What is the best Windows backup program to use? I have an external drive to
store backups on. Thanks

Failed to mention that I am using Windows XP home edition. I have tried to
use Retrospect Express which came with my Western Digital USB hard drive but
have had a myriad of problems with it. Suffice to say is that it is hit or
miss and a bear to understand and use. Not user friendly at all in my
opinion. Also, I understand that it doesn't back up email files (I use
Outlook Express). Have tried Ntbackup but it doesn't provide me with the
ability to look at individual files that are backed up. Am looking for an
easy, user friendly backup program that will let me view individual files
and will also back up my email. Thanks


"Godfreyz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> What is the best Windows backup program to use? I have an external drive
> to store backups on. Thanks
>

Godfreyz wrote:
> Failed to mention that I am using Windows XP home edition. I have
> tried to use Retrospect Express which came with my Western Digital
> USB hard drive but have had a myriad of problems with it. Suffice to
> say is that it is hit or miss and a bear to understand and use. Not
> user friendly at all in my opinion. Also, I understand that it
> doesn't back up email files (I use Outlook Express). Have tried
> Ntbackup but it doesn't provide me with the ability to look at
> individual files that are backed up. Am looking for an easy, user
> friendly backup program that will let me view individual files and
> will also back up my email. Thanks
My recommendation is that you buy a USB external drive, and copy your files
to that.

Additionally (quicker and more professional method - after buying your USB
external drive) is to buy Acronis true image - which gives you an effective
file backup and also a useful disk imaging program to back up your system
drive too. Acronis true image 10 is just released.

http://www.acronis.com/promo/ATI/true-image-016.html?source=google&ad=ati&s_scid=acronis%20true%20image|726752417&gclid=CJbH5cvG2IgCFRZZXgodoSRghg

--

John

Godfreyz wrote:

> Failed to mention that I am using Windows XP home edition. I have
> tried to use Retrospect Express which came with my Western Digital USB
> hard drive but
> have had a myriad of problems with it. Suffice to say is that it is
> hit or
> miss and a bear to understand and use. Not user friendly at all in my
> opinion. Also, I understand that it doesn't back up email files (I
> use
> Outlook Express). Have tried Ntbackup but it doesn't provide me with
> the
> ability to look at individual files that are backed up. Am looking
> for an easy, user friendly backup program that will let me view
> individual files
> and will also back up my email. Thanks
>
>
> "Godfreyz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> What is the best Windows backup program to use? I have an external
>> drive
>> to store backups on. Thanks
>>

I like Second Copy from www.centered.com. I have no affiliation with
them; I just like the program and have used it for clients for many
years.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

> Godfreyz wrote:
>> Failed to mention that I am using Windows XP home edition. I have
>> tried to use Retrospect Express which came with my Western Digital
>> USB hard drive but have had a myriad of problems with it. Suffice to
>> say is that it is hit or miss and a bear to understand and use. Not
>> user friendly at all in my opinion. Also, I understand that it
>> doesn't back up email files (I use Outlook Express). Have tried
>> Ntbackup but it doesn't provide me with the ability to look at
>> individual files that are backed up. Am looking for an easy, user
>> friendly backup program that will let me view individual files and
>> will also back up my email. Thanks
> My recommendation is that you buy a USB external drive, and copy your
> files to that.


"Bioboffin" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
newsUF8h.6564$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Additionally (quicker and more professional method - after buying your USB
> external drive) is to buy Acronis true image - which gives you an
> effective file backup and also a useful disk imaging program to back up
> your system drive too. Acronis true image 10 is just released.
>
> http://www.acronis.com/promo/ATI/true-image-016.html?source=google&ad=ati&s_scid=acronis%20true%20image|726752417&gclid=CJbH5cvG2IgCFRZZXgodoSRghg
> --
> John


GodfreyZ:
John's advice is sound. Do consider a disk imaging program such as the
Acronis program recommended by John. As he points out, the great advantage
of these types of programs over other types of backup programs is that not
only do they back up your user-created data files, but also your operating
system and all your programs & applications - in short, everything that's on
your working HDD. So if & when the time comes when you have to restore your
system you can do so relatively easily & reasonably quickly

By & large these programs are fairly easy to use and quite effective in
their results. Since you indicate that you're interested in viewing the
actual files that are backed up, you would most likely prefer to use the
Acronis (or similar) program for disk-to-disk cloning. These programs also
have the capability of "disk imaging" which, in effect, creates a backup
file which is a snapshot of your system. But you cannot view the individual
files in that instance until you undertake the recovery process. So a
disk-to-disk cloning operation would probably best meet your present needs.

I recently posted to this newsgroup a step-by-step guide for using the
Acronis program. It covers both the disk-to-disk cloning process as well as
the disk imaging process. If you're interested you can find it in the thread
"Re: XP home backup utility" dtd. 11/18.
Anna
Re: XP home backup utility

I have a question - how well do images of your hard drive actually work for
restoring your system following a lost hard drive?

When I used to work for a temporary at various Texas state agencies, IT
would always try to "image" our drives to set them up, and I don't believe I
ever once saw them get a computer to work using that method.

