Backing up XP

  • Thread starter Thread starter Terry
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T

Terry

My nephew is notorious for getting spyware on my computer. I use
FSecure. I was lucky enough this time that a system restore fixed the
problem

I am rethinking my strategy for installing XP. I think the next time
I have to wipe out my computer and start over I will try something
new.

I plan to have a 30G partition for XP. I have a couple of programs
that I install as soon as I install the operating system. Instead of
trying to clean spyware, I want to make it easy to just start over.

What are some other back up strategies that make starting over easier?
 
Terry said:
My nephew is notorious for getting spyware on my computer. I use
FSecure. I was lucky enough this time that a system restore fixed the
problem

I am rethinking my strategy for installing XP. I think the next time
I have to wipe out my computer and start over I will try something
new.

I plan to have a 30G partition for XP. I have a couple of programs
that I install as soon as I install the operating system. Instead of
trying to clean spyware, I want to make it easy to just start over.

What are some other back up strategies that make starting over easier?
Click to expand...

Just the obvious, i.e. get a copy of Ghost or other image backup
software, create a "base install" (OS, service packs, critical updates
and any third-party software you use), and then image it at that
point to a separate partition or (much better) a separate physical
disk. Store it away from your nephew and any other sources of
corruption, and restore to it whenever needed. Using this scheme
I've been running the same installation of Win2K since 12/99.
 
Terry said:
My nephew is notorious for getting spyware on my computer. I use
FSecure. I was lucky enough this time that a system restore fixed the
problem

I am rethinking my strategy for installing XP. I think the next time
I have to wipe out my computer and start over I will try something
new.

I plan to have a 30G partition for XP. I have a couple of programs
that I install as soon as I install the operating system. Instead of
trying to clean spyware, I want to make it easy to just start over.

What are some other back up strategies that make starting over easier?
Click to expand...
Consider Acronis True Image.
http://affiliate.acronis.com/promo/ATI/true-image-024.html

Excellent software.
I`ve been using it since vers.8.
 
Go have a read on the Acronis site Terry.
Click to expand...

I did look for the information. I didn't care to search all day.

It says a 15 day trial. How often do you need to make a backup and
restore in 15 days?

I picture trying to restore information I backed up and a message
saying......your backup you trusted to us is safe. Want to restore
it? Just send us 50 bucks.

I don't think so.

Try before you buy something you count on in an emergency just doesn't
sit well with me.
 
Terry said:
Try before you buy something you count on in an emergency just doesn't
sit well with me.
Click to expand...

I've seen Norton Ghost and Acronis TrueImage on eBay for as
little as $5 + shipping. Shop around. Even at full retail it's pretty
cheap insurance.

Just beware freeware and shareware image backup software,
much of it is absolute garbage.
 
Go have a read on the Acronis site Terry
Click to expand...

BTW no offence intended to you.
This site has no clear explanation of what the trial version does or
if it does you have to dig too long to find it.
 
I did look for the information.  I didn't care to search all day.
Click to expand...

Then it must not be that important to you.

So stop bothering other people and expecting THEM to do all your
research for you.
 
2008 15:32:06 in alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt, Terry
What happens in the trial version?
How many times can I use it before I have to pay for it?
Click to expand...
I recollect the boot CD you can make with the trial version is limited
in its functionality, to the extent that you may not be able to perform
essential operations when you really need to do so. Sorry I can't
remember the details, but I think I once got caught out and couldn't
restore my backup using the boot CD (by that time I had purchased the
full version, but I was inadvertently using a boot disc written while I
still had just the trial version.)
 
2008 15:32:06 in alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt, Terry

I recollect the boot CD you can make with the trial version is limited
in its functionality, to the extent that you may not be able to perform
essential operations when you really need to do so. Sorry I can't
remember the details, but I think I once got caught out and couldn't
restore my backup using the boot CD (by that time I had purchased the
full version, but I was inadvertently using a boot disc written while I
still had just the trial version.)
Click to expand...

The web page makes it sound great. Do you use it? Any thing you
don't like about it?



I can see programs like Vob to Avi converters putting some limits on
what you can do, but backing up computer data is an all or nothing
situation. Limiting the trial version of backup software sounds like
extortion.
 
