frustration about scheduled jobs on XP

[revyakin]

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but...

I have recently experienced a major HD crash, learned the lesson the
hard way (paid $2,000 to restore data) - and finally decided to make
backups regularly.

I knew that I still won't burn CDs/DVDs on a regular basis. So I got
myself an exernal Maxtor HD and purchased a backup software
("Winbackup", but I guess they are all the same). Supposedly, I could
schedule XP run backups as frequently as I would like to.

It turned out that the scheduler runs only when I am using the comp.
It is not able wake up the comp from standby, say, at 4 am (when I am
not - normally - using the comp), to run the backup. The tech support
recommended to schedule the backup when I AM using the comp. Well, it
works, but it freezes the comp while the backup is being run, so I
have to suspend all work while it's running. What's the purpose of a
"scheduled" backup, if tit can't run when I am not there, and if I
can't use the comp when it's running?

Is there any way to make the comp wake up from standby to run a
scheduled task on XP? Or I simply should set the comp to never go into
standby?

runnerXCskier

 

[Eric Renken]

Your best bet is to schedule the backup for when you are not there, but
leave your computer on. You shouldn't need to be logged in. I would
recommend setting your power settings in the control panel to make sure that
the monitor and your hard drives will turn off after like 20 minutes of
unused but make sure that the standby and if you have it hibernate fields
are set to "never".

Another option might be if you computer has a BIOS setting on when it should
wake itself up. I have seen this in some computers but not all. If it does
have this setting you could set it to wake up about an hour before the
backup starts, but I think you would just be better off to leave your
computer running.

Hope this helps.

 

[CWatters]

Your best bet is to schedule the backup for when you are not there, but
leave your computer on.

Gets my vote. I do exactly this using Drive Image. There is an email waiting
for me in the morning telling me how it got on.

Make sure your program doesn't just stop working when the backup drive is
full. Drive Image can be set up to keep just enough copies to keep the
backup drive almost full.

 

[revyakin]

Thank you very much, Eric. I will set standby to "Never" then.

 

[Eric Renken]

Your welcome.

--
Eric Renken

Thank you very much, Eric. I will set standby to "Never" then.