Backup Software?

[Daniel Rudy]

What backup software is recommended for WinXP Pro? The Microsoft
provided software is so brain-dead as to be virtually useless. I have
about 200GB of programs and data to backup. The target media is a 400GB
harddisk in the hot-swap bay. I want something that will compress the
data. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

What backup software is recommended for WinXP Pro? The Microsoft
provided software is so brain-dead as to be virtually useless. I have
about 200GB of programs and data to backup. The target media is a 400GB
harddisk in the hot-swap bay. I want something that will compress the
data. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Zip sounds like a good idea - just use a version
that can be run off the Command Prompt.

 

[Alias]

There are many. Acronis is one and so is Norton Ghost. Acronis has a 30
trial download on this page:
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/
--
Alias

Use the Reply to Sender feature of your news reader program to email me.
Utiliza Responder al Remitente para mandarme un mail.


| What backup software is recommended for WinXP Pro? The Microsoft
| provided software is so brain-dead as to be virtually useless. I have
| about 200GB of programs and data to backup. The target media is a 400GB
| harddisk in the hot-swap bay. I want something that will compress the
| data. Any suggestions?
|
| Thanks.

 

[Daniel Rudy]

Zip sounds like a good idea - just use a version
that can be run off the Command Prompt.

ZIP is nice, but I need something that will not only compress the files.
I need something that will so a full backup, incremental backups,
rotating archives, scheduling, file verification, etc. You don't have
all of that in a ZIP utility. Basically, I'm looking for software
that's got teeth, not some wanna-be joke like Microsoft puts out.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Daniel Rudy]

There are many. Acronis is one and so is Norton Ghost. Acronis has a
30
trial download on this page:
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/
--
Alias

Use the Reply to Sender feature of your news reader program to email
me.
Utiliza Responder al Remitente para mandarme un mail.


| What backup software is recommended for WinXP Pro? The Microsoft
| provided software is so brain-dead as to be virtually useless. I
have
| about 200GB of programs and data to backup. The target media is a
400GB
| harddisk in the hot-swap bay. I want something that will compress
the
| data. Any suggestions?
|
| Thanks.

I'll give them a call in the morning.

 

[Vanguard]

What backup software is recommended for WinXP Pro? The Microsoft
provided software is so brain-dead as to be virtually useless. I have
about 200GB of programs and data to backup. The target media is a
400GB harddisk in the hot-swap bay. I want something that will
compress the data. Any suggestions?

Microsoft adds lots of fluff to the operating systems, much of which is
crippled 3rd party software. NT Backup is an example. Microsoft got it
from Veritas but it was a crippled version. Veritas (who bought it from
someone else) sold off their Backup Exec Desktop to StompSoft and now it
is called Backup MyPc (http://www.stompsoft.com/backupmypc.html). They
have a trial version you can download but I don't know if it is a
crippled or expiring version.

 

[Santa]

Microsoft adds lots of fluff to the operating systems, much of which is
crippled 3rd party software. NT Backup is an example. Microsoft got it
from Veritas but it was a crippled version. Veritas (who bought it from
someone else) sold off their Backup Exec Desktop to StompSoft and now it
is called Backup MyPc (http://www.stompsoft.com/backupmypc.html). They
have a trial version you can download but I don't know if it is a
crippled

Not Crippled !!!

full version with a 30 Day Expirations when doing a Backup!!
No Expiration to do the Restore

or expiring version.

 

[Santa]

Microsoft adds lots of fluff to the operating systems, much of which is
crippled 3rd party software. NT Backup is an example. Microsoft got it
from Veritas but it was a crippled version. Veritas (who bought it from
someone else) sold off their Backup Exec Desktop to StompSoft and now it
is called Backup MyPc (http://www.stompsoft.com/backupmypc.html). They
have a trial version you can download but I don't know if it is a
crippled or expiring version.

