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Richard A. Landkamer
I recently upgraded my computer from Windows 98SE to Windows XP Professional Edition.
Under Windows 98SE I used Veritas - Stomp's Backup MyPC with no problems. I could
always create Disaster Recovery disks and CDs under Windows 98SE with Backup MyPC.
However, when I attempted to create this same type of automated Disaster Recovery with
Backup MyPC under Windows XP Professional Edition, I discovered that it cannot be
done. I believe that readers of this Microsoft Windows XP public discussion list will find
the following forwarded e-mail that I sent to Mr. Pete Macomber, Support Manager at
Stomp Inc., to be self-explanatory in this regard.
I am currently researching other backup products that might be either a suitable alternative
-- or a supplement -- to Backup MyPC. One product that has been recommended to
me by multiple sources is Norton Ghost. It appears that this product could function as a
supplement to Backup MyPC, and could do the type of automated Disaster Recovery that
Backup MyPC cannot do under at least some versions of Windows XP.
Another product is Symantec GoBack. However, from the description of this product
at <http://www.symantec.com/goback/>, I see nothing to indicate that Symantec GoBack
could be used to recover one's computer system in the event of a hard disk crash, so I
question whether this product would be applicable to what I need.
From a search of all postings to this Microsoft Windows XP public discussion list that
contain the words "backup" and "back up"in the subject heading, I found references that
led me to PowerQuest's Drive Image 7 and NewTech Infosystems' Backup Now! 3.0
Deluxe Suite. I looked up these products on the Internet, and have sent inquiries to their
vendors as to whether these two products have any of the type of problems that I have
encountered with Veritas - Stomp's Backup MyPC product, and which prevent users from
being able to use automated Disaster Recovery in at least some versions of Windows XP.
Does anyone know the answer to this question? If so, I would like to know. Thank you.
Richard A. Landkamer
----- Original Message -----
From: Richard A. Landkamer
To: Pete Macomber, Stomp Inc
Cc: Angel Eden - Gigabyte
Sent: Monday, October 27, 2003 1:57 AM
Subject: Upgrading from Windows 98SE to Windows XP Professional Edition has disabled automated Disaster Recovery in Veritas-Stomp Backup MyPC.
To Pete Macomber:
Last Friday, October 24, 2003, Angel Eden of Gigabyte Computer Services in Houston,
Texas, attempted to install an Upgrade version of Windows XP Professional Edition with
Service Pack 1 pre-installed over the original version of Windows XP Professional Edition
that he had previously installed. FYI, I obtained the original version of Windows XP from
my employer at a steep discount, but with a lot of licensing restrictions.
At the end of your previous E-Mail to me of October 20, 2003, you wrote the following:
"New versions of Windows XP Pro/Home are sold with SP1a pre-installed and these
discs will install a system which is compatible with Backup MyPC's Disaster Recovery.
Please contact me if you need further clarification or assistance."
Your above quoted information proved to be totally false. If it was true, then what
we did would have worked but it did not. When it did not work, Angel Eden called you
from my home telephone, which is next to my computer that he was working on. You told
him to try using the Windows XP Repair function. That was done, and still we kept getting
the Stomp Backup MyPC error window stating that "The version of Windows XP Service
Pack 1 installed on your computer does not support automated Disaster Recovery." These
issues are described in some detail on your Stomp Inc. website at
<http://supportforum.stompinc.com/printthread.php?t=862> and
<http://supportforum.stompinc.com/printthread.php?t=1879>.
As a last resort, we decided to try slipstreaming Service Pack 1 to the Windows XP
Upgrade with Service Pack 1 pre-installed on the remote possibility that Service Pack
1 had not been correctly installed by Microsoft, and that your much touted slipstream
process might actually work. FYI, we did the slipstream process that is described at
<http://www.windows-help.net/windowsxp/winxp-sp1-bootcd.html>, but did not make
any attempt to incorporate the Windows XP Rollup 1 Hotfix into this slipstream, since it
was irrelevant to what we were attempting to do. The end result after doing all this was
that we still got the above Stomp Backup MyPC error window stating that "The version
of Windows XP Service Pack 1 installed on your computer does not support automated
Disaster Recovery."
Mr. Macomber, what I stated above is cold hard fact. Now I will give you my opinion as
to why your Backup My PC automated Disaster Recovery will not work in my situation.
First, I will state that whenever I come across technical "solutions" like your slipstreaming
process that do not work, I start looking for hidden economic profit motives and agendas
for why automated disaster recovery will not work with your Backup MyPC under Windows
XP. But before I state what I believe, I have one other point to make: In everything that I
have read about this automated Disaster Recovery problem with Windows XP, I have yet
to read a single technical explanation as to why automated disaster recovery will not work
with your Backup MyPC on Windows XP. All we read is how to use workaround
"solutions" that did not work in my case. To me, this smacks of a cover up and a "smoke-
screen" to conceal some hidden profit agenda.
It is my belief that the primary reason why automated Disaster Recovery cannot be
made to work in situations like mine is because of the untold profits that Microsoft
can make by disabling the ability to do automatic Disaster Recovery with products
like your Backup MyPC in all Upgrade versions of Windows XP. In order to under-
stand this, you have to look at how Microsoft currently markets and licenses Windows XP.
