Explanation about system backup

[Edo]

Hi all,

I have windows xp professional, and I need some information about
backing the system up.

I basically need to back up the most important folders AND the most
important system files that allow windows to be started.

I know that windows xp pro comes with the ntbackup.exe utility.
My questions are the following:

1) what kind of files does this utility save if I check the "System
State" box?

2) Is this option the same as using the System Restore utility of
windows?

3) In case of system boot failure, how do I restore the "System State"
files that I backed up with ntbackup.exe?


Thanks in advance

 

[Guest]

my strongest suggestion, do not use ntbackup, it's pretty much worthless.
it doesn't backup your data, only system files and the registry, ie system
status.
and in case of a failure of boot , the system has to be reinstalled in order
for the restore to function. waste of time.

instead get acronis true image, it backs up your entire partition data and
all, course you must have someplace to store this backup/image.
an external USB hd is cheap compared to the data lost when the system
decides to go bye bye.

 

[Rock]

Response inline.

my strongest suggestion, do not use ntbackup, it's pretty much worthless.
it doesn't backup your data, only system files and the registry, ie system
status.

This isn't quite true. ntbackup can backup data files. Maybe you're
thinking of System Restore which doesn't backup data files.

 

[Rock]

Hi all,

I have windows xp professional, and I need some information about
backing the system up.

I basically need to back up the most important folders AND the most
important system files that allow windows to be started.

I know that windows xp pro comes with the ntbackup.exe utility.
My questions are the following:

1) what kind of files does this utility save if I check the "System
State" box?

2) Is this option the same as using the System Restore utility of
windows?

3) In case of system boot failure, how do I restore the "System State"
files that I backed up with ntbackup.exe?

The restore process from ntbackup with the ASR (Automated System Recovery)
is awkward. As part of the process XP is installed clean then the backup
restored. It requires a floppy disk too.

I would recommend as a better choice that you use a disk imaging program.
This will save an image of the drive in a compressed format which can be
stored on an external hard drive or written to DVD. Recovery is fast.

Examples of programs that do this are Acronis True Image (which seems to be
everyone's favorite these days), Symantec Ghost, and Terabyte Unlimited's
Image for Windows.

 

[Byllon]

Image backup is a good choice for system backup as Rock said.

But if you want to backup some data files daily, file/folder backup
program will do a good job. Backup to external drive such as usb hd
will be helpful and safe. A good program is uplus sync. It can help you
automatic backup to external usb drive.


"Edo дµÀ£º
"

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

my strongest suggestion, do not use ntbackup, it's pretty much
worthless.

It's perhaps the poorest of all backup choices available, but it's far from
worthless. It's *much* better than no backup at all.

it doesn't backup your data, only system files and the
registry, ie system status.

No, this is not at all true. I think you are probably confusing ntbackup
with System Restore, which your description fits.

However it's also not true that System Restore is worthless. It's not a
substitute for backup, and was never meant for that purpose, but it's an
excellent tool for undoing a recent mistake or failed installation, and is a
very easy quick way to revert your operating system to the condition it was
in a day or a few days ago. But that's all. You still need a broader backup
strategy in place.

System restore has quickly and easily gotten me, and many others, out of
trouble numbers of times.