Is this a viable backup/restore strategy?

[Jeff W]

Hi - I've been digging all over the web to get a good backup solution
for my planned migration from 98SE to XP and I think this is a viable
backup strategy- does this work?

environment: NTFS, XP Home.

For backups: Use NTBACKUP (with system state selected) to create weekly
full, and daily incremental backups - each is written over the network
to a file on a different PC.

For restore - (assuming my disk crashed). I go to another PC, install a
new virgin drive as a 2ndary IDE drive, then

1) Format the drive using XP
2) Restore the backed up folders and files using NTBACKUP (including
system state).
3) Boot to the Recovery Console and make the drive bootable by running
fixmbr.
4) Install the drive in the failed machine.
5) boot and celebrate

will this work? - is this the right way to do it? what am I missing?
thanks!
/j

 

[Ben]

Hi - I've been digging all over the web to get a good backup solution
for my planned migration from 98SE to XP and I think this is a viable
backup strategy- does this work?

environment: NTFS, XP Home.

For backups: Use NTBACKUP (with system state selected) to create weekly
full, and daily incremental backups - each is written over the network
to a file on a different PC.

For restore - (assuming my disk crashed). I go to another PC, install a
new virgin drive as a 2ndary IDE drive, then

1) Format the drive using XP
2) Restore the backed up folders and files using NTBACKUP (including
system state).
3) Boot to the Recovery Console and make the drive bootable by running
fixmbr.
4) Install the drive in the failed machine.
5) boot and celebrate

will this work? - is this the right way to do it? what am I missing?
thanks!
/j

I think you need:
1.Install the drive.
2.Put the disk into the bootable drive.
3.Boot from disk and follow it.
4.Finish installation and restore your files.

 

[Jeff W]

I'm sorry - I don't follow this - are you being sardonic?
/j

 

[GTS]

For the restore part, rather than putting the new disk in another PC, I
would be inclined to replace the failed drive, install XP in minimal fashion
(e.g. no updates etc.) to get the network connectivity up and run the full
restore over the network. (I have, in fact, done exactly that on occasion
for service purposes.)

Your idea seems like it would work with the exception that the new drive
would have to be a primary to do the Recovery Console part.

 

[Jeff W]

why do the full restore over the network when I can connect it to the
other machine?

If it has to be the primary to do the recovery part -can I boot to a
floppy or CD-ROM and still do it on the running machine?
/j

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Why use a different pc? If you do, and the hardware is different, then your
system state import will be wrong, possibly making the installation
unbootable. Even if not, you will need to run a repair install after moving.
If you want to go with this strategy (and yes it is sound, but cumbersome),
just install the new drive in the target machine and do the restoration from
there.

You would be better looking into imaging software that will backup to a
network drive. More reliable and less hassle. This one will do it:
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/imagew.html

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Jeff W]

thanks rick

whywould the system state be wrong - it's coming from the backup file,
not the PC.

why would I need to run a repair install?

thanks
/j


Rick "Nutcase" Rogers wrote:

 

[Jeff W]

ok - maybe i need disk imaging SW....

PASS 2: 8-}

How about...

Hi - I've been digging all over the web to get a good backup solution
for my planned migration from 98SE to XP and I think this is a viable
backup strategy- does this work?

environment: NTFS, XP Home.

For backups: Use NTBACKUP (with system state selected) to create weekly
full, and daily incremental backups - each is written over the network
to a file on a different PC. Use Image-for-Windows to take weekly images
of each partition.

For restore - (assuming my disk crashed). I go to another PC, install a
new virgin drive as a 2ndary IDE drive, then

1) Restore the disk images,
2) Restore the backed up folders and files using NTBACKUP (including
system state).
3) Install the drive in the failed machine.
4) boot and celebrate

will this work? - is this the right way to do it? what am I missing?
thanks!
/j

 

[GTS]

why do the full restore over the network when I can connect it to the
other machine?

It just seemed cleaner to me to put the drive in the failed machine and do
everything there, though granted it might take a little longer in the end to
do the XP minimal install. You could do the restore your way too - no
problem with that.

If it has to be the primary to do the recovery part -can I boot to a
floppy or CD-ROM and still do it on the running machine?

Yes, but I don't see why you would want to.If I'm understanding you
correctly, you would have to switch the new drive in that machine from
secondary to primary for this step. Why not just put it in the failed
machine and do the CD boot there?

The main thing is that you're wisely doing backups and will be prepared in
the event of disk failure - all too rare a practice.

 

[Jeff W]

I'm trying to avoid an XP re-install, BTW. My goal is to take the new
drive, put it on a good PC, test it, fill it up with data, fiddle a bit
to make it bootable, and then plug it into the target machine and be on
my way - what could be cleaner.