When Windows XP was originally released by Microsoft, I understand that most Microsoft
installation CDs for Windows XP had the ability to do either (1) a new clean install of Win-
dows XP, or (2) an Upgrade to Windows XP from another/previous version of Windows.
The original Windows XP installation CD that I purchased from my employer has this ability.
The above mentioned Angel Eden of Gigabyte Computer Services also builds custom built
computers like mine, which I purchased from Gigabyte in August, 2001. I was informed
that until recently, Gigabyte would get OEM versions of Windows XP from Microsoft that
had this same ability to do either (1) a new clean install of Windows XP, or (2) an upgrade
to Windows XP from another/previous version of Windows. But recently, Microsoft has
started to market most of its Windows XP installation CDs as either (1) a new clean install
version, or (2) an Upgrade version, but not both. I got the impression that you can still buy
installation CDs with both of the above versions of Windows XP, but at a much higher cost.
In the 2nd paragraph of your e-mail to me of October 20, 2003, you wrote.
"One thing to consider when deciding on a path to resolve the SP1 issues: the workaround for
restoring is not much different than the DR restore. It involves more user interaction and can
possibly take you an extra hour to restore everything. This method is described here:
http://supportforum.stompinc.com/images/admin_images/xp_sp1.htm ".
In Step 2 of that procedure, we read "Reinstall Windows XP," and in Step 3 we read:
"Reinstall Windows XP Service Pack 1.:" You left out Step 2a, which applies to
everyone who Upgraded to Windows XP from a another/previous version, and
does not have either (a) an old Windows XP installation CD that has the ability to
do both (1) a new clean install of Windows XP, and (2) an upgrade to Windows XP
from another/previous version of Windows, or (b) a full installation CD of another/
previous version of Windows from which an Upgrade to Windows XP can be
performed: This missing step is to go out and purchase a new CD that contains a
new clean installation of Windows XP Professional or Home edition.
In other words, if the only installation CD that you have for Windows XP (Profes-
sional or Home edition) is the Upgrade CD, and you have no other CD from which
an Upgrade to Windows XP can be done -- and your hard disk crashes -- you must
purchase a new installation CD of Windows XP, and do a new clean install of
Windows XP (Professional or Home edition.)
I contend that Microsoft has a vested financial interest to force their users of
Windows XP into the above predicament. I believe that it is no accident that
Microsoft has sabotaged the ability to do automatic Disaster Recovery for
Windows XP users like me. If this was an accident, Microsoft would have fixed
this problem by now. They have certainly had ample time to fix this problem if they
wanted to. This tells me a lot about the business "ethics" of Microsoft.
This also tells me a lot about the business "ethics" of Veritas and Stomp. In the first
paragraph of your previous e-mail to me of October 20, 2003, you stated:
"You may want to try Norton Ghost if you choose to replace BUMP as it is one of the most
commonly used backup applications and has a good reputation. I do know the restore problems
with SP1 affect not only Backup MyPC, but other companies software as well, so look into
this before deciding on a new backup application."
Angel Eden explained to me how Norton Ghost works: Before bringing up Windows XP,
Norton Ghost can copy all of your C: Drive to any clone disk of the same size, which can
then be used as a Disaster Recovery boot up disk. This copy process to a clone disk is
apparently done under DOS before the boot up process invokes Windows XP, which raises
the obvious question: Why doesn't Veritas do something similar with full backups taken by
its Backup MyPC product? It appears to me that "the fix is in," and Veritas does not want
its Backup MyPC product to be able to perform automatic Disaster Recovery under all
versions of Windows XP, or more specifically, under versions of Windows XP that were
installed using Upgrade versions of Windows XP. In this latter regard, I note the following
statement in your above "workaround" alternate procedure for "Restoring All of Your Files
with Backup MyPC" at <http://supportforum.stompinc.com/images/admin_images/xp_sp1.htm>:
"Note: If you purchased Backup MyPC as a downloadable file over the Internet and no
longer have access to the application file, you may need to contact your reseller to obtain
another copy."
In other words, it looks like Veritas also has a vested financial interest to not always make
Backup MyPC be able to perform automated Disaster Recovery under Windows XP.
Which brings us to the business "ethics" of Stomp, Inc.: In your current website sales
description for Backup MyPC at <http://www.stompinc.com/bump/bump-retail.phtml?ctm1>,
why is there no "fine print" informing potential new buyers of this product that
Backup MyPC is not compatible with some versions of Windows XP, and cannot do
automated Disaster Recovery under some versions of Windows XP? In my case,
I purchased and used Backup MyPC last year when I was previously running Windows
98SE. Doesn't anyone besides me find it strange that Backup MyPC could do automated
Disaster Recovery under Windows 98SE, but cannot do automated Disaster Recovery
under some versions of Windows XP?
Finally, it appears to me that some computer disk manufactures also have a vested financial
interest in not always having automated Disaster Recovery available under Windows XP:
My backup D: disk is a removable internal disk drive. I will probably purchase at least
one more such device to be used with Norton Ghost, since this appears to be the only
way that I can get any kind of automated Disaster Recovery system under Windows
XP. I will use my other present removable internal disk drive for backups created by
Backup MyPC like I do at present, so I can continue to have some historical backups.
