Running WinXP Pro SP2 on Dell with 3G CPU and 2G RAM.

I bought a Seagate external hard drive for backup purposes and now I'm
looking for a good backup program. The one that came with the Seagate
isn't very good because it makes you backup on a schedule rather than
when you want and Microsoft's SyncToy is worthless because I don't
have all of my folders under My Documents so I have to make folder
pairs for each folder.

If there is something free out there that would be great. I'd like to
be able to have the program run and only change the folders/files that
have changed since the last time I backed up.

Thanks

Henry

On 7/31/2010 5:24 PM, Henry wrote:
> Running WinXP Pro SP2 on Dell with 3G CPU and 2G RAM.
>
> I bought a Seagate external hard drive for backup purposes and now I'm
> looking for a good backup program. The one that came with the Seagate
> isn't very good because it makes you backup on a schedule rather than
> when you want and Microsoft's SyncToy is worthless because I don't have
> all of my folders under My Documents so I have to make folder pairs for
> each folder.
>
> If there is something free out there that would be great. I'd like to be
> able to have the program run and only change the folders/files that have
> changed since the last time I backed up.
>
> Thanks
>
> Henry
Among others...

http://xxclone.com/

I have good experiences with this program

http://www.educ.umu.se/~cobian/cobianbackup.htm

"Bob CP" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:i3279i$mv$(E-Mail Removed)...
> On 7/31/2010 5:24 PM, Henry wrote:
>> Running WinXP Pro SP2 on Dell with 3G CPU and 2G RAM.
>>
>> I bought a Seagate external hard drive for backup purposes and now I'm
>> looking for a good backup program. The one that came with the Seagate
>> isn't very good because it makes you backup on a schedule rather than
>> when you want and Microsoft's SyncToy is worthless because I don't have
>> all of my folders under My Documents so I have to make folder pairs for
>> each folder.
>>
>> If there is something free out there that would be great. I'd like to be
>> able to have the program run and only change the folders/files that have
>> changed since the last time I backed up.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> Henry
> Among others...
>
> http://xxclone.com/

Gerald Ross wrote:
> Gerald Ross wrote:
>> Henry wrote:
>>> Running WinXP Pro SP2 on Dell with 3G CPU and 2G RAM.
>>>
>>> I bought a Seagate external hard drive for backup purposes and now
>>> I'm looking for a good backup program. The one that came with the
>>> Seagate isn't very good because it makes you backup on a schedule
>>> rather than when you want and Microsoft's SyncToy is worthless
>>> because I don't have all of my folders under My Documents so I
>>> have to make folder pairs for each folder.
>>>
>>> If there is something free out there that would be great. I'd
>>> like to be able to have the program run and only change the
>>> folders/files that have changed since the last time I backed up.
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>>
>>> Henry
>>
>> Perfect Disk works for me.
>>
> Duh! Meant Acronis.

But Acronis makes images, doesn't it? How about a program that makes
individual copies of files and folders that are instantly accessible on any
computer? In other words an exact replica of My Documents and other such
folders including sub-folders?
--
choro
*****

Anthony Buckland wrote:
> "choro" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:g925o.9506$zo4.6203@hurricane...
>> Gerald Ross wrote:
>>> Gerald Ross wrote:
>>>> Henry wrote:
>>>>> Running WinXP Pro SP2 on Dell with 3G CPU and 2G RAM.
>>>>>
>>>>> I bought a Seagate external hard drive for backup purposes and
>>>>> now I'm looking for a good backup program. The one that came
>>>>> with the Seagate isn't very good because it makes you backup on
>>>>> a schedule rather than when you want and Microsoft's SyncToy is
>>>>> worthless because I don't have all of my folders under My
>>>>> Documents so I have to make folder pairs for each folder.
>>>>>
>>>>> If there is something free out there that would be great. I'd
>>>>> like to be able to have the program run and only change the
>>>>> folders/files that have changed since the last time I backed up.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks
>>>>>
>>>>> Henry
>>>>
>>>> Perfect Disk works for me.
>>>>
>>> Duh! Meant Acronis.
>>
>> But Acronis makes images, doesn't it? How about a program that makes
>> individual copies of files and folders that are instantly accessible
>> on any computer? In other words an exact replica of My Documents and
>> other such folders including sub-folders?
>> --
>> choro
>> *****
>>
>
> When you make an Acronis image backup, you're
> welcome to access, use, or restore any file or folder.
> You want to restore My Documents, and no other
> folder? Go right ahead.

