recovery first - just for practice. HTG would hate to be without a mod because he shot himself in the foot.

Everyone send your virus collection to Lighthouse. I have some real nasty buggers in mine that I would like to see if they can be detected or will they eat LH's laptop for breakfast.

LH: just for this exercise, DO open attachments! :-)

Curious LH . . . what antivirus and antispyware software do you use?