So I'm suspicious. If you have a spare hard drive, will it work to simply
copy your hard drive? What is the point of this "imaging" notion?

--
Yours,
Dora Smith
Austin, TX
(E-Mail Removed)
"Anna" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>> Godfreyz wrote:
>>> Failed to mention that I am using Windows XP home edition. I have
>>> tried to use Retrospect Express which came with my Western Digital
>>> USB hard drive but have had a myriad of problems with it. Suffice to
>>> say is that it is hit or miss and a bear to understand and use. Not
>>> user friendly at all in my opinion. Also, I understand that it
>>> doesn't back up email files (I use Outlook Express). Have tried
>>> Ntbackup but it doesn't provide me with the ability to look at
>>> individual files that are backed up. Am looking for an easy, user
>>> friendly backup program that will let me view individual files and
>>> will also back up my email. Thanks
>> My recommendation is that you buy a USB external drive, and copy your
>> files to that.
>
>
> "Bioboffin" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> newsUF8h.6564$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Additionally (quicker and more professional method - after buying your
>> USB external drive) is to buy Acronis true image - which gives you an
>> effective file backup and also a useful disk imaging program to back up
>> your system drive too. Acronis true image 10 is just released.
>>
>> http://www.acronis.com/promo/ATI/true-image-016.html?source=google&ad=ati&s_scid=acronis%20true%20image|726752417&gclid=CJbH5cvG2IgCFRZZXgodoSRghg
>> --
>> John
>
>
> GodfreyZ:
> John's advice is sound. Do consider a disk imaging program such as the
> Acronis program recommended by John. As he points out, the great advantage
> of these types of programs over other types of backup programs is that not
> only do they back up your user-created data files, but also your operating
> system and all your programs & applications - in short, everything that's
> on your working HDD. So if & when the time comes when you have to restore
> your system you can do so relatively easily & reasonably quickly
>
> By & large these programs are fairly easy to use and quite effective in
> their results. Since you indicate that you're interested in viewing the
> actual files that are backed up, you would most likely prefer to use the
> Acronis (or similar) program for disk-to-disk cloning. These programs also
> have the capability of "disk imaging" which, in effect, creates a backup
> file which is a snapshot of your system. But you cannot view the
> individual files in that instance until you undertake the recovery
> process. So a disk-to-disk cloning operation would probably best meet your
> present needs.
>
> I recently posted to this newsgroup a step-by-step guide for using the
> Acronis program. It covers both the disk-to-disk cloning process as well
> as the disk imaging process. If you're interested you can find it in the
> thread "Re: XP home backup utility" dtd. 11/18.
> Anna
> Re: XP home backup utility
>
>

Does Second Copy copy the hard drive or "image" it? Because I'd sure have
alot more faith in a copy than an image.

--
Yours,
Dora Smith
Austin, TX
(E-Mail Removed)
"Malke" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Godfreyz wrote:
>
>> Failed to mention that I am using Windows XP home edition. I have
>> tried to use Retrospect Express which came with my Western Digital USB
>> hard drive but
>> have had a myriad of problems with it. Suffice to say is that it is
>> hit or
>> miss and a bear to understand and use. Not user friendly at all in my
>> opinion. Also, I understand that it doesn't back up email files (I
>> use
>> Outlook Express). Have tried Ntbackup but it doesn't provide me with
>> the
>> ability to look at individual files that are backed up. Am looking
>> for an easy, user friendly backup program that will let me view
>> individual files
>> and will also back up my email. Thanks
>>
>>
>> "Godfreyz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> What is the best Windows backup program to use? I have an external
>>> drive
>>> to store backups on. Thanks
>>>
>
> I like Second Copy from www.centered.com. I have no affiliation with
> them; I just like the program and have used it for clients for many
> years.
>
> Malke
> --
> Elephant Boy Computers
> www.elephantboycomputers.com
> "Don't Panic!"
> MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

