PING is a live Linux ISO, based on the excellent RIP (Recovery Is Possible) distribution. PING can be burnt on a CD and booted, or integrated in a PXE / RIS environment.

Several tools have been added and written, so to make this ISO the perfect choice to backup and restore whole partitions, an easy way. It sounds like Symantec Ghost(tm), but has even better features, and is totally free.


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Here are some key features of "PING":

· Backup and Restore partitions or files to a MS Network Shared directory;
· Backup and Restore the BIOS data as well;
· Either burn a bootable CD / DVD, either integrate within a PXE / RIS environment;
· Possibility to Blank local admin's password;
· Create your own restoration bootable DVD (see the Howto Documentation);
· Partition and Format a disk before installing Windows (so to make sure your unattended Windows installation will happen on the right partition);
Specific advantages Linux brings you over DOS and Ghost :
· Most network cards automatically recognized by the Kernel (unlike DOS);
· Most CD/DVD readers automatically recognized by the Kernel (unlike DOS);
· You don't have to run a Ghostcast server to receive images over the network.

What's New in This Release: [ read full changelog ]

· Upgraded Linux kernel from 2.6.37 to 3.1.2.
· Patched the kernel for Reiser4 mount support.
· Added xfsprogs-3.1.4.
· Added progsreiserfs-0.3.0.5.
· Added ufs-tools-0.1.
· Added vmfs-tools-0.2.1.
· Added jfsutils-1.1.15.
· Added libjfs-dev-1.1.12-2.2 (to no avail!)
· Added libufs2_7.2-2.
· Added partclone-0.2.24 (everything except jfs).
· Upgraded dhcpcd from 5.1.5 to 5.2.12.