Backing Up XP Home SP3 Remotely

[Frederick R. Hutchings]

XP Home SP3, XP Pro SP3, Workgroup

How does one backup an XP Home SP3 computer remotely? I have found that
Home does not allow access to the following folders from Explorer remotely:
Administrator, All Users\Application Data, LocalService, NetworkService,
Owner, Program Files, System Volume Information, and Windows. There are
also several files that my backup program cannot read, as they are in use.
My backup program cannot use shadow copy on a remote machine. Don't know
why. XCopy cannot read Program Files or Windows. XCopy can read some of
the others, though, surprisingly. Here is an exclude list that I use for
XCopy in the Documents and Settings folder:
\Administrator\
\cache\
\Application Data\Norton\
\Application Data\NortonInstaller\
\Symantec Temporary Files\
\Application Data\Symantec\
\CardSpace\
\Temp\
\Temporary Internet Files\
\LocalService\NTUser.dat
\LocalService\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\
\NetworkService\NTUser.dat
\NetworkService\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\
\RealPlayer\db\Backup\
\DBStore\Backup\
\QBackup\
\Internet Explorer\Recovery\Active\
NTUser.dat.log

Some are just there for convenience, perhaps. XCopy doesn't give any errors
if I exclude these when I XCopy the Documents and Settings folder. Why the
difference between XCopy and Explorer?

Is an XP Home client not expected to be as secure as an XP Pro client?

Or is Microsoft's vision that the user only backs up My Documents, Desktop,
Favorites, and Cookies (or the whole profile, but why if you're not going to
backup everything), and has to reinstall and reconfigure everything else?

I imagine that I could get another backup program just for my XP Home
machine. That would work, I bet.

What is the general consensus regarding backup these days?

Fred

 

[sgopus]

not sure about remote, but Acronis True Image is a really good backup software

 

[Frederick R. Hutchings]

I went to Acronis' web site. It looks like a good program to me, too. I
chatted a bit. Apparently, the Home version will allow me to back up the
local computer to another one, but not allow me to back up a remote
computer. It appears to me that they want me to buy 2 copies for 2 machines.
Not too unusual, though.

They do have another product called Echo Workstation that will do a remote
backup in a domain or a workgroup, I was told. It probably has a lot more
features, but may cost twice as much, depending on the add-ons you get.
This version also has a command-line interface whereas their Home version
does not.

Three things that I was looking for are accurate backups and restores, the
remote backup, which the Workstation version has, and the ability to wake
the computer from standby to perform the backup. Neither of the schedulers
provided with them support this, but the Workstation version's command-line
ability may allow me to use Win's scheduler to run a script that will start
the backup. Win's scheduler can wake the computer.

I think I might take them up on their free trial. Thanks for the
suggestion.

Fred

 

[Frederick R. Hutchings]

I thought that there was only a small piece of software necessary to run on
the remote PCs, but they want me to buy the full version ($83) for every PC
I back up with it, even if it is remote. I was told that that is a
life-long license for it , but I got the impression that they also charge a
yearly fee that is required. That kind of spoils the life-long license.
Perhaps the yearly fee is for support, but it didn't appear that it covered
much of it. It was too confusing for me. I wonder if they do that for
Home? That sounds like a bad precedent to me. I can see a subscription for
AV software, as new viruses continue to appear. But a backup program?
Perhaps that is common in a corporate climate? And I'm not too sure what
the yearly fee was about. Perhaps they have a lot of incidents?

So I never tried it. Too pricy for me. I don't like the yearly fee.

Fred

 

[Frederick R. Hutchings]

I was surprised to get a call from Acronis this morning. He wanted to know
how many computers I have in case there was a discount. I only have 2, so
there wasn't. He did say that the yearly fee is not charged for the first
year and is voluntary after that. He said that I could run it all I wanted
without the yearly fee. I asked about updates. They are not available
after the 1st year unless you pay the yearly fee. I don't know what that
fee covers (besides updates) or how much it is. Not what I'm looking for,
though.

I have always thought that a business will be more successful if they tie
their prices directly to their product in as minute detail as they can.
Perhaps that is what they are trying to do. Even Microsoft's support is
pricey. Microsoft does, to my applause, though, provide free updates (with
an internet connection?) for the life of their product. They have found a
way to keep their software in the best shape that they are able to with no
yearly fee. When I see a valid copy of Windows running, I know that I can
make it as safe and secure as any other similar copy of Windows. I trust it
more because of that. Once I buy the product, I am confident that I can
keep it up to date. I guess what I'm saying is, that in today's software
climate, I consider the software and it's updates to be inextricably linked.

Fred