Backing up entire system in one fell swoop

[Just Judy]

Please forgive my use of untechnical terms here.

I am the only user of this WinXP-2 Home system on a 60G,
Pentium-4 processor. Installed in the same *box* is another hard drive
of 13G (E). In the past year, I've used that E drive to randomly back
up my own files such as pictures and documents I've created, using the
copy command in WinExplorer.

I've only used 7G on the 60G drive, so could I just drag & drop
everything in C to E and wouldn't this ensure that if I suffered a
crash on C, I could just replace the physical C disk and then drag &
drop all the E there onto the new C?

I realize it may require some technical expertise to restore
all of E to C, but I can get a local shop to do that. I am just asking
here if that copying C to E would make sure all my documents, installed
programs, and settings were easily available?

I've looked and see there are many freeware programs to
accomplish a total backup, but I'm not real savvy about WinXP and I'd
rather do it the easy way suggested above if that's possible. If not,
I'll continue backing up only a few files here & there.

Thanks folks, and Happy New Year to all,

 

[Malke]

Please forgive my use of untechnical terms here.

I am the only user of this WinXP-2 Home system on a 60G,
Pentium-4 processor. Installed in the same *box* is another hard
drive
of 13G (E). In the past year, I've used that E drive to randomly back
up my own files such as pictures and documents I've created, using the
copy command in WinExplorer.

I've only used 7G on the 60G drive, so could I just drag & drop
everything in C to E and wouldn't this ensure that if I suffered a
crash on C, I could just replace the physical C disk and then drag &
drop all the E there onto the new C?

No, what you want to do is to create an image of C: to E: (if E: is
large enough) by using third-party imaging software such as Acronis
TrueImage or Norton Ghost.

Malke

 

[Just Judy]

No, what you want to do is to create an image of C: to E: (if E: is
large enough) by using third-party imaging software such as Acronis
TrueImage or Norton Ghost.

Thanks for confirming what I'd already suspected based upon my
reading here of all posts for the past several months.

I'm curious why one would recommend anything-Norton in view of
the displeasure with Symantec's systems hogs I've seen expressed here,
however.

Thanks again; I've learned a lot from your posts.

 

[Dave]

Don't believe everything you read. It's just that Norton bashers are good
at being loud (and sometimes obnoxious). There are plenty of people very
happy with Norton products. They just choose to stay out of the controversy
Ghost is an excellent product. I use it everyday.

 

[Malke]

Just Judy wrote:

Thanks for confirming what I'd already suspected based upon my
reading here of all posts for the past several months.

I'm curious why one would recommend anything-Norton in view of
the displeasure with Symantec's systems hogs I've seen expressed
here, however.

I was just mentioning two of the better-known programs. I don't
recommend anything from Symantec on the consumer level. Symantec
Corporate Ghost is quite good, though. I have TrueImage and think it
excellent. A less expensive but far geekier to use program is BootIT NG
from Terabyte. Terabyte also has Imaging for Windows but I've not tried
it.

Malke

 

[Jonny]

Thanks for confirming what I'd already suspected based upon my
reading here of all posts for the past several months.

I'm curious why one would recommend anything-Norton in view of
the displeasure with Symantec's systems hogs I've seen expressed here,
however.

Thanks again; I've learned a lot from your posts.

If you don't want the Symantec or Acronis product, search for Powerquest
DriveImage 7.0 This was the basis for the last two versions of Ghost. Am
still using it on my XP as see no reason to change.

 

[billurie]

If you don't want the Symantec or Acronis product, search for Powerquest
DriveImage 7.0 This was the basis for the last two versions of Ghost. Am
still using it on my XP as see no reason to change.

I'll second that about Power Quest's Drive Image 7.
Enables me quickly and easily to make a Drive Image
which can be converted to a darn good clonef
you
need it to.

 

[Just Judy]

I am the only user of this WinXP-2 Home system on a 60G,
Pentium-4 processor. Installed in the same *box* is another hard drive
of 13G (E). In the past year, I've used that E drive to randomly back
up my own files such as pictures and documents I've created, using the
copy command in WinExplorer.

I want to thank everyone for their responses. It's as I'd
expected: It's not as easy as I'd hoped. Since there's really nothing
of importance on my computer, I think I'll just copy my pictures and my
documents onto the E drive, and, when the crash happens, I'll reload
the programs from scratch on C:

Thanks again,

 

[David Candy]

I have two partitions. The second has all CDs copied to it with the CD Key in a text file added. Reinstalling is easy.

Pop CD in (though I have this CD on the other drive too if I was really lazy but is better to boot from CD), install XP, go to D Drive. Dbl click setup in a number of folders. Copy key from text file, paste into setup. Refuse to reboot till I finish everything.

I only backup my mail and a few docs.