In conclusion, there is a real opportunity for some entrepreneur to write a comprehensive
backup and automated Disaster Recovery system that always works under Windows XP.
Incidentally, I never did receive any reply to my previous e-mail to you of October 22,
2003, a copy of which immediately follows this e-mail.
Richard A. Landkamer
----- Original Message -----
From: Richard A. Landkamer
To: Pete Macomber
Cc: Angel Eden - Gigabyte
Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2003 1:29 AM
Subject: Re: Upgrading from Windows 98SE to Windows XP Professional Edition has replaced my previous problem with Backup MyPC with an entirely new problem.
Pete:
Thank you for your reply in which you state: "New versions of Windows XP Pro/Home are
sold with SP1a pre-installed and these discs will install a system which is compatible
with Backup MyPC's Disaster Recovery." At the end of my previous e-mail to you of
October 19, 2003, I stated: "If I can get automated Disaster Recovery to work by
simply reinstalling a current retail version of Windows XP with Service Pack 1
already preinstalled, then that is what I intend to do." This is still what I intend to do.
However, I suggest that you update your Stomp Inc. website with this additional information.
I do not know for how long this new version of Windows XP Pro/Home has been available
with SP1a pre-installed, which you state "is compatible with Backup MyPC's Disaster
Recovery." However, I think this is important information that should be available to anyone
who uses Backup MyPC, and is planning to upgrade to any version of Windows XP from
a previous version of Windows. What this means is that people can avoid having to reinstall
Windows XP - in order to get Backup MyPC's automated Disaster Recovery to work -
if they know that they can avoid this problem by purchasing a current version of Windows
XP with Service Pack 1 already pre-installed.
I also note your statement that:
"One thing to consider when deciding on a path to resolve the SP1 issues: the workaround for
restoring is not much different than the DR restore. It involves more user interaction and can
possibly take you an extra hour to restore everything. This method is described here:
http://supportforum.stompinc.com/images/admin_images/xp_sp1.htm ".
But isn't the "extra hour to restore everything" with your other above alternate approach just
the beginning of any Disaster Recovery process with this procedure? Won't people then
have to reinstall and reconfigure all of their applications? Will products like Internet Explorer
and Outlook Express have all of the subsequent current critical fixes from Windows Update
applied with your alternate Disaster Recovery process, or will all of these subsequent fixes
have to be reapplied? Your alternate Disaster Recovery procedure looks to me like a clean
install of Windows XP with at least a week of subsequent recovery work thereafter. Then
there would be some applications that were originally installed under Windows 9X with
subsequent upgrades only. Some original Windows 9X products might not even be able
to be reinstalled under Windows XP, so that they could then subsequently be upgraded...
Unless I misunderstand something, your "extra hour to restore everything" appears to be
only the beginning of a long recovery nightmare.
On the other hand, with true Disaster Recovery, I should be able to restore my computer
to its original state at the time of the backup that is being restored. What would be critical
here is how current is my last backup, and what has transpired subsequent to that backup?
Am I missing anything with this analysis? If so, please let me know.
Richard A. Landkamer
----- Original Message -----
From: Pete Macomber
To: 'Richard A. Landkamer'
Sent: Monday, October 20, 2003 8:56 AM
Subject: RE: Upgrading from Windows 98SE to Windows XP Professional Edition has replaced my previous problem with Backup MyPC with an entirely new problem.
Richard,
You may want to try Norton Ghost if you choose to replace BUMP as it is one of the most commonly used backup applications and has a good reputation. I do know the restore problems with SP1 affect not only Backup MyPC, but other companies software as well, so look into this before deciding on a new backup application.
One thing to consider when deciding on a path to resolve the SP1 issues: the workaround for restoring is not much different than the DR restore. It involves more user interaction and can possibly take you an extra hour to restore everything. This method is described here:
http://supportforum.stompinc.com/images/admin_images/xp_sp1.htm
New versions of Windows XP Pro/Home are sold with SP1a pre-installed and these discs will install a system which is compatible with Backup MyPC's Disaster Recovery.
Please contact me if you need further clarification or assistance.
Regards,
Pete Macomber
Support Manager
Stomp Inc.
2302 Barranca Pkwy
Irvine, CA 92606
Office: 949.263.8560
Email: (e-mail address removed)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Richard A. Landkamer [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2003 1:59 AM
To: Pete Macomber, Stomp Inc
Cc: Angel Eden - Gigabyte
Subject: Upgrading from Windows 98SE to Windows XP Professional Edition has replaced my previous problem with Backup MyPC with an entirely new problem.
Dear Mr. Macomber:
First, you should be interested in knowing that the problem we correspondended about
last August, and which is in the following forwarded e-mail message, appears to have been
eliminated when I upgraded from Windows 98SE to Windows XP Professional Edition
about a week ago. I still have the same 80 Gig. Backup D: Drive that I had before this
upgrade, but it is no longer a FAT32 drive with 32K clusters. It is now an NTFS drive
with 512 byte clusters. Before this upgrade, I eventually discovered that I could usually
reproduce the original problem with one particular file whenever I defragged that drive
using Diskeeper v7.0. However, after upgrading to Windows XP, it appears that I no
longer have my original problem. In doing backups with your Veritas-Stomp Backup
MyPC v4.85, and then subsequent defrags -- now with Diskeeper 8.0 -- I have not been
able to recreate that problem. I'll let you know if it ever reappears using Windows XP
Professional Edition.
