question about BACKUP

[RJ]

I have XP Home SP2 and I installed the Backup utility. I opened in Advanced
mode and put a check mark on the folders I wanted backed up. I then saved
the selections and did a 'Normal' backup. If I retrieve them later (click
Job/Load selections) and do a 'Differential' backup, I'm assuming it
'appends' it to the file if I choose that option. What about subsequent
differential backups if I choose 'Replace' instead of 'Append' - does it
replace the last differential backup or does it replace the initial normal
and differential combined? If my question isn't clear, it's because this
whole process isn't clear and I'm not quite sure how to combine Normal with
Incremental and/or Differential, not to mention Copy and Daily. I've read
the literature and the help text and I think I know what all the terms mean,
I'm just not sure how to implement it. Any simplified guidelines?

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I have XP Home SP2 and I installed the Backup utility. I opened in Advanced
mode and put a check mark on the folders I wanted backed up. I then saved
the selections and did a 'Normal' backup. If I retrieve them later (click
Job/Load selections) and do a 'Differential' backup, I'm assuming it
'appends' it to the file if I choose that option. What about subsequent
differential backups if I choose 'Replace' instead of 'Append' - does it
replace the last differential backup or does it replace the initial normal
and differential combined? If my question isn't clear, it's because this
whole process isn't clear and I'm not quite sure how to combine Normal with
Incremental and/or Differential, not to mention Copy and Daily. I've read
the literature and the help text and I think I know what all the terms
mean, I'm just not sure how to implement it. Any simplified guidelines?

I would suggest that you create a test backup set, and run the backups in
these different modes. Change some files, add some, delete others. See
what happens. This has the great advantage of familiarizing you with the
restore functions as well; after a crash is not the best time to learn how
to restore.

HTH
-pk

 

[Kerry Brown]

I find it best to do a full backup every time to save any confusion when
restoring. When you need to restore your backup it is usually a very
stressful situation. Something has gone wrong and your data is in danger.
The easier the restore is the happy you'll be. Do a full backup every time
and keep multiple copies of the backups. Make sure some of the copies are
stored somewhere besides near the computer, preferably a different location
altogether, i.e. at home, or someone else's house.