I have Bought it 1995 when it was called SEAGATE BACKUP ( Tape Drives)
and then it went to Veritas and Veritas Upgraded me for FREE, And Now
Stomp Has it and they Upgraded me For FREE..

So a $10 investment in 1995 Really Paid OFF

 

[Vanguard]

I have Bought it 1995 when it was called SEAGATE BACKUP ( Tape Drives)
and then it went to Veritas and Veritas Upgraded me for FREE, And Now
Stomp Has it and they Upgraded me For FREE..

So a $10 investment in 1995 Really Paid OFF

Stomp upgraded for free? I have Veritas Backup Exec Desktop 4.61 and I
don't recall that the upgrade was free. Maybe you had to get in during
a short transition time from Veritas to Stomp. I'll go look again.

 

[Vanguard]

Stomp upgraded for free? I have Veritas Backup Exec Desktop 4.61 and
I don't recall that the upgrade was free. Maybe you had to get in
during a short transition time from Veritas to Stomp. I'll go look
again.

Well, I downloaded the Backup MyPC upgrade but it failed (it said I
didn't have a valid version installed). So I wrote them a trouble
ticket to see what they'll say.

 

[Al Dykes]

What backup software is recommended for WinXP Pro? The Microsoft
provided software is so brain-dead as to be virtually useless. I have
about 200GB of programs and data to backup. The target media is a 400GB
harddisk in the hot-swap bay. I want something that will compress the
data. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

ntbackup.exe is fine. I've used it for years. It will backup
disk-to-disk and if the target disk has compression property set
(NTFS, which you've got to use) you will get a compressed saveset.

NTbackup will do a full image backup of a running nt system. Restore
is a bit of a PITA if you've never done it. It also won't write to
CDR/DVD media or break a saveset into chunks that match your
media. Since I don;t trust CD/DVD for important backups. this doesn;t
bother me.

A major plus is that backups done with ntbackup will be readable in
future versions of windows. That's (IMO) a major shortcomming of lots
of the low-end consumer backup software. If the company goes bust
you're SOL. The same can be said about cheap tape drive formats.

 

[NobodyMan]

NTbackup will do a full image backup of a running nt system. Restore
is a bit of a PITA if you've never done it. It also won't write to
CDR/DVD media or break a saveset into chunks that match your
media. Since I don;t trust CD/DVD for important backups. this doesn;t
bother me.

Please use proper terminology. NTBackup will not "do a full image
backup of a running NT system." NTBackup is not an imaging program
and does not produce images. A backup set is NOT the same thing as an
Image.

 

[Ken Blake]

In

A major plus is that backups done with ntbackup will be
readable in
future versions of windows.

Oh? How do you know that's true? it has *not* generally been true
with backups made with built-in Windows capability in previous
versions of Windows.

 

[Daniel Rudy]

ntbackup.exe is fine. I've used it for years. It will backup
disk-to-disk and if the target disk has compression property set
(NTFS, which you've got to use) you will get a compressed saveset.

Really? Why do I have to compress the target disk to compress the data
when the program should have an option for it internally without relying
on the compression functions of the operating system?

NTbackup will do a full image backup of a running nt system.

No it won't, and I can prove it. Show me where in WinXP Pro SP2 that it
does images.

Restore
is a bit of a PITA if you've never done it. It also won't write to
CDR/DVD media or break a saveset into chunks that match your
media. Since I don;t trust CD/DVD for important backups. this doesn;t
bother me.

Breaking the backup set into smaller chunks is not exactly a
requirement, but media spanning should be an option in any backup
software worth it's salt, which ntbackup.exe isn't.

A major plus is that backups done with ntbackup will be readable in
future versions of windows.

No they aren't. Backup sets from Win98 will not restore on WinXP. I
know, I've tried it. It doesn't work. And there is no garuntee that
Microsoft will not break backwards compatibility in the future again.

That's (IMO) a major shortcomming of lots
of the low-end consumer backup software. If the company goes bust
you're SOL. The same can be said about cheap tape drive formats.

