Backup Programs

[Lizzie]

How does the XP backup utility compare to other commercial backup programs?
I had a full backup of my stuff using the Backup Now! program...my hard
drive died, I had to reformat it (feeling very grateful I had the backup)
but when I tried to use the backup CDs, it would only restore a few of the
files. I contacted Backup Now, they gave me a couple of potential fixes
that didn't work and their final comment was "the backup must be corrupt."
They didn't offer any other kind of help. I know for certain that when I
created the original backups and the incremental backups that I could see
all the files and got no message that anything bad happened during the
backup process.

I'm gun shy of the Backup Now program, obviously, and I would like some
advice on the safest backup progam to use. I can't afford to get a tape
backup device, so CDs are the option I have.

Thanks for any help!

Lizzie

 

[Robin Graham]

Lizzie

I've used SecondCopy for a couple of years now. It works well and the data
is stored on the CD in its original format, i.e. Word files are Word files
and Excel files are Excel files, not some program-special modification. Also
the folks back at base are very helpful.

$29.95. Can't be bad. http://www.centered.com/

Rob Graham

 

[Peter Wilkins]

How does the XP backup utility compare to other commercial backup programs?

It works quite well, and I use it for regular small data backups, but
it has two major limitations.

1. It can't backup directly to CD/DVD - you have to backup to another
HDD or partition first then burn it using windows XP or 3rd party
burning software.
2. It can't "split" backup files. If your backup exceeds the size of
your CD/DVD that you want to burn too, you are out of luck, it won't
work.

BTW, I've given up doing my system backups to CD/DVD - too slow and
clumsy, and it's a bugger to restore individual files if you don't
need a full restore (I'm using Ghost 2003). I've just been backing up
to a second partition and Xing my fingers that the disk doesn't fail.

I'm being given for Xmas a 200G external USB2/Firewire HDD and will
then backup to that. I can even boot from it if my primary boot
partition fails. It comes with Dantz Retrospect backup software,
which has good reviews, but I haven't tried it yet myself.

 

[Al Smith]

How does the XP backup utility compare to other commercial backup programs?

I had a full backup of my stuff using the Backup Now! program...my hard
drive died, I had to reformat it (feeling very grateful I had the backup)
but when I tried to use the backup CDs, it would only restore a few of the
files. I contacted Backup Now, they gave me a couple of potential fixes
that didn't work and their final comment was "the backup must be corrupt."
They didn't offer any other kind of help. I know for certain that when I
created the original backups and the incremental backups that I could see
all the files and got no message that anything bad happened during the
backup process.

I'm gun shy of the Backup Now program, obviously, and I would like some
advice on the safest backup progam to use. I can't afford to get a tape
backup device, so CDs are the option I have.

I'll give you the benefit of years searching for backup solutions
that didn't cost anything, and trying out dozens of approaches and
programs. In the end, I paid top dollar for Drive Image because it
is the best, and it works.

1) Install an additional harddrive specifically for backups of
your C drive and any data drives you may have. Don't waste your
time trying to backup to DVDs or CDs. Especially don't even think
of using tape backups. Tape drive backups are for the dinosaurs.

2) Buy Drive Image 7 and do regular full drive backups of your C
drive, so that if you need to reinstall Windows XP because of
registry corruption or a virus, or your C drive fails mechanically
and you have to replace it, you can restore you computer to its
former state in a few minutes.

Always have two drive image backup files of your C drive on your
backup drive. Make a new image once a week (or more often if you
are anal about backups) and alternate overwriting the two files,
so that you have at any given time a backup from last week, and a
backup from the week before. This is insurance in case the backup
you try to use is corrupted for some reason.

 

[Lee Shipman]

I concur with Al's comments & I've done essentially what he suggests. This
procedure has saved my hide a number of times when I needed to reinstall the
operating system & its associated files for a variety of reasons. My SATA
drive is partitioned as the C (primary) drive plus several logical drives,
with the windows OS mainly on C. Thus, I can restore just that drive if
needed, and leave the other logical drives alone. It just saves time that
way.

Also--Drive Image v8 is the latest version.
Lee

 

[JAX]

Hi Al,

Along your line of thought, I use DI and keep an image on a partition on my
main internal HD and an image on an external USB drive. Those images are
just of the system and installed programs/applications. All personal files
that I intend to keep are backed to a partition on the internal drive, USB
drive, and CD/DVD. The USB drive is disconnected and removed from the local
area after a backup has been preformed. I have created disasters and then
restored my OS and all applications in a matter of minutes. Reloading MP3's,
etc.takes a bit more time, of course.

Cheers, JAX

 

[Lizzie]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I've got a lot to think about now!

 

[NobodyMan]

I'll give you the benefit of years searching for backup solutions
that didn't cost anything, and trying out dozens of approaches and
programs. In the end, I paid top dollar for Drive Image because it
is the best, and it works.

1) Install an additional harddrive specifically for backups of
your C drive and any data drives you may have. Don't waste your
time trying to backup to DVDs or CDs. Especially don't even think
of using tape backups. Tape drive backups are for the dinosaurs.

Actually, many large server farms still use tape backups using DAT and
other high speed, high capacity cassettes. However, these are VERY
pricey compared to what you suggest. For the home user, I think you
offer a good suggestion - a second, high capacity hard drive.

2) Buy Drive Image 7 and do regular full drive backups of your C
drive, so that if you need to reinstall Windows XP because of
registry corruption or a virus, or your C drive fails mechanically
and you have to replace it, you can restore you computer to its
former state in a few minutes.

DI does not do backups. At least, not the way you are describing the
process. If you are restoring an entire hard drive in a few minutes,
then you are creating and restoring images, which are not the same
thing as a true "backup." Backups and Images both have their purposes
and serve roles in the enterprise.

Always have two drive image backup files of your C drive on your
backup drive. Make a new image once a week (or more often if you
are anal about backups) and alternate overwriting the two files,
so that you have at any given time a backup from last week, and a
backup from the week before. This is insurance in case the backup
you try to use is corrupted for some reason.

Remove the word "backup" from this paragraph and replace it with
"image" and I'll agree it is sage advice.