On the other hand, I now have an entirely new problem with your Backup MyPC (BUMPC)
v4.85 after upgrading to Windows XP Professional Edition. However, unlike my previous
problem which I never saw described anywhere else, my new problem is described in
some detail in the following two postings on your Stomp Inc. website:
<http://supportforum.stompinc.com/printthread.php?t=862> and
<http://supportforum.stompinc.com/printthread.php?t=1879>.
At one point in your 1st posting, above, you stated:
".... Slip-streamed XP SP1 installs do not exhibit these errors. I slip-streamed my retail XP
Pro disc with the downloaded SP1, and DR works fine. There are many resources on the
internet for instructions on creating slip-streamed SP1 XP discs if you are interested."
At another point in this same posting, you wrote the following:
".... You must have Windows installed from a full Windows XP with SP1 disc for ASR to
function correctly. If you are currently using Windows XP with a downloaded SP1 update,
ASR will not function. You must reinstall your operating system with a Windows XP with
SP1disc for ASR or Disaster Recovery to function. Considering reinstallation is not an
option for most people, you can still restore all of your data and applications."
Well, I am only a week into Windows XP, and I am going to reinstall Windows XP in a
manner that will give me the same automated Disaster Recovery with your Backup MyPC
(BUMPC) that I previously had with Windows 98SE. "Upgrading" to any Microsoft
Windows operating system that cannot subsequently be restored in a rational manner,
which I could do with Windows 98SE, strikes me as an overall step going backwards.
So here are my specific questions:
(1) Do you know of any Backup and Restore software that I could purchase, and which
has an automated Disaster Recovery feature like that of BUMPC in systems other than
Windows XP? If so, I will seriously consider eliminating BUMPC, and replacing it with
a Backup and Restore system that can be made to work without my having to reinstall
Windows XP.
(2) Neither of your above two postings make any explicit reference to the most common
kind of upgrade that is done on existing computers, namely by doing an upgrade from
a previous Windows version like I did. On the other hand, there are a few references
in those postings to doing this with a clean install. Since both upgrades and clean installs
are supported in the same installation CD of most retail versions of the Windows XP
Professional Edition, and since any slipstreaming would be done using this same installation
CD, would there be any problem doing an upgrade instead of a clean installation? Only
in my case, my "upgrade" at this point would be from Windows XP with a version of
service Pack 1 that does not support automated Disaster Recovery to Windows XP
with a version of Service Pack 1 that does support automated Disaster Recovery.
(3) I obtained my present CD for Windows XP Professional Edition from my employer
at a very large discount from a regular retail version. It did not contain Windows XP
Service Pack 1. However, I almost bought a retail version because of licensing issues.
One of the stipulations with what I am currently running is that I must replace my present
Windows XP with a licensed retail version of Windows XP (or something else) if I ever
leave my present employer. FYI, I will probably retire in about 4 or 5 years. Also, I
must replace my present Windows XP with a licensed retail version of Windows XP
(or something else) if the present contract between Microsoft and my employer is ever
terminated. Who knows what might happen tomorrow in this latter regard?
Consequently, I did explore the possibility of having to suddenly reinstall Windows XP
for licensing reasons before installing my present licensed version of Windows XP.
Basically I was told that in this latter case, I would have to purchase a retail version of
Windows XP Professional Edition, and then do an "upgrade" from what would become
an unlicensed version of Windows XP Professional Edition to a licensed retail version of
Windows XP Professional Edition. Now, I am planning to reinstall Windows XP for an
entirely different reason, i.e., to get automated Disaster Recovery.
(4) It has been alleged to me that current retail versions of Windows XP Professional
Edition are now sold with Service Pack 1 preinstalled. I do not know if Microsoft has
"slipstreamed" Service Pack 1 into their current retail versions of Windows XP Professional
Edition, or what. I was only told that Service Pack 1 allegedly comes "preinstalled" on
current CDs containing Windows XP Professional Edition. Can you tell me if this is true?
If so, would any slipstreaming process have to be done if I reinstall a current version
of Windows XP Professional Edition -- if Service Pack 1 really has been preinstalled
by Microsoft -- in order for me to get automated Disaster Recovery to work with
Windows XP? There is nothing in either of the above two postings at
<http://supportforum.stompinc.com/printthread.php?t=862> and
<http://supportforum.stompinc.com/printthread.php?t=1879> on your Stomp website that
addresses this last issue.
If I can get automated Disaster Recovery to work by simply reinstalling a current
retail version of Windows XP with Service Pack 1 already preinstalled, then that is
what I intend to do. So can I do this? Or will I still have to slipstream Service Pack
1 with any version of Windows XP that I reinstall in order to get automated Disaster
Recovery to work with Windows XP Professional Edition? Please advise. Thank you.