At least the low end backup software can be installed on just about any
OS from Win95 to Win Server 2003 and work just fine. Because it's the
same program, it will restore just fine. Where as with ntbackup, you
are stuck with the version that was installed with the operating system,
and the file formats tend to change between OS versions.


Say, wasn't panix.com the ISP that got their domain name hijacked
recently?

 

[Vanguard]

Really? Why do I have to compress the target disk to compress the
data when the program should have an option for it internally without
relying on the compression functions of the operating system?

If the hardware itself support compression then NT Backup will turn it
on. Hard drives do not have hardware-based compression so it can't be
turned on. NT Backup itself won't do compression (unless you get the
uncrippled version).

No it won't, and I can prove it. Show me where in WinXP Pro SP2 that
it does images.

He probably meant it will create a rescue backup set which is a full
backup and some boot floppies. This is the ASR (Automated System
Recovery) Wizard. It is a *logical* backup because the files must be
read through the file system and tables of the running operating system.
Even some "drive image" programs are really just logical backup
programs. Ghost does a logical drive "image" by default unless you use
the /IA parameter to force it into physical mode (where it reads
sectors). On a restore where EFS was used, the EFS certificate won't be
in place so the restore will fail (Symantec's answer is to remove EFS
before saving the logical image, or save a physical image instead).
[Note that this applies only to the OLD version of Ghost and not the
re-branded version of DriveImage after Symantec bought Powerquest.] Some
other "imaging" products also default to make a logical image but might
be configurable to save a physical image.

Breaking the backup set into smaller chunks is not exactly a
requirement, but media spanning should be an option in any backup
software worth it's salt, which ntbackup.exe isn't.

The only spanning that the NT Backup program will handle is across tape
media. It will not span across removable media, like CD-Rs, DVD-Rs, or
hard disks. That's why I got the uncrippled version.

No they aren't. Backup sets from Win98 will not restore on WinXP. I
know, I've tried it. It doesn't work. And there is no garuntee that
Microsoft will not break backwards compatibility in the future again.

Yeah, there is no way future compatibility can be guaranteed. At most,
you only get *some* backward compatibility. But that's true of whatever
method of backup you use whether it be logical backup software, physical
drive images, or just copying files under some file system which may
become dated and no longer supported.

 

[Dick Mahar]

ntbackup.exe is fine. I've used it for years. It will backup
disk-to-disk and if the target disk has compression property set
(NTFS, which you've got to use) you will get a compressed saveset.

Really? Why do I have to compress the target disk to compress the data
when the program should have an option for it internally without relying
on the compression functions of the operating system?

NTbackup will do a full image backup of a running nt system.

No it won't, and I can prove it. Show me where in WinXP Pro SP2 that it
does images.

Restore
is a bit of a PITA if you've never done it. It also won't write to
CDR/DVD media or break a saveset into chunks that match your
media. Since I don;t trust CD/DVD for important backups. this doesn;t
bother me.

Breaking the backup set into smaller chunks is not exactly a
requirement, but media spanning should be an option in any backup
software worth it's salt, which ntbackup.exe isn't.

A major plus is that backups done with ntbackup will be readable in
future versions of windows.

No they aren't. Backup sets from Win98 will not restore on WinXP. I
know, I've tried it. It doesn't work. And there is no garuntee that
Microsoft will not break backwards compatibility in the future again.

That's (IMO) a major shortcomming of lots
of the low-end consumer backup software. If the company goes bust
you're SOL. The same can be said about cheap tape drive formats.

At least the low end backup software can be installed on just about any
OS from Win95 to Win Server 2003 and work just fine. Because it's the
same program, it will restore just fine. Where as with ntbackup, you
are stuck with the version that was installed with the operating system,
and the file formats tend to change between OS versions.


I like BACKITUP, which is part of Nero 6.X. NiCD, also part of NERO, is used
to format disks, also. Any easy way to do backups, on DVD or CD. Dick M.


