Basic Backup question

[Patti Barden]

Running XP Pro, 500GB hard disk formatted in NTFS.
I have 70GB on my drive, including 36GB data.

I used to use a program called "Drive Image" and made an image of my drive
and saved it in a separate partition as a backup. This worked well for a
long time, then one day while making an image the electricity was cut.

Chaos, it seems my drive failed (?) anyway, computer hospital saved most of
my data, installed a new hard drive and reinstalled XP. I lost all emails
and Outlook contacts. Meanwhile I had lost the "Drive Image" disk so could
not install it to make backups.

I have gone to Accessories>System Tools>backup and it appears the only way
to make a backup is by a floppy disk. Since I have way too much to backup on
a floppy(s), I bought an external hard disk with the intention of using it
to backup my computer.

Am I on the right track? (Sorry for the long tale).
Patti

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Running XP Pro, 500GB hard disk formatted in NTFS.
I have 70GB on my drive, including 36GB data.

I used to use a program called "Drive Image" and made an image of my drive
and saved it in a separate partition as a backup.

Of all ways to backup that's the weakest, and I strongly recommend
against it. The problem is that it leaves you vulnerable to
simultaneous loss of the original and backup to many of the most
common dangers: head crashes, severe power glitches, nearby lightning
strikes, virus attacks, even theft of the computer.

You might want to read this article I've written "Back Up Your
Computer Regularly and Reliably" at
http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=314

This worked well for a
long time, then one day while making an image the electricity was cut.

Chaos, it seems my drive failed (?) anyway, computer hospital saved most of
my data, installed a new hard drive and reinstalled XP. I lost all emails
and Outlook contacts. Meanwhile I had lost the "Drive Image" disk so could
not install it to make backups.

I have gone to Accessories>System Tools>backup and it appears the only way
to make a backup is by a floppy disk. Since I have way too much to backup on
a floppy(s), I bought an external hard disk with the intention of using it
to backup my computer.

Am I on the right track? (Sorry for the long tale).

Yes. An external hard drive that is not kept connected is an excellent
medium for backup.

 

[Bill R]

Running XP Pro, 500GB hard disk formatted in NTFS.
I have 70GB on my drive, including 36GB data.

I used to use a program called "Drive Image" and made an image of my drive
and saved it in a separate partition as a backup. This worked well for a
long time, then one day while making an image the electricity was cut.

Chaos, it seems my drive failed (?) anyway, computer hospital saved most
of my data, installed a new hard drive and reinstalled XP. I lost all
emails and Outlook contacts. Meanwhile I had lost the "Drive Image" disk
so could not install it to make backups.

I have gone to Accessories>System Tools>backup and it appears the only way
to make a backup is by a floppy disk. Since I have way too much to backup
on a floppy(s), I bought an external hard disk with the intention of using
it to backup my computer.

Am I on the right track? (Sorry for the long tale).
Patti

Patti,

You may like to look at my information sheet at
http://1001solutions.co.uk/Backing-up.pdf for some ideas for a backing up
regime to suit you.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

 

[DL]

Persoanlly I use Acronis TI to backup / Image to an external scource
I have allways, to date, been able to recover an Image, or individual file

 

[Unknown]

On the contrary. She is on the right tract. SHE BOUGHT AN EXTERNAL HD to
back-up to.

 

[Patti Barden]

Thanks Ken,
I just read your excellent article "Back Up Your Computer
Regularly and Reliably"and it described exactly what happened to me.

I have the external hard disk, have almost figured out
whether to use Fat32 or NTFS on the external hard disk,
and am ready to decided how to get an image of my whole
computer put on the external hard disk.

Now the question how to do that? I think I should create some
partitions on both my current computer hard drive (500GB) and
the external hd (1TB). You agree?

Then which program to use for the clone.I have
received some suggestions: Acronis True Image 10,
Paragon Drive Copy 9 Personal SE, and some others.
Do you have a suggestion?
Sincerely, Patti

 

[Patti Barden]

Thanks Bill. Please see my query to Ken re a program.
Patti

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Thanks Ken,

You're welcome. Glad to help.

I just read your excellent article "Back Up Your Computer
Regularly and Reliably"and it described exactly what happened to me.

And thank you for the kind words.

I have the external hard disk, have almost figured out
whether to use Fat32 or NTFS on the external hard disk,
and am ready to decided how to get an image of my whole
computer put on the external hard disk.

Now the question how to do that? I think I should create some
partitions on both my current computer hard drive (500GB) and
the external hd (1TB). You agree?

You have to have at least one partition on any drive you use. I assume
that you want to know whether to have more than one.

The answer is "it depends." Here's another article I've written on
that subject, and I hope it will give you some thoughts on how to
partition your drives: "Understanding Disk Partitioning" at
http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=326

Then which program to use for the clone.I have
received some suggestions: Acronis True Image 10,
Paragon Drive Copy 9 Personal SE, and some others.
Do you have a suggestion?

I haven't used them all, so I can't compare them, but I have used, and
highly recommend, True Image.