Richard A. Landkamer
Under Windows 98SE I used Veritas - Stomp's Backup MyPC with no problems. I could
always create Disaster Recovery disks and CDs under Windows 98SE with Backup MyPC.
However, when I attempted to create this same type of automated Disaster Recovery with
Backup MyPC under Windows XP Professional Edition, I discovered that it cannot be
done. I believe that readers of this Microsoft Windows XP public discussion list will find
the following forwarded e-mail that I sent to Mr. Pete Macomber, Support Manager at
Stomp Inc., to be self-explanatory in this regard.
I am currently researching other backup products that might be either a suitable alternative
-- or a supplement -- to Backup MyPC. One product that has been recommended to
me by multiple sources is Norton Ghost. It appears that this product could function as a
supplement to Backup MyPC, and could do the type of automated Disaster Recovery that
Backup MyPC cannot do under at least some versions of Windows XP.
Another product is Symantec GoBack. However, from the description of this product
at <http://www.symantec.com/goback/>, I see nothing to indicate that Symantec GoBack
could be used to recover one's computer system in the event of a hard disk crash, so I
question whether this product would be applicable to what I need.
From a search of all postings to this Microsoft Windows XP public discussion list that
contain the words "backup" and "back up"in the subject heading, I found references that
led me to PowerQuest's Drive Image 7 and NewTech Infosystems' Backup Now! 3.0
Deluxe Suite. I looked up these products on the Internet, and have sent inquiries to their
vendors as to whether these two products have any of the type of problems that I have
encountered with Veritas - Stomp's Backup MyPC product, and which prevent users from
being able to use automated Disaster Recovery in at least some versions of Windows XP.
Does anyone know the answer to this question? If so, I would like to know. Thank you.
Richard A. Landkamer
----- Original Message -----
From: Richard A. Landkamer
To: Pete Macomber, Stomp Inc
Cc: Angel Eden - Gigabyte
Sent: Monday, October 27, 2003 1:57 AM
Subject: Upgrading from Windows 98SE to Windows XP Professional Edition has disabled automated Disaster Recovery in Veritas-Stomp Backup MyPC.
To Pete Macomber:
Last Friday, October 24, 2003, Angel Eden of Gigabyte Computer Services in Houston,
Texas, attempted to install an Upgrade version of Windows XP Professional Edition with
Service Pack 1 pre-installed over the original version of Windows XP Professional Edition
that he had previously installed. FYI, I obtained the original version of Windows XP from
my employer at a steep discount, but with a lot of licensing restrictions.
At the end of your previous E-Mail to me of October 20, 2003, you wrote the following:
"New versions of Windows XP Pro/Home are sold with SP1a pre-installed and these
discs will install a system which is compatible with Backup MyPC's Disaster Recovery.
Please contact me if you need further clarification or assistance."
Your above quoted information proved to be totally false. If it was true, then what
we did would have worked but it did not. When it did not work, Angel Eden called you
from my home telephone, which is next to my computer that he was working on. You told
him to try using the Windows XP Repair function. That was done, and still we kept getting
the Stomp Backup MyPC error window stating that "The version of Windows XP Service
Pack 1 installed on your computer does not support automated Disaster Recovery." These
issues are described in some detail on your Stomp Inc. website at
<http://supportforum.stompinc.com/printthread.php?t=862> and
<http://supportforum.stompinc.com/printthread.php?t=1879>.
As a last resort, we decided to try slipstreaming Service Pack 1 to the Windows XP
Upgrade with Service Pack 1 pre-installed on the remote possibility that Service Pack
1 had not been correctly installed by Microsoft, and that your much touted slipstream
process might actually work. FYI, we did the slipstream process that is described at
<http://www.windows-help.net/windowsxp/winxp-sp1-bootcd.html>, but did not make
any attempt to incorporate the Windows XP Rollup 1 Hotfix into this slipstream, since it
was irrelevant to what we were attempting to do. The end result after doing all this was
that we still got the above Stomp Backup MyPC error window stating that "The version
of Windows XP Service Pack 1 installed on your computer does not support automated
Disaster Recovery."
Mr. Macomber, what I stated above is cold hard fact. Now I will give you my opinion as
to why your Backup My PC automated Disaster Recovery will not work in my situation.
First, I will state that whenever I come across technical "solutions" like your slipstreaming
process that do not work, I start looking for hidden economic profit motives and agendas
for why automated disaster recovery will not work with your Backup MyPC under Windows
XP. But before I state what I believe, I have one other point to make: In everything that I
have read about this automated Disaster Recovery problem with Windows XP, I have yet
to read a single technical explanation as to why automated disaster recovery will not work
with your Backup MyPC on Windows XP. All we read is how to use workaround
"solutions" that did not work in my case. To me, this smacks of a cover up and a "smoke-
screen" to conceal some hidden profit agenda.
It is my belief that the primary reason why automated Disaster Recovery cannot be
made to work in situations like mine is because of the untold profits that Microsoft
can make by disabling the ability to do automatic Disaster Recovery with products
like your Backup MyPC in all Upgrade versions of Windows XP. In order to under-
stand this, you have to look at how Microsoft currently markets and licenses Windows XP.
