Ho Ho Ho everyone,
I've purchased the retail version of Ghost 15 (MicroIdea had it for $39.99) and I'm currmently using the install disk to perform cold images. It works great and restore has been tested with absolutely no issues. I'm running Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit on a quad core Q6600. From the start, I never really had any intention of installing Ghost 15 on the hard drive since cold imaging does everything I want for now.
My questions are:
1. Is there really any advantages of installing the full product on the hard drive if imaging is all I really want to perform? For example: as far as a custom recovery disk vs, the retail install disk (SRD) since my system requires no special drivers, does the custom disk boot disk have any advantages, like booting faster than the retail install disk? I know from the manual I wouldn't have to be continually typing in my product key for backups if I made a custom recovery disk ..anything else? For info: I didn't have to type the product key for the restore.
2. Since I haven't installed the full product is there a "Windows based" Ghost image file explorer like the Ghost explorer file (ghostexp.exe that comes with the Ghost Solution 2.5...I've used that at work)). Is there a program file similar to ghostexp.exe that I could extract from the product install disk that would allow me "in windows" to extract a particular file within an image...again without installing the full product. If not, and I would have to install the full product, is there a image file explorer that I could use after installing the product, save the file and uninstall Ghost 15. I know it sounds like an off the wall question, but I'm really attempting to cut down on all the programs installed on my computer...being minimalistic for a change.
3. Finally, if the Ghost 15 is updated especially if the update tweaks or fixes something having to do with the bootable install disk, how will I know or be able to take advantage of the update? And, will there be a way I could update the original Ghost 15 retail install disk (SRD) (i.e., I could burn a new disk) or would they let me download the updated SRD that is normaly downloaded when you purchase the online version. If those options are not possible, would I end up having to install the product on the hard drive and make a custom recovery disk...an option I really don't want to do.
Sorry for the length of the questions but any answers I would think may help others besides me.
Thanks,
Ken