Complete Backup

[Guest]

Thanks Anna for all your instructions and help - and for your essay - I found
it to be VERY helpful!!!!!!

Marilyn

 

[Steve Hawkins]

If this gets through I'll second that, and am looking forward to a more
secure New Year - thanks very much Anna.

I say 'if' this gets through, because after my last post I got an odd rather
sniffy sounding e-mail:

"DLIST:Command Processing Log:
Sorry, you are not authorized to post messages to this list
Reason (steve.a.hawkins@ntl(nospam)world.com is not a member of the list)
Subject: Re: Complete Backup"

Thought I might have upset MS or something?

SteveH

 

[Guest]

Applause to all who contributed--this thread has been a big help.

However, with both Dell and (in my case) Lenovo offering standard
floppy-less configurations, isn't it reasonable to insist the OS also
purchased as part of the package allow backups with the delivered
hardware? I have recently figured out how to convert an external USB
fat32 drive to ntfs so that I can back up my 16GB of data...and after
an hour creating the backup file, the system insists I insert a floppy into
a non-existent drive.

Maybe it's like buying a car without an overhead light...but I shouldn't have
to check for the presence of the latter when I cough up big $ for a system.
Michael

How do you lock down/mount the other side of the floppy drive
by only opening one side of the case ? Or are you using case(s)
with 3.25" mounting rails ?

 

[Anna]

Applause to all who contributed--this thread has been a big help.

However, with both Dell and (in my case) Lenovo offering standard
floppy-less configurations, isn't it reasonable to insist the OS also
purchased as part of the package allow backups with the delivered
hardware? I have recently figured out how to convert an external USB
fat32 drive to ntfs so that I can back up my 16GB of data...and after
an hour creating the backup file, the system insists I insert a floppy
into
a non-existent drive.

Maybe it's like buying a car without an overhead light...but I shouldn't
have
to check for the presence of the latter when I cough up big $ for a
system.
Michael

Michael:
Setting aside the problem with many computers that do not include floppy
disk drives - unfortunate in my view, but a fact of life nowadays - insofar
as a backup program is concerned, why not consider a disk imaging program
such as the ones that have been described in great detail during the course
of this thread?

Through the use of a disk imaging program such as the ones discussed here -
Symantec's Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image - you can simply "clone" the
contents of your internal working HD to your USB external HD, thus
achieving, for all practical purposes, an exact duplicate of your source
disk, including the operating system as well as all your programs and
created data. Is this not a desirable backup system?

The process, as we & others have described, is relatively straightforward,
reasonably simple, and effective. And, I might add, reasonably quick. In
your case, you would *not* have to "convert an external USB fat32 drive to
ntfs" in order to back up your system. The cloning process would
automatically take care of that. You didn't say what backup program you're
using but I assume it's one that just backs up your created files, not your
OS nor programs & applications.

And you don't need a floppy disk to use a disk imaging program. You can use
the Windows GUI or a bootable CD created by the disk imaging program in most
cases.
While not trifling, the cost of a disk imaging program is not terribly
expensive.
Anna

 

[Guest]

Anna,
Thanks for your response. I'm using the IBM backup utility provided with XP
by Lenovo. I deeply appreciate both the HW and SW solutions offered and
explained in great detail by this thread.

However, my point is that I paid (not inconsequential) $$ for the HW and
SW (XP Professional). Dishing out additional $$ for HW or SW for convenience
or extra functionality is one thing...for basic correct operation is another.

I believe I already purchased HW and SW that should support the creation
of backups. While I will be forced (due to risk of my data) to shell out
more $$, the complacent attitude and blame-the-consumer stance in
this thread could use a good dose of old-fashioned consumer outrage.
I'm mad as hell and have already sent Stephen Ward's customer rep
a note asking for her attention to this on behalf of me and other Lenovo
customers.

I encourage the contributors of this thread to augment thier good advice with
similar appeals to Ward, Michael Dell and Bill Gates. As long as they can get
by selling poor quality products, they will.
Michael

 

[Rock]

Anna,
Thanks for your response. I'm using the IBM backup utility provided with XP
by Lenovo. I deeply appreciate both the HW and SW solutions offered and
explained in great detail by this thread.

However, my point is that I paid (not inconsequential) $$ for the HW and
SW (XP Professional). Dishing out additional $$ for HW or SW for convenience
or extra functionality is one thing...for basic correct operation is another.

I believe I already purchased HW and SW that should support the creation
of backups. While I will be forced (due to risk of my data) to shell out
more $$, the complacent attitude and blame-the-consumer stance in
this thread could use a good dose of old-fashioned consumer outrage.
I'm mad as hell and have already sent Stephen Ward's customer rep
a note asking for her attention to this on behalf of me and other Lenovo
customers.

I encourage the contributors of this thread to augment thier good advice with
similar appeals to Ward, Michael Dell and Bill Gates. As long as they can get
by selling poor quality products, they will.
Michael

You're beef is with the IBM backup utility by Lenova. Take it up with
them. No one owes you anything when you purchase something. You need
to be an informed buyer who knows what the system comes with and how it
works.