The most interesting thing is the range of opinions as to whether fixmbr
is sufficient or that I should start with a disk image.....

/j

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

Because the System State contains hardware references that wouldn't exist on
the new system.

You would need to run a repair install because XP was originally installed
on another machine. Aside from all the other different hardware, it is a
different motherboard and moving the hard drive to the new motherboard
requires a repair install in order for XP to properly recognize it as well
as any other new hardware.

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

An image is certainly a viable backup solution but if you restore it to a
new hard drive on a different system, you still need to run a repair install
or XP won't recognize the motherboard or any of the other hardware.

 

[Jeff W]

Sorry michael - my guess is you mis understood my idea;

On PC #1 - do the backups, store them on PC #2
when the disk on PC #1 crashes, add a new disk to PC #2
On PC #2, do a restore to the new disk
THIS ASSUMES I CAN RESTORE THE SYSTEM STATE TO THE NEW DISK AND NOT ITS
ORIGINAL LOCATION - is this the flaw?
move the new disk from PC #2 to PC #1 and boot.

make more sense?
/j

 

[Jeff W]

REVISED.....

Sorry michael - my guess is you mis understood my idea;

On PC #1 - do the backups, store them on PC #2
when the disk on PC #1 crashes, add a new disk to PC #2
On PC #2, do a image restore to the new disk
move the new disk from PC #2 to PC #1 and boot.
Do the NT incremental restores to the new disk

make more sense?
/j

 

[Jeff W]

Ok - i think the ultimate answer, if one is uncomfortable with the fix
MBR strategy is

BACKUPS: Use image backup for full backup (but pick a program, like
IFW, that allows for single file restore). Use NTBACKUP for incremental

RESTORE:

1) put new disk on other PC
2) restore image
3) put disk on target machine
4) restore incrementals (so that ntbackup runs in the same environment
used for backups)
5) boot

anyone poke holes in this? anyone recommend solid, inexpensive imaging SW?
/j

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

Ah, I see, PC 2 would be the storage location for the PC 1 backup and you
would then restore the back to PC 1 by way of the new disk. For this
purpose, imaging would work fine.

That said, I have to go along with the person who suggested restore over a
network. I have a two PC network and I store a copy of my backup as well as
image file copies on the secondary system. It's much easier for me to copy
the necessary files across the network and then restore. It would seem to
be a lot of extra work to connect the drive to the backup PC, do all the
copying or restoring, then disconnect the drive and then reconnect to PC 1.

I think the network solution is much simpler if they are connected. Beyond
that, some imaging software might allow you to send the image file when you
create it to the networked PC, another step saver. As to ntbackup, in terms
of options, it's a bit limited. I can't say for sure if it would work or
tell you the file is missing or can't be used for some reason. I'm not
saying it wouldn't work, I just haven't tried that specifically with
ntbackup and there are more robust applications that have far greater
flexibility. Ntbackup is actually a minimalist version of Backup MyPC,
distributed by Stomp: http://www.stompinc.com/index.phtml?stp and created by
Veritas who now only distributes to enterprise customers.

In principle, I think what you describe should work but I think it would be
simpler if you networked the two machines.

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

I responded above, hasn't appeared as yet.

To that I'd add, I'm currently using Powerquest's, now Symantec's Drive
Image 2002. I've also used Symantec's product, Norton Ghost, both are
excellent choices for what you wish to do.

 

[Jeff W]

Thanks Michael, but I may be explaining myself really badly - . What I'm
doing is this

On PC #1 - do the backups, store them on PC #2
when the disk on PC #1 crashes, add a new disk to PC #2
On PC #2, do a image restore to the new disk
move the new disk from PC #2 to PC #1 and boot.
Do the NT incremental restores to the new disk

The "restore" on PC #2 isn't to let me boot off the restored drive on
PC #2, I use #2 only to -transfer- the disk image from the backup file
back onto the disk, then I move the disk back to PC #1, (the
machine-on-which-the-backup-was-made) and boot there. Do you still
think I need a repair-install?

thanks
/j

 

[Jeff W]

I'm looking at Image-for-Windows - it's cheaper and has great tech
support. Also - Symantec merged DriveImage with Ghost and the
resulting Ghoat 9 is still a bit of an unknown quantity (and is getting
bloated (sigh))

/j

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

As far as I know, they are still two separate products and I believe Ghost 9
was out prior to the merger.

Nonetheless, if Image for Windows meets your needs that's fine. You asked
for recommendations and I was just pointing out these two products, both of
which are quite good.