backup program

[Jay]

Running WinXP pro –Lenovo laptop: I have seen references in this group to
“Acronis True Image†program – and it looks good BUT it also appears that
some versions are preferred for simple backup, by a home user who doesn’t
have a lot of stuff to store.
Question: In the opinion of those who will be kind enough to respond:
Are there other or better backup programs - and is there a preferred
version of true image for the basic simple use that I describe ?
Many thanks -Jay

 

[Bob Harris]

I have been running True Image for years under 98 and XP (up through SP-3).
It is easy to use and has saved me several times.

The simplest level is called "True Image Home". Even that probably has more
capabilities than you need, but you only need to learn those you actually
want to use, which would probably be "create image" and "restore image".
Images can be of an entire hard drive, or a single partition, or multiple
partitions. If you only have one big C: drive, then partition is almost the
same as whole drive. File exclusions are possible, but I would recommend
against that, except for files you know are not required (or will be
re-created), such a pagefile.sys and hiberfil.sys.

The newer versions of True Image can save collections of files (less than a
partition), but I would recommend using Windows Explorer for backing up
personal files, or maybe XCOPY from a command prompt. The power of a
program like True Image is its ability to backup the operating system and
program files, while the PC is running that operating system. And, its
power is also to know that a restored image contains 100% of what you need
to run the PC and programs.

Avoid the "snap restore" option, unless you have a single big C: drive. It
restores only the partition(s) on the image, and causes the rest to be
empty. This would be a bad thing, if your image had only C:\, but the PC
had C:\ and D:\. Normal restores are fast enough; you do not need snap
restore as a home user.

Avoid the "secure zone", which makes an image on the same hard drive. Real
security of a backup rests on that backup being somewhere other than on the
same hard drive as the original data, preferably on an external hard drive,
which is unplugged from both the PC and the wall, except when doing backups
or restores.

Restoring selected files is also possible, and that is fine for many
purposes. But, after a PC crash, virus, etc, it would be better to restore
everything, rather than hoping that you restored the right stuff and nothing
more/less.

As for other programs that are similar, Norton GHOST is the classic, but I
rate it inferior to True Image and harder to use. Symantec, it owner, has a
much less friendly/useful support organization than does Acronis. For some
other ideas, check this link:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloads3.html

Just be careful when examining a backup program to ask whether it can
restore without windows being operable. Some can not. Avoid those.

 

[dadiOH]

Running WinXP pro -Lenovo laptop: I have seen references in this
group to "Acronis True Image" program - and it looks good BUT it also
appears that some versions are preferred for simple backup, by a home
user who doesn't have a lot of stuff to store.
Question: In the opinion of those who will be kind enough to
respond: Are there other or better backup programs - and is there a
preferred version of true image for the basic simple use that I
describe ?
Many thanks -Jay

It really isn't a backup program in the sense of duplicating your "stuff".
It - and other similar programs - are meant to create an "image' of your
*entire* drive or partition so that image can be used to restore the imaged
drive/partition should a disaster occur. If all you want to do is duplicate
your personal things, it is way overkill.

Depending upon how much data you have, simply writing it to a CD/DVD
occasionally should suffice; if you have more than that, it could be copied
to a second hard drive.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

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LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

 

[Big_Al]

I have been running True Image for years under 98 and XP (up through SP-3).
It is easy to use and has saved me several times.

The simplest level is called "True Image Home". Even that probably has more
capabilities than you need, but you only need to learn those you actually
want to use, which would probably be "create image" and "restore image".
Images can be of an entire hard drive, or a single partition, or multiple
partitions. If you only have one big C: drive, then partition is almost the
same as whole drive. File exclusions are possible, but I would recommend
against that, except for files you know are not required (or will be
re-created), such a pagefile.sys and hiberfil.sys.

The newer versions of True Image can save collections of files (less than a
partition), but I would recommend using Windows Explorer for backing up
personal files, or maybe XCOPY from a command prompt. The power of a
program like True Image is its ability to backup the operating system and
program files, while the PC is running that operating system. And, its
power is also to know that a restored image contains 100% of what you need
to run the PC and programs.

Avoid the "snap restore" option, unless you have a single big C: drive. It
restores only the partition(s) on the image, and causes the rest to be
empty. This would be a bad thing, if your image had only C:\, but the PC
had C:\ and D:\. Normal restores are fast enough; you do not need snap
restore as a home user.

Avoid the "secure zone", which makes an image on the same hard drive. Real
security of a backup rests on that backup being somewhere other than on the
same hard drive as the original data, preferably on an external hard drive,
which is unplugged from both the PC and the wall, except when doing backups
or restores.

Restoring selected files is also possible, and that is fine for many
purposes. But, after a PC crash, virus, etc, it would be better to restore
everything, rather than hoping that you restored the right stuff and nothing
more/less.

As for other programs that are similar, Norton GHOST is the classic, but I
rate it inferior to True Image and harder to use. Symantec, it owner, has a
much less friendly/useful support organization than does Acronis. For some
other ideas, check this link:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloads3.html

Just be careful when examining a backup program to ask whether it can
restore without windows being operable. Some can not. Avoid those.

I'll agree with Acronis True Image Home. I have Version 9 and its been
a workhorse for me replacing drives in my laptop. Also great when I did
SP3 on all my PC's. I wouldn't have loaded SP3 if I did not have a way
to restore had it gone wrong.

ATI will do a pick list of files and make a backup but I've never done
it. Like others say, why, when you can so easily do the whole drive.

I've used CDBurnerXP and it works as a decent file backup.

I've found that Robocopy will do a great job of file backup on a batch
file command line basis. If you are into that kinda tinkering.

 

[sgopus]

The one thing I would caution you on, is be VERY certain you are choosing the
correct source and destination drives.

 

[Dave Cohen]

Running WinXP pro –Lenovo laptop: I have seen references in this group to
“Acronis True Image†program – and it looks good BUT it also appears that
some versions are preferred for simple backup, by a home user who doesn’t
have a lot of stuff to store.
Question: In the opinion of those who will be kind enough to respond:
Are there other or better backup programs - and is there a preferred
version of true image for the basic simple use that I describe ?
Many thanks -Jay

You could also take a look at www.terabyteunlimited.com, they have a
selection of products. IFW (image for windows) might be one of interest.
This will back up your system partition while you are running windows.
Provision is made for restore in the event of a disaster.

If you have separate data partition, I would use a file backup program
for that.
Dave Cohen

 

[Randem]

Define "not a lot of stuff to store" this should be associated with a size
of some sort.

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[Jay]

Thanks to all who replied - and especially to Bob H. - appreciate the time
and help.

Jay

 

[Anthony Buckland]

Define "not a lot of stuff to store" this should be associated with a size
of some sort.
...

It depends on policy, doesn't it? I keep all kinds of
stuff in My Documents, including every program source
file I download, all my mail, etc. 8 and a half GBy as
we speak. Basically, everything's there that I'd need to
replace a destroyed or stolen machine with a new one
without rebuilding Windows, Program Files, the registry,
etc. in their present forms. I'd need some program CDs
too, of course.

Maybe Jay lives in a whole different world in this
regard.