Say, wasn't panix.com the ISP that got their domain name hijacked
recently?

 

[Al Dykes]

Please use proper terminology. NTBackup will not "do a full image
backup of a running NT system." NTBackup is not an imaging program
and does not produce images. A backup set is NOT the same thing as an
Image.

ntbackup backs up a full running system operating sytstem partition
and, if restored, produces an identical system. I've done it many
times. How does this not fit into your definition of "image" ?

Is it convient to restore to bare iron ? Nope. But it's not hard
if you've tried it and plan for it.

 

[Al Dykes]

In



Oh? How do you know that's true? it has *not* generally been true
with backups made with built-in Windows capability in previous
versions of Windows.

An ntbackup saveset made on any version of ntbackup is usable by
today's ntbackup, right ? I never said anything about teh crappy
backup software that shipped with 16 bit systems.

There's no certainty in long range bets, and any choice or decision
has risk tradeoffs. I'll assume, as long as a system that looks like
nt/w2/xp is being shipped with ntbackup.exe it will be backword
compatible with old savesets, or if Billy should walk away from the
format a third-party will come up with software to solve the problem.

 

[Al Dykes]

Really? Why do I have to compress the target disk to compress the data
when the program should have an option for it internally without relying
on the compression functions of the operating system?


No it won't, and I can prove it. Show me where in WinXP Pro SP2 that it
does images.

I can use ntbackup to backup a running server and resotore it after a
disk crash in a production environment. Done it a bunch of times.

Image ? if you mean a block-for-block duplicate of of a disk, no it
doesn't work that way. ntbackup works fine as a filesystem backup.

Breaking the backup set into smaller chunks is not exactly a
requirement, but media spanning should be an option in any backup
software worth it's salt, which ntbackup.exe isn't.

I don't say ntbackup was convient, or claim it replaced all the other
software out there.

No they aren't. Backup sets from Win98 will not restore on WinXP. I
know, I've tried it. It doesn't work. And there is no garuntee that
Microsoft will not break backwards compatibility in the future again.

I never said anything about w/98. I said ntbackup.

At least the low end backup software can be installed on just about any
OS from Win95 to Win Server 2003 and work just fine. Because it's the
same program, it will restore just fine. Where as with ntbackup, you
are stuck with the version that was installed with the operating system,
and the file formats tend to change between OS versions.

Are you claiming that a ntbackup saveset made in nt3.51 can't be read
in XP ?

 

[Al Dykes]

Really? Why do I have to compress the target disk to compress the data
when the program should have an option for it internally without relying
on the compression functions of the operating system?


No it won't, and I can prove it. Show me where in WinXP Pro SP2 that it
does images.


Breaking the backup set into smaller chunks is not exactly a
requirement, but media spanning should be an option in any backup
software worth it's salt, which ntbackup.exe isn't.


No they aren't. Backup sets from Win98 will not restore on WinXP. I
know, I've tried it. It doesn't work. And there is no garuntee that
Microsoft will not break backwards compatibility in the future again.


At least the low end backup software can be installed on just about any
OS from Win95 to Win Server 2003 and work just fine. Because it's the
same program, it will restore just fine. Where as with ntbackup, you
are stuck with the version that was installed with the operating system,
and the file formats tend to change between OS versions.


I like BACKITUP, which is part of Nero 6.X. NiCD, also part of NERO, is used
to format disks, also. Any easy way to do backups, on DVD or CD. Dick M.


Say, wasn't panix.com the ISP that got their domain name hijacked
recently?

Yup. And it was also, years ago, a target of the first DOS attack
anyone knows of. The owners of Panix have had one perp arrested, put
in handcuffs and spend some time behind bars for an incident, years
ago. There is lots of legal movement going on and the owners can't
discuss it yet.

Don't mess with panix.

(No relationship other than being a happy customer for almost 15
years.)