Haas anyone the an idea on the best way of doing this. I first tried using
the backup option and saved a backup file to my desktop. The wizard created a
floopy disk called Windows automated recovery disk for backup but i was then
left with a file sat on my desktop which is 12 gb in size!! WHich I
obviously can do nothing with. Any advice out there? What have others done??

"Windows XP Backup Made Easy"
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u..._03july14.mspx

Ted Zieglar

"DaveT" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:3EAA12C0-C88D-439A-8470-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Haas anyone the an idea on the best way of doing this. I first tried using
> the backup option and saved a backup file to my desktop. The wizard
> created a
> floopy disk called Windows automated recovery disk for backup but i was
> then
> left with a file sat on my desktop which is 12 gb in size!! WHich I
> obviously can do nothing with. Any advice out there? What have others
> done??

If you are really concerned about backing up your entire system (and
you should be), then you need to ask yourself what you would do in the
event that you are unable to start Windows. The answer to such a
question is that you need a tool that can restore your system without
relying on your Windows installation.

I've used Norton Ghost 2003 and TrueImage, both of which can backup
drives and partitions, using compression to save space, to several
types of devices. While Ghost works quite nicely (once you get it to
work), it is anything but user friendly, and quite stupidly throws
DOS-related questions at you, as if everybody is expected to understand
DOS terminology (such as "assign drive letters"). Also, Ghost 2003 runs
under DOS for its BACKUP and RESTORE functions.

Trueimage is much more intuitive to use, and also offers the advantage
of incrmental backups (as does Ghost 9, which I haven't used). Also, TI
will perform a backup (even your C drive) without rebooting, so the
total time for a backup may be lower than that of Ghost 2003.

Ghost 9 may be worthwhile to consider. Lots of info available via
Google.

My experience with the backup utility in Windows XP Pro has been completely
satisfactory and on a couple of occasions a real lifesaver! And it could
not be easier to use or more reliable. I have two hard drives -- C, my
system drive, and D, a smaller drive which I use entirely for backups and
storage. With hard drives as inexpensive as they are now, I really
recommend adding a second drive of 10gb (or more depending on your needs).
You'll find the XP backup utility works quite well with this arrangement.

Stan Nelson
Dallas.
Windows XP Pro SP2

While that may be a good part of a total backup strategy by itself it is
insufficient.

Having your only backup inside of, and electrically attached to the same
system as the original data is a recipe for disaster. Any event (electrical,
data corruption, weather, theft, gremlins :-) that can take out one drive
can take out two. It happens. (more often than you think)

Personally I use and like Stomp's BackUP MyPC. It writes to most all form of
media including optical, spans discs and does "disaster recovery." I do an
original backup to an external harddrive which I can remove from the system
and store somewhere else. I do full and then regular incremental backups to
a network attached drive *and* DVD.

If you have "mission critical" files that would be financially detrimental
to lose offsite backups are essential. Same theory as the "backup stored
inside the computer" problem. Any event that can take out one room in a
building can take them all.

I Just purchased Acronis True Image today, based on several recommendations,
and look forward to comparing imaging to "file type" backups now that
imaging programs have progressed to the point where incremental backup and
"file level" restorations are possible.

http://www.stompsoft.com/backupmypc.html
(last I checked a free trial was available)

http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing...cts/trueimage/
--
Doug

I'm not an MVP a VIP nor do I have ESP.
I was just trying to help.
Please use your own best judgment before implementing any suggestions or
advice herein.
No warranty is expressed or implied.
Your mileage may vary.
See store for details.

Remove shoes to E-mail.
"Stanley F. Nelson" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
| My experience with the backup utility in Windows XP Pro has been
completely
| satisfactory and on a couple of occasions a real lifesaver! And it could
| not be easier to use or more reliable. I have two hard drives -- C, my
| system drive, and D, a smaller drive which I use entirely for backups and
| storage. With hard drives as inexpensive as they are now, I really
| recommend adding a second drive of 10gb (or more depending on your needs).
| You'll find the XP backup utility works quite well with this arrangement.
|
| Stan Nelson
| Dallas.
| Windows XP Pro SP2
|
|

Stanley F. Nelson wrote:
> My experience with the backup utility in Windows XP Pro has been completely
> satisfactory and on a couple of occasions a real lifesaver! And it could
> not be easier to use or more reliable. I have two hard drives -- C, my
> system drive, and D, a smaller drive which I use entirely for backups and
> storage. With hard drives as inexpensive as they are now, I really
> recommend adding a second drive of 10gb (or more depending on your needs).
> You'll find the XP backup utility works quite well with this arrangement.

