BHD uses a software program called Ghost that allows us to restore ONLY the partition where the operating system is located. This allows us to retain one of the partitions in the PC as it was before the restoration, KEEPING THE CUSTOMERS DATA THOROUGHLY INTACT. The hard drives in our machines are partitioned in the following manner:
- The C: drive (20 GB) is where the operating system is located, and where all of the critical programs for Windows are located.
- The Q: drive (10 GB) serves a dual purpose.
- It stores the page file for Windows, helping to reduce the used space on the C: drive, and speeds up the operating system.
- It is used as the location for the Ghost File, which BHD uses to make a complete backup of the C: drive.
- The Data Drive (50GB) is given two different monikers.
- Either the D: drive if RPRO is NOT installed locally on that PC, but rather the PC is being used as a workstation.
- Or the R: drive if RPRO IS installed locally on that PC, and is acting as a server on a peer-to- peer network
In either case, this drive is where all data should be saved, and non-essential programs (to the operation of the PC) installed.
Creating the ghost image allows us to restore the operating system very quickly without touching the data located on the D: or R: drive. In the event the PC needs to be restored to its ghost image, any data or programs installed on the C: drive will be lost. Therefore to prevent the potential loss of your data, PLEASE INSTALL ALL PROGRAMS ON THE D: OR R: DRIVE.
NOTE: While any programs or data on these two drives will not be affected by restoration, any programs installed after the restoration will need to be re-installed in order to run correctly. This is due to the way that the PC registers installed programs.
In the event restoration is required, it is the responsibility of BHD to wipe any computer clean and reinstall the Operating System on the C: drive. This assures both BHD and the customer know that the system is setup correctly and also guarantees that no conflicts exist with software that may have been preloaded on the system prior to restoration.
It is important to schedule a backup of any data and installed programs on a daily basis. It is CRITICAL to backup your data before you send a PC into BHD for restoration. BHD will not be held responsible for any lost data.
Demonstration Videos are available to step you through the following tasks:
1. How to install programs to the correct drive
2. How to move My Documents to a larger drive
3. How to move your emails to the correct drive
4. How to move your temporary internet files
5. How to schedule a disk cleanup
Big Hairy Dog wants to provide every opportunity to educate our customers not just on Retail Pro software, but also on our hardware components. We know the importance of preventing a problem BEFORE it occurs, and hope this information and the demonstration videos above will be helpful in keeping your company running smoothly.