No, I wouldn't want to restore My Documents or any of its sub-folders. But I
might want just to have a look at My Personal Phone List for example by
connecting an external 2.5" SATA disk to my friend's computer. I can't help
but wonder why things cannot be made as simple as possible.
--
choro
*****

On 7/31/2010 3:24 PM, Henry wrote:
> Running WinXP Pro SP2 on Dell with 3G CPU and 2G RAM.
>
> I bought a Seagate external hard drive for backup purposes and now I'm
> looking for a good backup program. The one that came with the Seagate
> isn't very good because it makes you backup on a schedule rather than
> when you want and Microsoft's SyncToy is worthless because I don't have
> all of my folders under My Documents so I have to make folder pairs for
> each folder.
>
> If there is something free out there that would be great. I'd like to be
> able to have the program run and only change the folders/files that have
> changed since the last time I backed up.
>
> Thanks
>
> Henry

For making disc or partition images, use Macrium Reflect Freeware
version. I like it better than my paid for Acronis.

For making simple copies of files use Karen's Replicator freeware. It is
able to deal with errors and can be set to only copy files that have
changed. I love it.

Wilby

Henry wrote:
> Running WinXP Pro SP2 on Dell with 3G CPU and 2G RAM.
>
> I bought a Seagate external hard drive for backup purposes and now
> I'm looking for a good backup program. The one that came with the
> Seagate isn't very good because it makes you backup on a schedule
> rather than when you want and Microsoft's SyncToy is worthless
> because I don't have all of my folders under My Documents so I have
> to make folder pairs for each folder.
>
> If there is something free out there that would be great. I'd like
> to be able to have the program run and only change the
> folders/files that have changed since the last time I backed up.

Gerald Ross wrote:
> Perfect Disk works for me.

Gerald Ross wrote:
> Duh! Meant Acronis.

choro wrote:
> But Acronis makes images, doesn't it? How about a program that makes
> individual copies of files and folders that are instantly
> accessible on any computer? In other words an exact replica of My
> Documents and other such folders including sub-folders?

Anthony Buckland wrote:
> When you make an Acronis image backup, you're
> welcome to access, use, or restore any file or folder.
> You want to restore My Documents, and no other
> folder? Go right ahead.

choro wrote:
> No, I wouldn't want to restore My Documents or any of its
> sub-folders. But I might want just to have a look at My Personal
> Phone List for example by connecting an external 2.5" SATA disk to
> my friend's computer. I can't help but wonder why things cannot be
> made as simple as possible.

Who is making anything complicated?

If you want your backups to be a scheduled task you make that uses the
built-in copy or xcopy command to make a copy of whatever you desire to
keep/think is important - go for it. Microsoft even has a synching program
frelly available that can do that for you (SyncToy.)

If you want something more sophisticated (like a full image of a partition
or disk) - go for it.

Or combine the two - have the backup that is easily portable (just copies of
your important stuff) and full image backups of your system. It's all up to
you...

You could even choose an online backup (if you are willing to trust a 3rd
party with your stuff) where you can even access individual files from any
place with Internet connectivity.

Just don't choose one and then say that it is too complicated (not as simple
as possible) because it doesn't make it 'as simple as possible' as the other
choice you could have made. Also - a little effort will be necessary on
your part to figure out what you need, what you want and what you can/cannot
do for whatever reason.

GhostWalker was a feature of the Norton/Symantec product imaging I liked,
Acronis required the application to be installed on the system to mount the
images ad drives - GhostWalker was a stand-alone application. Maybe Acronis
has come up with such a tool which would make what you said combined with
what Anthony Buckland said work with a tiny extra step and a small
application saved on that same external drive.

