Windows XP Backup

[Guest]

I recently started using the backup utility provided with XP Home and noticed
the total size of the backup file is much smaller than than the files it
backed up. Is this normal? For example, I backed up my hard drive which is
23 gigs but the backup is only showing 8 gigs.

Thanks for your help

 

[Jerry]

Because the backup is compressed.

 

[Plato]

I recently started using the backup utility provided with XP Home and noticed
the total size of the backup file is much smaller than than the files it
backed up. Is this normal? For example, I backed up my hard drive which is
23 gigs but the backup is only showing 8 gigs.

Perhaps the backup is in a single compressed file? Just guessing.

 

[Plato]

Because the backup is compressed.

Please correct me if I've been misled, but lets say if you have your
drive backed up to a single _and_ compressed file, that if lets say, a
few bytes get lost, or a sector goes bad on the medium you have that
single file on, that your backup may become useless.

 

[Nepatsfan]

(e-mail address removed),

I recently started using the backup utility provided with XP
Home and noticed the total size of the backup file is much
smaller than than the files it backed up. Is this normal?
For example, I backed up my hard drive which is 23 gigs but
the backup is only showing 8 gigs.

Thanks for your help

You might want to start the restore process and check to see if
all the files you think got backed up are actually included in
that backup file. You can test this by restoring to an
alternate location if you have a second internal or external
hard drive. Whenever you do any type of backup, it's always a
good idea to see if you can actually restore the files.

From my experience, the Microsoft Backup program does not
compress files. I seem to recall reading that the "Use hardware
compression, if available" setting in the Advanced options only
applies to a tape drive.

Bottom line, my guess is that if you backed up 23 GB of files
the .bkf file should be around the same size.

Good luck

Nepatsfan