When Windows XP was originally released by Microsoft, I understand that most Microsoft
installation CDs for Windows XP had the ability to do either (1) a new clean install of Win-
dows XP, or (2) an Upgrade to Windows XP from another/previous version of Windows.
The original Windows XP installation CD that I purchased from my employer has this ability.
The above mentioned Angel Eden of Gigabyte Computer Services also builds custom built
computers like mine, which I purchased from Gigabyte in August, 2001. I was informed
that until recently, Gigabyte would get OEM versions of Windows XP from Microsoft that
had this same ability to do either (1) a new clean install of Windows XP, or (2) an upgrade
to Windows XP from another/previous version of Windows. But recently, Microsoft has
started to market most of its Windows XP installation CDs as either (1) a new clean install
version, or (2) an Upgrade version, but not both. I got the impression that you can still buy
installation CDs with both of the above versions of Windows XP, but at a much higher cost.
In the 2nd paragraph of your e-mail to me of October 20, 2003, you wrote.
"One thing to consider when deciding on a path to resolve the SP1 issues: the workaround for
restoring is not much different than the DR restore. It involves more user interaction and can
possibly take you an extra hour to restore everything. This method is described here:
http://supportforum.stompinc.com/images/admin_images/xp_sp1.htm ".
In Step 2 of that procedure, we read "Reinstall Windows XP," and in Step 3 we read:
"Reinstall Windows XP Service Pack 1.:" You left out Step 2a, which applies to
everyone who Upgraded to Windows XP from a another/previous version, and
does not have either (a) an old Windows XP installation CD that has the ability to
do both (1) a new clean install of Windows XP, and (2) an upgrade to Windows XP
from another/previous version of Windows, or (b) a full installation CD of another/
previous version of Windows from which an Upgrade to Windows XP can be
performed: This missing step is to go out and purchase a new CD that contains a
new clean installation of Windows XP Professional or Home edition.
In other words, if the only installation CD that you have for Windows XP (Profes-
sional or Home edition) is the Upgrade CD, and you have no other CD from which
an Upgrade to Windows XP can be done -- and your hard disk crashes -- you must
purchase a new installation CD of Windows XP, and do a new clean install of
Windows XP (Professional or Home edition.)
I contend that Microsoft has a vested financial interest to force their users of
Windows XP into the above predicament. I believe that it is no accident that
Microsoft has sabotaged the ability to do automatic Disaster Recovery for
Windows XP users like me. If this was an accident, Microsoft would have fixed
this problem by now. They have certainly had ample time to fix this problem if they
wanted to. This tells me a lot about the business "ethics" of Microsoft.
This also tells me a lot about the business "ethics" of Veritas and Stomp. In the first
paragraph of your previous e-mail to me of October 20, 2003, you stated:
"You may want to try Norton Ghost if you choose to replace BUMP as it is one of the most
commonly used backup applications and has a good reputation. I do know the restore problems
with SP1 affect not only Backup MyPC, but other companies software as well, so look into
this before deciding on a new backup application."
Angel Eden explained to me how Norton Ghost works: Before bringing up Windows XP,
Norton Ghost can copy all of your C: Drive to any clone disk of the same size, which can
then be used as a Disaster Recovery boot up disk. This copy process to a clone disk is
apparently done under DOS before the boot up process invokes Windows XP, which raises
the obvious question: Why doesn't Veritas do something similar with full backups taken by
its Backup MyPC product? It appears to me that "the fix is in," and Veritas does not want
its Backup MyPC product to be able to perform automatic Disaster Recovery under all
versions of Windows XP, or more specifically, under versions of Windows XP that were
installed using Upgrade versions of Windows XP. In this latter regard, I note the following
statement in your above "workaround" alternate procedure for "Restoring All of Your Files
with Backup MyPC" at <http://supportforum.stompinc.com/images/admin_images/xp_sp1.htm>:
"Note: If you purchased Backup MyPC as a downloadable file over the Internet and no
longer have access to the application file, you may need to contact your reseller to obtain
another copy."
In other words, it looks like Veritas also has a vested financial interest to not always make
Backup MyPC be able to perform automated Disaster Recovery under Windows XP.
Which brings us to the business "ethics" of Stomp, Inc.: In your current website sales
description for Backup MyPC at <http://www.stompinc.com/bump/bump-retail.phtml?ctm1>,
why is there no "fine print" informing potential new buyers of this product that
Backup MyPC is not compatible with some versions of Windows XP, and cannot do
automated Disaster Recovery under some versions of Windows XP? In my case,
I purchased and used Backup MyPC last year when I was previously running Windows
98SE. Doesn't anyone besides me find it strange that Backup MyPC could do automated
Disaster Recovery under Windows 98SE, but cannot do automated Disaster Recovery
under some versions of Windows XP?
Finally, it appears to me that some computer disk manufactures also have a vested financial
interest in not always having automated Disaster Recovery available under Windows XP:
My backup D: disk is a removable internal disk drive. I will probably purchase at least
one more such device to be used with Norton Ghost, since this appears to be the only
way that I can get any kind of automated Disaster Recovery system under Windows
XP. I will use my other present removable internal disk drive for backups created by
Backup MyPC like I do at present, so I can continue to have some historical backups.