Good backups (based around individual needs) will take effort. Although I
like the Seagate Replica drive myself - a little of all worlds (backs up
everything, bare metal restore possible, individual file browsing possible,
can be manual or whenever I plug the drive in, etc and so on) - sometimes
drag-n-drop just makes sure I have what I want to backup done/what I might
want elsewhere. Although - to be honest - if a situation like the one you
mentioned came up - I would just securely remote into my machine. ;-)

BTW - Henry (the OP) - please upgrade to a current service pack. Your
system is no longer supported at all - July 13, 2010 ended support for your
OS as it stands. SP3 installation will extend it to April 2014.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

On 7/31/2010 8:26 PM, choro wrote:
> Anthony Buckland wrote:
>> "choro"<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:g925o.9506$zo4.6203@hurricane...
>>> Gerald Ross wrote:
>>>> Gerald Ross wrote:
>>>>> Henry wrote:
>>>>>> Running WinXP Pro SP2 on Dell with 3G CPU and 2G RAM.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I bought a Seagate external hard drive for backup purposes and
>>>>>> now I'm looking for a good backup program. The one that came
>>>>>> with the Seagate isn't very good because it makes you backup on
>>>>>> a schedule rather than when you want and Microsoft's SyncToy is
>>>>>> worthless because I don't have all of my folders under My
>>>>>> Documents so I have to make folder pairs for each folder.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> If there is something free out there that would be great. I'd
>>>>>> like to be able to have the program run and only change the
>>>>>>
> No, I wouldn't want to restore My Documents or any of its sub-folders. But I
> might want just to have a look at My Personal Phone List for example by
> connecting an external 2.5" SATA disk to my friend's computer. I can't help
> but wonder why things cannot be made as simple as possible.

As I said in the first reply, xxclone will do exactly what you want.
If you want to back up only certain folders, use xxcopy in a batch file.

Bob CP wrote:
> On 7/31/2010 8:26 PM, choro wrote:
>> Anthony Buckland wrote:
>>> "choro"<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>> news:g925o.9506$zo4.6203@hurricane...
>>>> Gerald Ross wrote:
>>>>> Gerald Ross wrote:
>>>>>> Henry wrote:
>>>>>>> Running WinXP Pro SP2 on Dell with 3G CPU and 2G RAM.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I bought a Seagate external hard drive for backup purposes and
>>>>>>> now I'm looking for a good backup program. The one that came
>>>>>>> with the Seagate isn't very good because it makes you backup
>>>>>>> on a schedule rather than when you want and Microsoft's
>>>>>>> SyncToy is worthless because I don't have all of my folders
>>>>>>> under My Documents so I have to make folder pairs for each
>>>>>>> folder. If there is something free out there that would be great.
>>>>>>> I'd
>>>>>>> like to be able to have the program run and only change the
>>>>>>>
>> No, I wouldn't want to restore My Documents or any of its
>> sub-folders. But I might want just to have a look at My Personal
>> Phone List for example by connecting an external 2.5" SATA disk to
>> my friend's computer. I can't help but wonder why things cannot be
>> made as simple as possible.
>
> As I said in the first reply, xxclone will do exactly what you want.
> If you want to back up only certain folders, use xxcopy in a batch
> file.

Thanks. I will try to give xxclone a try. I am already using xcopy by going
to the DOS command center after copying and pasting one of the appropriate
xcopy commands with the required parameters from a word .doc file for which
I have put a shortcut on my desktop. This enables me to copy folders and
subfolders from the appropriate partitions on any of the hard disks which I
have installed on my computer.

But I feel it is now time to switch over to the new computer I have built
for myself as the motherboard on my old faithful won't support SATA drives.
The new motherboard is equipped with a fast four-core AMD CPU as well as a
very fast DDR3 graphics card plus a generous 4 GB DDR3 RAM. My old faithful
will only take PATA HDs, AGP graphics cards and much slower memory modules.
But it still is my old faithful and I am finding it hard to switch over to
my newer computer. I guess I am put off by having to reinstall all the
programs I have already installed on my old faithful and all the tweaks I
have made on my old faithful which incidentally is now a full 10 years old.
It was and remains my first true love!

I also have to admit that I am so happy with my Windows XP/SP3 that I
hesitate to move over to Windows 7.
--
choro
*****

wilby wrote:

> For making disc or partition images, use Macrium Reflect Freeware
> version. I like it better than my paid for Acronis.

What specifically about Macrium do you prefer?