Backing-Up

[Jan]

Why should special back-up software be necessary when backing-up programs
from my pc to a disk or an external harddrive. Is just copying not
sufficient?

 

[DL]

You cannot backup programs
You can, as philo states, image your entire system to enable you to
reinstall it (the image)

 

[Don Phillipson]

You cannot backup programs

Not quite: the Windows COPY routine will not copy selected
essential Windows system files. Other copy routines (e.g.
XXCOPY will do so.)

You can, as philo states, image your entire system to enable you to
reinstall it (the image)

Yes, reinstallation by brute force (cloning a whole disk) is one
way to restore or reinstal: but there are several other reasons
to back up either data files or program configurations.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Why should special back-up software be necessary when backing-up
programs from my pc to a disk or an external harddrive. Is just
copying not sufficient?

Who told you special programs were *necessary*?

You can backup in any way you wish. Some sort of schedule is best and since
most people will forget a scheduled point or two - automating it in some
manner is also a good idea - but all of that can be done natively.

 

[DL]

I dissagree (Programs)
Xcopy is not going to backup a program so it can be reinstalled, nor any
other routine, excepting in the case of simple programs

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Why should special back-up software be necessary when backing-up programs
from my pc to a disk or an external harddrive. Is just copying not
sufficient?

Simple copying won't back up key files that are in use and you can pretty
much forget about backing up most installed programs via copying

Installed programs rely heavily on numerous registry entries, and often
place files within the Windows folder structures. It's very difficult to
tell what's done by what. Just copying the folder structure and copying it
back to a new install will not allow most programs to run. Either you
image the drive, or you reinstall.

You can export the registry and save that, but that won't help with other
files you can't keep track of.

The Windows copy routines have a tendency to just fail and close when they
encounter any difficulties, and you will have no real idea where or why this
happened. You have to start over.

If you don't use something like an imaging program, which *will* back up
everything as it is, in an easily restorable form, your recovery strategy
is based on re-installing the OS and programs, then copying your backed-up
data back in place.

HTH
-pk

 

[Don Phillipson]

I dissagree (Programs)
Xcopy is not going to backup a program so it can be reinstalled, nor any
other routine, excepting in the case of simple programs

1. Well any COPY routine can copy a SETUP EXE if that is
what you mean: and everyday Windows COPY can copy
successfully most INI and NORMAL.DOT config files (with
preferences for installed programmes.)

2. The comment DL misliked recommended XXCOPY not
Windows XCOPY. Differences are public at www.xxcopy.com

 

[Twayne]

1. Well any COPY routine can copy a SETUP EXE if that is
what you mean: and everyday Windows COPY can copy
successfully most INI and NORMAL.DOT config files (with
preferences for installed programmes.)

2. The comment DL misliked recommended XXCOPY not
Windows XCOPY. Differences are public at www.xxcopy.com

Yes, but, excepting win98 and earlier, XXCopy will not back up programs
(files, period) in use either. It does not hook the VSS service. The
"program" might get backed up, but not the peripherals needed to make it
run.

Twayne