Image for Windows 2.69 User Reviews
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"Reliable, fast, cheap"
Version: Image for Windows 2.62a
Pros
Fast, easy to understand, and reliable. With full compression images are quite small. Very cheap as well. Highly recommended for backing up your system. Data should really be backed up the traditional way.
Cons
None that I am aware of.
Summary
Excellent program - been using it on and off for two years without a problem. I use it only for quick backup of an operating system, not for backup of data. A freshly installed and activated Windows XP with all updates applied and application software installed can be compressed to under 4GB and will thus fit on a DVD. Restoring the OS takes just a few minutes. I use the boot CD to do all imaging and restoring.
~gplally -
"I have been using Image for Windows since 2007."
Version: Image for Windows 2.62a
Pros
Image for Windows has improved greatly over the last 5 years. There used to be issues with byte for byte verification and restoration of image files. I had to resort to using TBI View to tediouslly restore files. No more.
Cons
Phylock can take a long time and fail periodically. With Windows 7, however, I have not had nearly so many problems as with XP. I have both the Home and Professional Editions on two PC's in 64 bit.
Summary
The last several backups I have done with Image for Windows V2 have worked superbly. I have restored corrupted files with very few problems when necessary. I still back up my photos, videos, music, and slide shows on DVD's just to be sure I never lose them. But I think that makes sense. No program is foolproof. I still have to reload program files from disks or redownload them from their original sites, but that is not the fault of IFW. I just make sure I have all my key codes and passwords handy for that purpose. I have been using either Mac or PC's for over 20 years and it is getting tougher and tougher to reinstall programs. However, I lost my latest information on IFW and had to rely on 2007 key codes and an old e-mail address and was still able to reinstall IFW without any problems. Terabyte Unlimited has always been a company which is easy to work with. They keep their software up to date and functioning smoothly. Every new version is an improvement over the last one. You can use this program with DOS, Linux, Windows, and make a boot disk as well. I don't use Linux anymore, but it I did I would use Image for Linux in a minute. There are a lot of backup programs out there, but I have found them to be lacking compared to Terabyte Unlimited products. I don't like to use online backups. I don't trust having my information where someone can hack into it. Maybe that sounds paranoid, but I want my stuff kept as private as possible. Image for Windows allows me to back up to DVD, Bluray, or to an internal or external hard drive. I am not a professional, but I would like to be able to make a mirror image of my entire drive and also each separate partition OS and all. I don't know if that is possible with this program or not. I have been building my own PC's for the last three years, and have built them for other people as well. I am the type of person that learns by doing and not by the book. I have to refer to manuals for specifics, but the real techie stuff still eludes me. I suppose I could take a few courses on programming, but I would rather spend my time doing other things than going to school. If I were younger I probably do it, but I am retired now. I used to run a printing and publishing business; that is when I got into desktop publishing. If I were in college now I would pursue a degree in computer technology and probably go for a masters degree. But then I would probably be writing programs lilke Image for Windows instead of relying on them anyway. IFW is good enough for me even though I think I could master computer technology and eventually write my own programs. I keep myself busy doing the things I always wanted to do, lilke watercolor painting and playing the piano. I'll leave the other things to the experts.
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"A totally reliable, efficient image creator / restorer."
Version: Image for Windows 2.62
Pros
I have used both Image for DOS and Image for Windows for Windows for about 10 years. They have never failed me and have they have helped me recover for some nasty failures.
Cons
None detected over the years used.
Summary
Thoroughly recommended.
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"very satisfy with Image for Windows"
Version: Image for Windows 2.61
Pros
Owned product for about 1 year. Did not have the need to restore an image until recently. It worked perfectly. Easy of use, restored back up image to a new HD. Boot off a CD, restore backup through a USB drive that is connected to an external HD.
Cons
Can't think of any
Summary
if you changed any local application or Window password since your last backup, make sure you remember them. A complete HD restore will reset them to the time you did the backup.
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"Excellent - Works As Described!"
Version: Image for Windows 2.61
Pros
It images a dual boot XP - OpenSuse 11.3 system using the boot CD with setting 2 parameters - Backup unused sectors & Ignore I/O errors. It captures both Mbr's on the hard drive and upon restore computer boots up as if it was original build media.
Cons
The interface is menu driven and has to use keyboard to move around (No Mouse Functions) in the program which is not big deal. This is the first paid program that images a dual boot computer and restore as if it was the original build.
Summary
This is the program that everyone should have if they have a dual boot computer. No others that I have seen on the market works as well as Image For Windows. There is also a version of this program for DOS and Linux and does not have to be installed in windows but works off a easy build boot CD. Images made on either version can be use between all versions of this software.
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"Too complex and geeky."
Version: Image for Windows 2.60
Pros
Nothing at all. Wasted mega manhours of my time..
Cons
I like nothing about this product. Instructions and programs were techy and confusing to me.