> (E-Mail Removed)
> "Anna" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>
>>> Godfreyz wrote:
>>>> Failed to mention that I am using Windows XP home edition. I have
>>>> tried to use Retrospect Express which came with my Western Digital
>>>> USB hard drive but have had a myriad of problems with it. Suffice to
>>>> say is that it is hit or miss and a bear to understand and use. Not
>>>> user friendly at all in my opinion. Also, I understand that it
>>>> doesn't back up email files (I use Outlook Express). Have tried
>>>> Ntbackup but it doesn't provide me with the ability to look at
>>>> individual files that are backed up. Am looking for an easy, user
>>>> friendly backup program that will let me view individual files and
>>>> will also back up my email. Thanks
>>> My recommendation is that you buy a USB external drive, and copy your
>>> files to that.
>>
>>
>> "Bioboffin" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> newsUF8h.6564$(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> Additionally (quicker and more professional method - after buying your
>>> USB external drive) is to buy Acronis true image - which gives you an
>>> effective file backup and also a useful disk imaging program to back up
>>> your system drive too. Acronis true image 10 is just released.
>>>
>>> http://www.acronis.com/promo/ATI/true-image-016.html?source=google&ad=ati&s_scid=acronis%20true%20image|726752417&gclid=CJbH5cvG2IgCFRZZXgodoSRghg
>>> --
>>> John
>>
>>
>> GodfreyZ:
>> John's advice is sound. Do consider a disk imaging program such as the
>> Acronis program recommended by John. As he points out, the great
>> advantage of these types of programs over other types of backup programs
>> is that not only do they back up your user-created data files, but also
>> your operating system and all your programs & applications - in short,
>> everything that's on your working HDD. So if & when the time comes when
>> you have to restore your system you can do so relatively easily &
>> reasonably quickly
>>
>> By & large these programs are fairly easy to use and quite effective in
>> their results. Since you indicate that you're interested in viewing the
>> actual files that are backed up, you would most likely prefer to use the
>> Acronis (or similar) program for disk-to-disk cloning. These programs
>> also have the capability of "disk imaging" which, in effect, creates a
>> backup file which is a snapshot of your system. But you cannot view the
>> individual files in that instance until you undertake the recovery
>> process. So a disk-to-disk cloning operation would probably best meet
>> your present needs.
>>
>> I recently posted to this newsgroup a step-by-step guide for using the
>> Acronis program. It covers both the disk-to-disk cloning process as well
>> as the disk imaging process. If you're interested you can find it in the
>> thread "Re: XP home backup utility" dtd. 11/18.
>> Anna
>> Re: XP home backup utility


"Dora Smith" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:cfM8h.1940$(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have a question - how well do images of your hard drive actually work for
>restoring your system following a lost hard drive?
>
> When I used to work for a temporary at various Texas state agencies, IT
> would always try to "image" our drives to set them up, and I don't believe
> I ever once saw them get a computer to work using that method.
>
> So I'm suspicious. If you have a spare hard drive, will it work to simply
> copy your hard drive? What is the point of this "imaging" notion?
>
> --
> Yours,
> Dora Smith
> Austin, TX


Dora:
Let me respond to your question with specific reference to the Acronis True
Image program with which I've had a fair amount of experience.

With this program (like a number of other so-called "disk imaging" programs)
you have two basic options for backing up your system and restoring it.
1. You can clone the contents of your day-to-day working HDD to another HDD
(internal or external), or,
2. You can create a "disk image" of your HDD, essentially a "snapshot" (a
single file) of your system.

Obviously, with a disk clone, should the recipient of the clone be another
internal HDD, then you have a bootable HDD immediately available at your
disposal for recovery purposes. If, on the other hand, the recipient of the
clone is an external HDD (USB or Firewire for example), that device is not
ordinarily bootable so the contents of that drive would be cloned back to an
internal HDD for recovery purposes.

With a disk image, the recovery process is built-in to the Acronis program,
either using the GUI or a bootable Acronis "Rescue Media". In either case
the recovery process is straightforward and quite effective.

We've been working with the Acronis program for more than a year now and
we've found it very effective in terms of its backup & recovery processes.
It has a reasonably straightforward design and is relatively easy to use.

I've explained the details of using the program (including the differences
between the disk cloning & disk imaging processes) in the thread as noted in
my previous post (see above). Why don't you take a look at it and see if the
program may meet your needs?
Anna

Second copy doesn't "image" the disk. As the name you can see, it
creates the second copy of files.
"Dora Smith дµÀ£º
"
> Does Second Copy copy the hard drive or "image" it? Because I'd sure have
> alot more faith in a copy than an image.
>
> --
> Yours,
> Dora Smith
> Austin, TX
> (E-Mail Removed)
> "Malke" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Godfreyz wrote:
> >
> >> Failed to mention that I am using Windows XP home edition. I have
> >> tried to use Retrospect Express which came with my Western Digital USB
> >> hard drive but
> >> have had a myriad of problems with it. Suffice to say is that it is
> >> hit or
> >> miss and a bear to understand and use. Not user friendly at all in my
> >> opinion. Also, I understand that it doesn't back up email files (I
> >> use
> >> Outlook Express). Have tried Ntbackup but it doesn't provide me with
> >> the
> >> ability to look at individual files that are backed up. Am looking
> >> for an easy, user friendly backup program that will let me view
> >> individual files
> >> and will also back up my email. Thanks
> >>
> >>
> >> "Godfreyz" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> >> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> >>> What is the best Windows backup program to use? I have an external
> >>> drive
> >>> to store backups on. Thanks
> >>>
> >
> > I like Second Copy from www.centered.com. I have no affiliation with
> > them; I just like the program and have used it for clients for many
> > years.
> >
> > Malke
> > --
> > Elephant Boy Computers
> > www.elephantboycomputers.com
> > "Don't Panic!"
> > MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

A USB external drive is a good choice for backuping. Uplus sync can
help you to scheduled backup works to the usb drive automatically. You
can find the new version at the website http://www.uplussync.com

"Godfreyz дµÀ£º
"
> What is the best Windows backup program to use? I have an external driveto
> store backups on. Thanks