Backup test

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Hi All
Once ntbackup is installed into the computer is there a way to test it to
find out if it was installed and working correctly? Thank you.
 
Franktee said:
Hi All
Once ntbackup is installed into the computer is there a way to test it to
find out if it was installed and working correctly? Thank you.
Click to expand...

Use it to back up a specific folder to a disk file.
 
Open Command Prompt and type in the following command:-

NTBACKUP /?

It displays help at the command prompt.

regards,
S.Sengupta[MS-MVP]
 
Franktee said:
Hi All
Once ntbackup is installed into the computer is there a way
to test it to find out if it was installed and working
correctly? Thank you.
Click to expand...

Run the Backup Wizard and create a backup file of any folder
you want. Next, run the Restore Wizard but choose "Alternate
location" for the restored folder. Once the process is
complete, compare the contents of the restored folder with the
original.

FYI, if you're serious about backing up the data on your
computer you might want to use a program other than ntbackup.
Using a backup program which creates files in a proprietary
format is not without some risk. Here are a couple of
alternatives you might want to consider:

Backup MyPC
http://www.stompsoft.com/backupmypc.html?SourceID=knc_goog_computer_backup_software

Second Copy
http://www.centered.com/index.html

For an even better backup solution, invest in an external USB
drive and a disk imaging program such as Norton Ghost or
Acronis True Image.

Good luck

Nepatsfan
 
Nepatsfan said:
Run the Backup Wizard and create a backup file of any folder you want.
Next, run the Restore Wizard but choose "Alternate location" for the
restored folder. Once the process is complete, compare the contents of the
restored folder with the original.

FYI, if you're serious about backing up the data on your computer you
might want to use a program other than ntbackup. Using a backup program
which creates files in a proprietary format is not without some risk. Here
are a couple of alternatives you might want to consider:

Backup MyPC
http://www.stompsoft.com/backupmypc.html?SourceID=knc_goog_computer_backup_software

Second Copy
http://www.centered.com/index.html

For an even better backup solution, invest in an external USB drive and a
disk imaging program such as Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image.
Click to expand...

Ghost and TI both use proprietary file formats. BackupMyPC uses QIC which
although not proprietary does have variations that not every program will
read, especially if you use it to span optical storage. NTBackup is much
maligned but it is free and works as advertised. I'm not saying your
suggestions aren't better than NTBackup just the reason you give isn't 100%
accurate. In the end any backup method is better than none. I prefer a
combination of TI and just copying crucial data like photos to an external
media including both optical and a USB hard drive. Another good tool is the
new Microsoft SyncToy.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...54-c975-4814-9649-cce41af06eb7&DisplayLang=en

Kerry


Kerry
 
Kerry said:
Ghost and TI both use proprietary file formats. BackupMyPC
uses QIC which although not proprietary does have variations
that not every program will read, especially if you use it
to span optical storage. NTBackup is much maligned but it is
free and works as advertised. I'm not saying your
suggestions aren't better than NTBackup just the reason you
give isn't 100% accurate. In the end any backup method is
better than none. I prefer a combination of TI and just
copying crucial data like photos to an external media
including both optical and a USB hard drive. Another good
tool is the new Microsoft SyncToy.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...54-c975-4814-9649-cce41af06eb7&DisplayLang=en

Kerry


Kerry
Click to expand...

You're right, not a good explanation on my part. The point I
was trying to make is that you can't open a file created by
ntbackup and inspect the contents. While other programs may use
their own type of backup file format, they at least provide a
mechanism to view the contents.

Thanks for making the clarification.

Nepatsfan
 
Nepatsfan said:
You're right, not a good explanation on my part. The point I was trying to
make is that you can't open a file created by ntbackup and inspect the
contents. While other programs may use their own type of backup file
format, they at least provide a mechanism to view the contents.

Thanks for making the clarification.
Click to expand...

Actually NTBackup does this as well. First turn off the wizard mode. From
the "Restore" tab pick "Tools" then "Catalog a backup file". You can now
view what files are backed up and pick which files to restore and where to
restore them. If all you want to do is see what files are backed up then
don't actually start the restore. The interface is cumbersome and outdated
but it is a full featured backup application. With Shadow Copy it can backup
files that many commercial programs can't.

I'm not getting on your case. I just want to encourage people to do backups.
NTBackup is free and very capable. It's only real shortcoming is the
inability to span optical media or indeed even use optical media easily.
It's common to malign NTBackup in newsgroups but doing so may discourage
unsophisticated, financially challenged people from using it. Any backup
method is to be encouraged. NTBackup is more capable than many commercial
applications. Many network administrators use and prefer it over very
expensive 3rd party applications.

Kerry
 
Kerry said:
Actually NTBackup does this as well. First turn off the
wizard mode. From the "Restore" tab pick "Tools" then
"Catalog a backup file". You can now view what files are
backed up and pick which files to restore and where to
restore them. If all you want to do is see what files are
backed up then don't actually start the restore. The
interface is cumbersome and outdated but it is a full
featured backup application. With Shadow Copy it can backup
files that many commercial programs can't.
I'm not getting on your case. I just want to encourage
people to do backups. NTBackup is free and very capable.
It's only real shortcoming is the inability to span optical
media or indeed even use optical media easily. It's common
to malign NTBackup in newsgroups but doing so may discourage
unsophisticated, financially challenged people from using
it. Any backup method is to be encouraged. NTBackup is more
capable than many commercial applications. Many network
administrators use and prefer it over very expensive 3rd
party applications.
Kerry
Click to expand...

Once again, I've done a rather poor job of making my point!

If I double click on a file created by ntbackup, I have to
navigate an interface which is, as you have so accurately
described, "cumbersome". If I double click on a file created by
Norton Ghost, I'm presented with a far more "user friendly"
interface. Best of all, my copy of Ghost came bundled along
with Partition Magic for the low, low price of $10 after
rebates.

Don't worry about "getting on my case". I enjoy a good debate.
With that in mind, let's see if I can make a point without
messing it up!

Microsoft thought so much of the Backup program that they
didn't even include it in the default installation of XP Home
Edition which, in the vast majority of cases, is the edition
used by the "unsophisticated financially challenged people" you
wish to help. Microsoft also decided not to make each new
version backward compatible. How about the people who
faithfully used the Windows 98 version of Backup and found that
the files they created couldn't be opened with the XP version?
If they no longer had access to a computer running Windows 98
they had no workable solution.

I agree that it's better than nothing. My response to the OP
wasn't meant to disparage ntbackup. I simply wanted to point
out that there are alternatives which are easier to use and
affordable to anyone who values their data.

Hopefully, the next version of Windows will contain a backup
utility that is more "user friendly" and can work with files
created with the XP version. If that happens, I'll include it
as a recommended backup solution.

I'll let you have the last word on the subject.

Nepatsfan
 
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