I recollect the boot CD you can make with the trial version is limited
in its functionality, to the extent that you may not be able to perform
essential operations when you really need to do so. Sorry I can't
remember the details, but I think I once got caught out and couldn't
restore my backup using the boot CD (by that time I had purchased the
full version, but I was inadvertently using a boot disc written while I
still had just the trial version.)
Click to expand...


Ok. I purchased Acronis online.

I made a full backup of my C:(boot) partition.
I saved the file to a network drive and it was about 7Gigs.
I made a boot disk using the disk utility.

I tried booting from the boot disk to see what happens next. It
doesn't appear to allow you to restore from a network drive.

If I have a hard drive crash or replace the hard drive, how do I
restore the image from a network drive?
 
I would have Cloned the C drive with a new XP install and all of the
programs I usually use to another HD.
I would have taken this HD and put it away.......In the interim I would have
used the backup/imaging portion of Acronis to
keep things up to date.
Then when the little shit f%^&* up my system..I would pull the HD and
install the cloned drive......restore backups and I am back to where I was
before he screwed it up............and repeat procedure for the next time.
peter
 
I would have Cloned the C drive with a new XP install and all of the
programs I usually use to another HD.
I would have taken this HD and put it away.......In the interim I would have
used the backup/imaging portion of Acronis to
keep things up to date.
Then when the little shit f%^&* up my system..I would pull the HD and
install the cloned drive......restore backups and I am back to where I was
before he screwed it up............and repeat procedure for the next time.
peter
Click to expand...
 
I think I am covered now. I can just restore the backup next time he
screws something up. In the event that I do have a hard drive crash I
can put the network drive in the machine to get the image.

I will probably buy another drive soon just to be able to store the
image on the same computer.

It would be nice if Acronis had included the network information on
the boot disk.

Thanks everyone.

Well.........almost everyone. :P

I would have Cloned the C drive with a new XP install and all of the
programs I usually use to another HD.
I would have taken this HD and put it away.......In the interim I would have
used the backup/imaging portion of Acronis to
keep things up to date.
Then when the little shit f%^&* up my system..I would pull the HD and
install the cloned drive......restore backups and I am back to where I was
before he screwed it up............and repeat procedure for the next time.
peter
Click to expand...
 
Terry said:
My nephew is notorious for getting spyware on my computer. I use
FSecure. I was lucky enough this time that a system restore fixed
the problem

I am rethinking my strategy for installing XP. I think the next
time I have to wipe out my computer and start over I will try
something new.

I plan to have a 30G partition for XP. I have a couple of
programs that I install as soon as I install the operating system.
Instead of trying to clean spyware, I want to make it easy to
just start over.

What are some other back up strategies that make starting over
easier?
Click to expand...

Anyone in your situation who doesn't do that misses the boat IMO.

Of course you need to make copies of any important files like My
Documents and any other user generated important files regularly,
and immediately before you do a restoration. Then diligently restore
those files immediately after the restoration.

Another thing you can do is spend some time or check back with the
user very soon after a restoration to see what he (or she) misses
from all of the good/bad stuff added since your original
installation. Then you expertly add those things and make the copy.
How useful that is depends on how much time you spend adding and
configuring the additional stuff.

I use Partition Manager. The original Windows XP installation plus
ordinary programs takes no more than about 10 GB here. So you can
easily make a hidden copy of the Windows partition to the primary
partition area of the same hard drive. There's no need to use
another hard drive and you can easily restore Windows without using
another hard drive. You can also do a very neat installation by
making incremental copies as you are doing the installation, the
primary partition area allows two copies. If Acronis will do that,
you should probably go with that since you're likely to get support
from the fans. If Acronis won't make a hidden primary partition
copy of Windows XP, I would go with something else that will.

Good luck.
 
Just the obvious, i.e. get a copy of Ghost or other image backup
software, create a "base install" (OS, service packs, critical
updates and any third-party software you use), and then image it
at that point to a separate partition or (much better) a separate
physical disk.
Click to expand...

A hidden copy can't be seen by the user and is easier to restore
since it's right there on the disc.
 
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