Summary
The instructions were unusable for me - lots of geek words that can have several meanings. Tech support was essentially useless to me - I would email them and ask for detailed instructions about how to accomplish something, and in return I would get a reply of one or two short sentences from "David" that did not hellp me at all. All I wanted to accomplish was to completely clone/image my primary hard drive so that if it crashed I could run the image onto a new blank drive. All I succeeded in doing was completely wiping out my primary drive, and making it useless - it would not then permit me to reload the original system recovery disc onto it! Lost everything. I threw IFW away - I myself would not touch it again. (My brother went with TR 7 Pro imaging software, and loves it.) A.
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""IFW is the BEST There IS" NOT !!i dont think so chum"
Version: Image for Windows 2.60
Pros
PARAGON free advanced recovery and backup is the BEST THERE IS !!!! PERIOD !!!! and its 100percent FREE !!!!
Cons
NOT FREE,uses too much system resources !
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"IFW is the BEST There IS"
Version: Image for Windows 2.60
Pros
IFW is the first and only program I have found in the last 5 years that can make a clean image of a DOS and WFW 3.11 partition and let me restore it to another computer.
Cons
None at all
Summary
Don't even think of buying another Image program. The interface is very intuitive and clear in the instructions. I had a couple of questions and Technical Support was quick to respond with the correct answer.
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"XP, W7, very flexible, great support, tons of add-ons."
Version: Image for Windows 2.55
Pros
Powerful and flexible, Backup to USB, Network, CD or DVD. Software's design is efficient. Unlike most modern software, it runs from a floppy or a 386 and doesn't consume hundreds of megabytes of disk space.
Cons
This is not an out-of-the-box do-all, like most other software claims. It is more like a set of tools. If you can afford the time to understand how they work, you can end up with a far more secure, reliable, and flexible Backup and Imaging system.
Summary
It is small and fast; unlike other super-polished and bloat-ware products (e.g., Acronis TrueImage, SYMANTEC DriveImage 8+ etc.).
Very flexible. Backup to external USB and FireWire drives, to internal or network drives, and even directly to CD or DVD. Even backup Windows while using it. Highly reliable.
The software is in continuous development. In addition to the basic programs (all available as full-function 30-day trials), there are dozens of free add-ons to customize and increase the functionality. Has plug-ins for Bart PE.
Just needs a little technical knowledge to get it's full use. As mentioned, if you can afford the time to understand the software, you will end up with an excellent Backup and Imaging system. However, you must have (or be willing to acquire), a basic to intermediate knowledge of file systems and partitioning to get the value out of this.
Not really recommended for brand new computer users, unless they're willing to spend some time learning the software. The learning curve is not as bad as PhotoShop, but expect to spend about a week reading and understanding the principles of partitioning and imaging so that you can use the program features to your benefit.
If you want to do something complicated, then expect it to be complicated. There are no shortcuts if you want reliability.
Tip: If you do decide to buy it, don't use a Download Manager to download the purchased files. The constant pause and resume will use up the server's download counter and get locked out (until you e-mail them - found out the hard way........:^).
One more point before I forget. Price; the cost ($50.00 for a bundle of 5 applications) is the same or less than competing packages ($70~100), for a lot more capability and reliability. All you get for the extra cost is a lot of shiny chrome (not much good, if the engine don't run....:^). -
"All Your Imaging Needs in 1 Small Program"
Version: Image for Windows 2.53
Pros
Easy to use interface, fast performance, reliable backups, superior customer service.
Cons
I really can not think of any. Maybe that their 'PHYlock' program (that locks a running machine and renders it available to be imaged) is a bit finicky at first but ends up doing the job fine.
Summary
After coming close to buying the latest version of Symantec Ghost (I had used Ghost 5 to 7 years ago with no complaint so it was my goto program when I needed to create images), and realizing the many flaws within the new software, I set out to find a reliable imagining software package to replace Ghost.
My journey ended (and yours will too) when I came across Image for Windows. And at half the price of Ghost it was a definite purchase!
By recommendation I tested Macrium's Reflect and Drive Image XML. Both programs ran smoothly for creating images but the problem was in restoring them. Macrium came with a bootable cd image you could burn with Linux on it, but when I actually booted to it the software ran incredibly slow and then crashed. This actually led to me trying to create my own bootable DSL disc and wasting several hours before I threw in the towel. Drive Image XML offered over LAN restore but it was slower than all get out.
Image for Windows came with a bootable cd iso that worked flawlessly and pretty quick too. I had slight issue with the 'PHYlock' program stopping my server so that it could capture the image. So I sent an email to TeraByte Unlimited's support and they responded with the hour addressing my issue. Though I ended up getting it to run before they got back to me. They also replied promptly on 1 other issue I had. Their support service was prompt and extremely helpful. Two thumbs up for TeraByte!
At any rate, I eventually got my image backup and restore to go off with out a hitch. I would seriously recommend you at least trying this product if you have any imaging needs. It worked gloriously were others failed. And it is cheap too! What more could you ask for?
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