In conclusion, there is a real opportunity for some entrepreneur to write a comprehensive
backup and automated Disaster Recovery system that always works under Windows XP.
Incidentally, I never did receive any reply to my previous e-mail to you of October 22,
2003, a copy of which immediately follows this e-mail.
Richard A. Landkamer
----- Original Message -----
From: Richard A. Landkamer
To: Pete Macomber
Cc: Angel Eden - Gigabyte
Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2003 1:29 AM
Subject: Re: Upgrading from Windows 98SE to Windows XP Professional Edition has replaced my previous problem with Backup MyPC with an entirely new problem.
Pete:
Thank you for your reply in which you state: "New versions of Windows XP Pro/Home are
sold with SP1a pre-installed and these discs will install a system which is compatible
with Backup MyPC's Disaster Recovery." At the end of my previous e-mail to you of
October 19, 2003, I stated: "If I can get automated Disaster Recovery to work by
simply reinstalling a current retail version of Windows XP with Service Pack 1
already preinstalled, then that is what I intend to do." This is still what I intend to do.
However, I suggest that you update your Stomp Inc. website with this additional information.
I do not know for how long this new version of Windows XP Pro/Home has been available
with SP1a pre-installed, which you state "is compatible with Backup MyPC's Disaster
Recovery." However, I think this is important information that should be available to anyone
who uses Backup MyPC, and is planning to upgrade to any version of Windows XP from
a previous version of Windows. What this means is that people can avoid having to reinstall
Windows XP - in order to get Backup MyPC's automated Disaster Recovery to work -
if they know that they can avoid this problem by purchasing a current version of Windows
XP with Service Pack 1 already pre-installed.
I also note your statement that:
"One thing to consider when deciding on a path to resolve the SP1 issues: the workaround for
restoring is not much different than the DR restore. It involves more user interaction and can
possibly take you an extra hour to restore everything. This method is described here:
http://supportforum.stompinc.com/images/admin_images/xp_sp1.htm ".
But isn't the "extra hour to restore everything" with your other above alternate approach just
the beginning of any Disaster Recovery process with this procedure? Won't people then
have to reinstall and reconfigure all of their applications? Will products like Internet Explorer
and Outlook Express have all of the subsequent current critical fixes from Windows Update
applied with your alternate Disaster Recovery process, or will all of these subsequent fixes
have to be reapplied? Your alternate Disaster Recovery procedure looks to me like a clean
install of Windows XP with at least a week of subsequent recovery work thereafter. Then
there would be some applications that were originally installed under Windows 9X with
subsequent upgrades only. Some original Windows 9X products might not even be able
to be reinstalled under Windows XP, so that they could then subsequently be upgraded...
Unless I misunderstand something, your "extra hour to restore everything" appears to be
only the beginning of a long recovery nightmare.
On the other hand, with true Disaster Recovery, I should be able to restore my computer
to its original state at the time of the backup that is being restored. What would be critical
here is how current is my last backup, and what has transpired subsequent to that backup?
Am I missing anything with this analysis? If so, please let me know.
Richard A. Landkamer
----- Original Message -----
From: Pete Macomber
To: 'Richard A. Landkamer'
Sent: Monday, October 20, 2003 8:56 AM
Subject: RE: Upgrading from Windows 98SE to Windows XP Professional Edition has replaced my previous problem with Backup MyPC with an entirely new problem.
Richard,
You may want to try Norton Ghost if you choose to replace BUMP as it is one of the most commonly used backup applications and has a good reputation. I do know the restore problems with SP1 affect not only Backup MyPC, but other companies software as well, so look into this before deciding on a new backup application.
One thing to consider when deciding on a path to resolve the SP1 issues: the workaround for restoring is not much different than the DR restore. It involves more user interaction and can possibly take you an extra hour to restore everything. This method is described here:
http://supportforum.stompinc.com/images/admin_images/xp_sp1.htm
New versions of Windows XP Pro/Home are sold with SP1a pre-installed and these discs will install a system which is compatible with Backup MyPC's Disaster Recovery.
Please contact me if you need further clarification or assistance.
Regards,
Pete Macomber
Support Manager
Stomp Inc.
2302 Barranca Pkwy
Irvine, CA 92606
Office: 949.263.8560
Email: (e-mail address removed)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Richard A. Landkamer [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2003 1:59 AM
To: Pete Macomber, Stomp Inc
Cc: Angel Eden - Gigabyte
Subject: Upgrading from Windows 98SE to Windows XP Professional Edition has replaced my previous problem with Backup MyPC with an entirely new problem.
Dear Mr. Macomber:
First, you should be interested in knowing that the problem we correspondended about
last August, and which is in the following forwarded e-mail message, appears to have been
eliminated when I upgraded from Windows 98SE to Windows XP Professional Edition
about a week ago. I still have the same 80 Gig. Backup D: Drive that I had before this
upgrade, but it is no longer a FAT32 drive with 32K clusters. It is now an NTFS drive
with 512 byte clusters. Before this upgrade, I eventually discovered that I could usually
reproduce the original problem with one particular file whenever I defragged that drive
using Diskeeper v7.0. However, after upgrading to Windows XP, it appears that I no
longer have my original problem. In doing backups with your Veritas-Stomp Backup
MyPC v4.85, and then subsequent defrags -- now with Diskeeper 8.0 -- I have not been
able to recreate that problem. I'll let you know if it ever reappears using Windows XP
Professional Edition.
