>>>- monthly images to Linux EXT3 partition on external USB HD using ntfsclone on Knoppix LiveCD, with copy burned to DVD-Rs with K3B and stored off-site
>>
>>YUpp, the offsite part can be a client saver<g>. As you mention ntfsclone I guess you don't have EXT partition access with your usual windows session via driver and EXT3 is a precaution against casual overwriting ?
>
>I boot Knoppix to back up my Windows system disk(s) because:
>- AFAIK you can't image a volume in use
Acronis can - and with this product they found no problems when doing so in a handful of tests done by different magazines. Does not guarantee this to be always the case. The next best candidate is Paragon - they had no *silent* errors, but stopped processing.

>- My primary machine runs Windows Server 2003 R2 EE. Commercial products to image this are ridiculously expensive (I've ranted here on this before)
Agree totally with the reasons for ranting. And if you have to run a different OS IAC, why not knoppix, as this can be done for restore from DVD as well.

>- Yes, imaging to an EXT3 partition is probably more resistant to user cerebral vapour locks, or virus attack in case I get infected

I had data exchange with EXT quite often about 4 years back and currently load the driver by default, so it would not protect me as of now. Must look if I change this as well...

thanks

thomas