Does Backup / Restore image really work

[TH34]

I need a consensus. How many of you have successfully restored a complete
Vista image from a backup to a USB drive? I have done a couple of complete
backups to a USB drive and would like to have some confidence that it works
in most cases. (I don't want to try it just for the heck of it. I should have
done that when I first installed the OS.)
I formerly used Powerquest Drive Image 7 for my XP computers and it works on
all but the system with RAID. With Vista, those days are over. Do I need to
buy a separate backup solution. I hope not since most of them are quite buggy
I have read. I guess I could buy a new disk for my computer and see what
happens.

 

[Richard Urban]

PowerQuest Drive image has been obsolete for about 5 years now. It is NOT
totally compatible with even the Windows XP partition/file structure, let
alone Vista's.

I have the 4 latest versions of Drive Image. I have not used any of them for
4-5 years now. I just lost too many operating systems and partitions doing
so.

Get the latest version of True Image HOME (the latest version - always) and
use that instead. It "IS" compatible and has many more convenience features
than Drive Image ever had.

I sometimes create/restore an image multiple times per week. I have never
had one failure of the program to do what it is designed to do.

--

Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

 

[AlexB]

Why TH34? It should be T34! Just Kidding.

I have Ultimate on 4 machines, use WD MyBook 500GB. I use native backup API.
I used the restore a few times but not quite sure if it was from a restore
point or a backup. It was a hectic time.

 

[Iain]

I need a consensus. How many of you have successfully restored a complete
Vista image from a backup to a USB drive? I have done a couple of complete
backups to a USB drive and would like to have some confidence that it works
in most cases. (I don't want to try it just for the heck of it. I should have
done that when I first installed the OS.)
I formerly used Powerquest Drive Image 7 for my XP computers and it works on
all but the system with RAID. With Vista, those days are over. Do I need to
buy a separate backup solution. I hope not since most of them are quite buggy
I have read. I guess I could buy a new disk for my computer and see what
happens.

I'm running Vista Ultimate and use "Complete PC Backup" periodically to
an external USB 2.0 drive dedicated solely to that purpose.

In November 2007, my system disk became a victim of infant mortality on
this Toshiba laptop purchased August 2007. Toshiba replaced that drive
and I subsequently used backup image to restore system to new disk drive.

"Complete PC Restore" worked flawlessly. Very satisfied with results.

 

[Mick Murphy]

You don't know if it was from a Restore Point or a Backup??????????

You are a raving f*cking lunatic!!!

Go and take your anti-depressants, fag!

You have NO computers at work, you liar.
You are the OFFICE BOY!!!

 

[AlexB]

What is the infant mortality rate for Toshiba laptops? Not entirely
pointless question since I am planning to purchase a Toshiba Tablet PC. Some
say they are the best.

 

[Not Me]

unless DOA,,my experience has been pretty good with them.
but it seems everything is being cheapened up lately.

 

[Christopher R. Lee]

Can't afford to buy a complete new set of software every time M$ says
"jump".

Regards

 

[Iain]

What is the infant mortality rate for Toshiba laptops? Not entirely
pointless question since I am planning to purchase a Toshiba Tablet PC.
Some say they are the best.

I don't know what their infant mortality rates are. However, this
Toshiba is much better now with new Hitachi 160 Gb drive v original
Toshiba 160 Gb drive. Toshiba use IBM, Hitachi and Toshiba drives in
their machines.

It was probably a one-off.

 

[TH34]

Thanks. At least someone answered my question.

I'm running Vista Ultimate and use "Complete PC Backup" periodically to
an external USB 2.0 drive dedicated solely to that purpose.

In November 2007, my system disk became a victim of infant mortality on
this Toshiba laptop purchased August 2007. Toshiba replaced that drive
and I subsequently used backup image to restore system to new disk drive.

"Complete PC Restore" worked flawlessly. Very satisfied with results.

 

[TH34]

Thanks for the information. However you are wrong. I have used PQ DI 7 many
times on many computers and have successfully reimaged them, and yes, they
were running XP!

I will agree that it is old and out of date. The biggest flaws were that it
took forever to load the recovery software, and it didn't recognize most of
the newer NICs. However, it did backup over the network, so I could rescue
lost files easily, and in a pinch I could transfer the latest image to my USB
drive and restore an entire drive that way.

Lastly, I did not ask whether or not PQDI worked, I asked to get opinions on
whether Vista's Backup / Restore works as advertised.

 

[Paul Knudsen]

I need a consensus. How many of you have successfully restored a complete
Vista image from a backup to a USB drive?

Have not, but I am sure if it did not work someone would be screaming
about it. I doubt you need to worry overmuch.