On the other hand, I now have an entirely new problem with your Backup MyPC (BUMPC)
v4.85 after upgrading to Windows XP Professional Edition. However, unlike my previous
problem which I never saw described anywhere else, my new problem is described in
some detail in the following two postings on your Stomp Inc. website:
<http://supportforum.stompinc.com/printthread.php?t=862> and
<http://supportforum.stompinc.com/printthread.php?t=1879>.
At one point in your 1st posting, above, you stated:
".... Slip-streamed XP SP1 installs do not exhibit these errors. I slip-streamed my retail XP
Pro disc with the downloaded SP1, and DR works fine. There are many resources on the
internet for instructions on creating slip-streamed SP1 XP discs if you are interested."
At another point in this same posting, you wrote the following:
".... You must have Windows installed from a full Windows XP with SP1 disc for ASR to
function correctly. If you are currently using Windows XP with a downloaded SP1 update,
ASR will not function. You must reinstall your operating system with a Windows XP with
SP1disc for ASR or Disaster Recovery to function. Considering reinstallation is not an
option for most people, you can still restore all of your data and applications."
Well, I am only a week into Windows XP, and I am going to reinstall Windows XP in a
manner that will give me the same automated Disaster Recovery with your Backup MyPC
(BUMPC) that I previously had with Windows 98SE. "Upgrading" to any Microsoft
Windows operating system that cannot subsequently be restored in a rational manner,
which I could do with Windows 98SE, strikes me as an overall step going backwards.
So here are my specific questions:
(1) Do you know of any Backup and Restore software that I could purchase, and which
has an automated Disaster Recovery feature like that of BUMPC in systems other than
Windows XP? If so, I will seriously consider eliminating BUMPC, and replacing it with
a Backup and Restore system that can be made to work without my having to reinstall
Windows XP.
(2) Neither of your above two postings make any explicit reference to the most common
kind of upgrade that is done on existing computers, namely by doing an upgrade from
a previous Windows version like I did. On the other hand, there are a few references
in those postings to doing this with a clean install. Since both upgrades and clean installs
are supported in the same installation CD of most retail versions of the Windows XP
Professional Edition, and since any slipstreaming would be done using this same installation
CD, would there be any problem doing an upgrade instead of a clean installation? Only
in my case, my "upgrade" at this point would be from Windows XP with a version of
service Pack 1 that does not support automated Disaster Recovery to Windows XP
with a version of Service Pack 1 that does support automated Disaster Recovery.
(3) I obtained my present CD for Windows XP Professional Edition from my employer
at a very large discount from a regular retail version. It did not contain Windows XP
Service Pack 1. However, I almost bought a retail version because of licensing issues.
One of the stipulations with what I am currently running is that I must replace my present
Windows XP with a licensed retail version of Windows XP (or something else) if I ever
leave my present employer. FYI, I will probably retire in about 4 or 5 years. Also, I
must replace my present Windows XP with a licensed retail version of Windows XP
(or something else) if the present contract between Microsoft and my employer is ever
terminated. Who knows what might happen tomorrow in this latter regard?
Consequently, I did explore the possibility of having to suddenly reinstall Windows XP
for licensing reasons before installing my present licensed version of Windows XP.
Basically I was told that in this latter case, I would have to purchase a retail version of
Windows XP Professional Edition, and then do an "upgrade" from what would become
an unlicensed version of Windows XP Professional Edition to a licensed retail version of
Windows XP Professional Edition. Now, I am planning to reinstall Windows XP for an
entirely different reason, i.e., to get automated Disaster Recovery.
(4) It has been alleged to me that current retail versions of Windows XP Professional
Edition are now sold with Service Pack 1 preinstalled. I do not know if Microsoft has
"slipstreamed" Service Pack 1 into their current retail versions of Windows XP Professional
Edition, or what. I was only told that Service Pack 1 allegedly comes "preinstalled" on
current CDs containing Windows XP Professional Edition. Can you tell me if this is true?
If so, would any slipstreaming process have to be done if I reinstall a current version
of Windows XP Professional Edition -- if Service Pack 1 really has been preinstalled
by Microsoft -- in order for me to get automated Disaster Recovery to work with
Windows XP? There is nothing in either of the above two postings at
<http://supportforum.stompinc.com/printthread.php?t=862> and
<http://supportforum.stompinc.com/printthread.php?t=1879> on your Stomp website that
addresses this last issue.
If I can get automated Disaster Recovery to work by simply reinstalling a current
retail version of Windows XP with Service Pack 1 already preinstalled, then that is
what I intend to do. So can I do this? Or will I still have to slipstream Service Pack
1 with any version of Windows XP that I reinstall in order to get automated Disaster
Recovery to work with Windows XP Professional Edition? Please advise. Thank you.
Richard A. Landkamer
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