Backup Utility Recommendations Please

[Guest]

I've been searching around and the following look very promising:

NovaBACKUP 8
http://www.novastor.com/pcbackup/backup/n_backup.html

O&O DiskImage 2
http://www.oo-software.com/home/en/products/oodiskimage/

I'm trying NovaBACKUP this weekend.

Note: "O&O DiskImage 2 Professional Edition and revive a system without
prior installation of the software. CD is based on Microsoft Windows Vista
and contains all standard drivers included in Windows, eliminating the need
on most systems for the complicated loading of extra drivers." But, there's
always a but, you have to purchase the download anyway before you can get the
CD.

 

[GeraldF]

My problem with TI if for whatever reason it does not like backing up
any Recycle folder, or System Volume Information folder.

True Image has never failed on over 20 machines (98,
2000, XP, SBS Server, and Vista Ultimate) for the past 4
years. What are you doing differently?

 

[Tecknomage]

What is the exact text? Is it something like:

"The file is corrupted. (0x4000D) Tag = 0xC847B314771C5F00"

Yap. That's it.

This reminds me of the days of cryptic error codes, "System error code
40" as if we are suppose to be able to do anything with that info.

 

[Tecknomage]

True Image has never failed on over 20 machines (98,
2000, XP, SBS Server, and Vista Ultimate) for the past 4
years. What are you doing differently?

I don't know. Note, I ran Win Backup (NTBackup) on C:, with
verification, no problems. Hummmm....

I wonder if TI has been tested on a PC with a SiS motherboard?

 

[Daave]

Yap. That's it.

According to results from a Google search, this error is actually rare,
and I'm pretty sure there's no definitive explanantion. Anyway, have a
look at:

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=152060

 

[GeraldF]

I wonder if TI has been tested on a PC with a SiS motherboard?

Have you tried this website?
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=65

I am suspicious it is your backup drive.
Are you using USB or Firewire?
Have you tried a different backup drive?

I agree with you that verification in TI can be a
problem, and little information is provided.

I literally have resored systems to all 20 machines
including an SBS Server and they all have worked!
I regularly restore individual files from image backups.

 

[Tecknomage]

Have you tried this website?
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=65

Yes.


I am suspicious it is your backup drive.
Are you using USB or Firewire?
Have you tried a different backup drive?

Can't, the reason I use my external Firewire drives is there's not
enough space on my EIDEs for a backup.

Note, I did try a image backup to DVD. Verify says it's not a valid
backup.

You may have missed a previous comment. File backups will pass
verification if I *deselect* all Recycle folders AND System Volume
Information folders. 100% fail if these are selected.

I agree with you that verification in TI can be a
problem, and little information is provided.

I literally have resored systems to all 20 machines
including an SBS Server and they all have worked!
I regularly restore individual files from image backups.

I suspect they have never tested TI on a system using a SiS
motherboard. These motherboards have their quirks.

I cannot afford to continue this way, so I'm dumping TI and looking
elsewhere for a backup utility with a "real" verification function and
detailed job-log. First stop, NovaBACKUP from NovaStor.

 

[Tecknomage]

According to results from a Google search, this error is actually rare,
and I'm pretty sure there's no definitive explanantion. Anyway, have a
look at:

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=152060

Been there, done that. I usually run backups on my boot drive from
the TI boot CD anyway. Have the exact same problem as in thread.

Note that I found out that for file backups, if I leave any Recycle
folder OR System Volume Information folder selected = 100%
verification fail. Deselect these folders and verification passes the
majority of the time. But this means all drive image backups fail
because there's no exclusions.

 

[Guest]

RESULTS:

1) Tied NovaBACKUP first. There downloaded installer would not work. Not on
my home PC or work PC, both running WinXP Pro SP2!

2) Downloaded and installed trial version of O&O DiskImage2.
Imaged AND verified my HD0 (C: & D. No problems at all (unlike my problems
with TI).

Purchased a license which included a downloaded ISO of their WinPE Boot CD
w/DiskImage.

CAUTION: For those who may buy O&O DiskImage, be sure you ALSO check the
option to purchase the $10 backup CD.

Some O&O DiskImage 2 features I like:

- Can "Copy" drives and the image can be viewed in an Explorer-like
interface, this makes this equivalent to a file-backup.

- An image can be "mounted" as a drive and individual files/folders can be
copied from the image.

- The HD0 (80gb) image and verify took less than 2hrs.

- You can do forensic images.


By the way, thanks to all those who replied.