And are you able to RESTORE if Windows won't start for some reason?

"DaveT" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Haas anyone the an idea on the best way of doing this. I first tried using
>the backup option and saved a backup file to my desktop. The wizard created a
>floopy disk called Windows automated recovery disk for backup but i was then
>left with a file sat on my desktop which is 12 gb in size!! WHich I
>obviously can do nothing with. Any advice out there? What have others done??

The first thing you need to do is to decide why you are backing up -
what sort of problems you want to be able to recover from.

A backup that is good for one purpose may not be ideal for another.

Some examples:
- Recover from a botched program install or update. Normally the
"System Restore" function in Windows XP, provided it is functional,
will suffice for this. But you need to test it periodically to ensure
that it is in fact usable.

- Recover data files that have been corrupted or inadvertently
deleted. System Restore does not work on data files, and a disk image
backup usually does not allow the restoration of individual files.

- Recover from a total collapse of the system, such as a hard drive
failure

- Recover from total destruction of the computer, such as in a fire.

Once you have decided which of these you want to provide for then you
can develop a backup strategy for that purpose.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm

Ron Martell wrote:

> ...a disk image
> backup usually does not allow the restoration of individual files.

Both Ghost and TrueImage enable you to access, and hence restore,
individual files, using Explorer-like interfaces.

"Ted Zieglar" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Windows XP Backup Made Easy"
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u..._03july14.mspx
==========================
This is from that website. Why do these people always assume everyone has
the MS CD? What about the millions of us who get several CDs from the PC
mfg? Which CD do we install of the 3 to 6 CDs to browse - looking for this
backup program? How do we find it? Ntbackup.msi is not on my HP PC and I
have 6 CDs that came with it.

Open Windows XP Backup
Windows XP includes its own backup program, although you may need to do some
digging to find it. You can also take your pick of third-party programs
(listed at the end of this column) that add bells and whistles you won't
find in the basic Windows XP Backup utility.
If you use Windows XP Professional, the Windows Backup utility
(Ntbackup.exe) should be ready for use. If you use Windows XP Home Edition,
you'll need to follow these steps to install the utility:
1.Insert your Windows XP CD into the drive and, if necessary, double-click
the CD icon in My Computer.
2.On the Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP screen, click Perform Additional
Tasks.
3.Click Browse this CD.
4.In Windows Explorer, double-click the ValueAdd folder, then Msft, and then
Ntbackup.
5.Double-click Ntbackup.msi to install the Backup utility.

Thanks...

FS.........

~ FreeSpirit ~ wrote:
> "Ted Zieglar" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> "Windows XP Backup Made Easy"
>> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u..._03july14.mspx
> ==========================
> This is from that website. Why do these people always
> assume everyone has the MS CD? What about the millions of
> us who get several CDs from the PC mfg? Which CD do we
> install of the 3 to 6 CDs to browse - looking for this
> backup program? How do we find it? Ntbackup.msi is not on
> my HP PC and I have 6 CDs that came with it.
> Open Windows XP Backup
> Windows XP includes its own backup program, although you may
> need to do some digging to find it. You can also take your
> pick of third-party programs (listed at the end of this
> column) that add bells and whistles you won't find in the
> basic Windows XP Backup utility. If you use Windows XP
> Professional, the Windows Backup
> utility (Ntbackup.exe) should be ready for use. If you use
> Windows XP Home Edition, you'll need to follow these steps
> to install the utility: 1.Insert your Windows XP CD into the
> drive and, if
> necessary, double-click the CD icon in My Computer.
> 2.On the Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP screen, click
> Perform Additional Tasks.
> 3.Click Browse this CD.
> 4.In Windows Explorer, double-click the ValueAdd folder,
> then Msft, and then Ntbackup.
> 5.Double-click Ntbackup.msi to install the Backup utility.
>
> Thanks...
>
> FS.........

You can download ntbackup.msi from this web site:

Installing the Backup Program on the Home Version
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/window...tm#backup_home

Or download it directly from here:
http://home.comcast.net/~cerelli/ntbackup.msi

Nepatsfan