Backup schedule

[Theo Tulley]

Having made an image of my system (running Win XP Pro, set to auto-update) on a
removable HDD, I now want to schedule incremental backups to be made daily to a
second local drive, starting with a full backup there. System files keep
changing as new programs are added or modified - presumably an incremental
backup will collect such changes?

The Wizard doesn't offer incremental backups; I have set a single full backup to
be made overnight, and would like to start incremental amendments to the same
file to start tomorrow. I lack confidence to define a command line procedure for
this!

Is this a reasonable way to set up backups?

Yours hopefully, -

Theo Tulley.
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Jim]

FWIW, I just purchased NTI Shadow 2 ( http://www.ntius.com ) for this
purpose. Found out about it on a bargain hunting site. It was listed
because they're offering the software for only 99 cents until the end of the
year! I frankly have no idea how good it is, but PC Mag gives it 4/5 (
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1887864,00.asp ). Haven't installed it
yet, but apparently, as its name implies, it creates realtime copies of
changed files (hence, the name "shadow"). I figured for 99 cents, it was
worth a shot. I also wanted to use it as a qualifying competitive/upgrade
rebate for Norton Ghost.

Currently I run a batch program that backs up specific files/folders every
night. Not completely comprehensive, but better than nothing. I use the
command-line extension that comes w/ WinZip.

HTH

Jim

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Having made an image of my system (running Win XP Pro, set to
auto-update) on a removable HDD, I now want to schedule incremental
backups to be made daily to a second local drive, starting with a
full backup there. System files keep changing as new programs are
added or modified - presumably an incremental backup will collect
such changes?
The Wizard doesn't offer incremental backups; I have set a single
full backup to be made overnight, and would like to start incremental
amendments to the same file to start tomorrow. I lack confidence to
define a command line procedure for this!

Is this a reasonable way to set up backups?

I don't think so. Backing up to a permanently-installed second drive is
better than no backup at all, but just barely. I don't recommend backup to a
second non-removable hard drive because it leaves you susceptible to
simultaneous loss of the original and backup to many of the most common
dangers: severe power glitches, nearby lightning strikes, virus attacks,
even theft of the computer.

In my view, secure backup needs to be on removable media, and not kept in
the computer. For really secure backup (needed, for example, if the life of
your business depends on your data) you should have multiple generations of
backup, and at least one of those generations should be stored off-site.

My computer isn't used for business, but my personal backup scheme uses two
identical external USB hard drives, and use Drive Image to make a complete
copy of the primary drive, alternating drives each time