Recommendations for simple file backup software?

[George]

I wondered if several folks might offer suggestions on file backup
software...what you use and how you use it. I'm looking to backup
"everything" and prefer good mainstream (but easy to use), or even a
WindowsXP-included backup, if there is one and it works.

I'm currently using the popular Stomp (brand) "BackupMyPC" to route files to
a Travan tape. Rather than fool around with lots of settings and setup, I
let the software use a "bulldoze" *everything* on c-drive into the Travan
tape. Besides, that way I get everything in case need to see...files, what
was on desktop, system folder things, you name it, it's there.

But the tape drive quit, and the CD-writer quit writing at same time--a
Windows problem--I'll need to re-install. In meantime, got to keep backups
going, so got a simple Western Digital external hard drive, 80GB. Problem
with drag-and-drop is...there are lots of error messages if I try to
(bulldoze and) just drag "c:" over to "e:" (the WD 80 gig drive).

So, it looks like will have to use a backup software. Right?

Has anyone tried the *WinXP utility* in Start Prog > Accessories > Sys Tools

Backup.

Thanks for any insights,
George

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

I would suggest investing in a good external backup drive.

Examples:

Maxtor OneTouch II
http://www.maxtor.com/portal/site/M...II Family/Maxtor OneTouch II FireWire and USB

Western Digital Dual-Option Media Center
http://www.westerndigital.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=77

Where to Buy
http://www.newegg.com/ProductSort/SubCategory.asp?SubCategory=414

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I wondered if several folks might offer suggestions on file backup
| software...what you use and how you use it. I'm looking to backup
| "everything" and prefer good mainstream (but easy to use), or even a
| WindowsXP-included backup, if there is one and it works.
|
| I'm currently using the popular Stomp (brand) "BackupMyPC" to route files to
| a Travan tape. Rather than fool around with lots of settings and setup, I
| let the software use a "bulldoze" *everything* on c-drive into the Travan
| tape. Besides, that way I get everything in case need to see...files, what
| was on desktop, system folder things, you name it, it's there.
|
| But the tape drive quit, and the CD-writer quit writing at same time--a
| Windows problem--I'll need to re-install. In meantime, got to keep backups
| going, so got a simple Western Digital external hard drive, 80GB. Problem
| with drag-and-drop is...there are lots of error messages if I try to
| (bulldoze and) just drag "c:" over to "e:" (the WD 80 gig drive).
|
| So, it looks like will have to use a backup software. Right?
|
| Has anyone tried the *WinXP utility* in Start Prog > Accessories > Sys Tools
| > Backup.
|
| Thanks for any insights,
| George

 

[GTS]

You should be able to use BackupMyPC to backup to the E: drive.
--

 

[Anna]

I wondered if several folks might offer suggestions on file backup
software...what you use and how you use it. I'm looking to backup
"everything" and prefer good mainstream (but easy to use), or even a
WindowsXP-included backup, if there is one and it works.

I'm currently using the popular Stomp (brand) "BackupMyPC" to route files
to
a Travan tape. Rather than fool around with lots of settings and setup, I
let the software use a "bulldoze" *everything* on c-drive into the Travan
tape. Besides, that way I get everything in case need to see...files,
what
was on desktop, system folder things, you name it, it's there.

But the tape drive quit, and the CD-writer quit writing at same time--a
Windows problem--I'll need to re-install. In meantime, got to keep
backups
going, so got a simple Western Digital external hard drive, 80GB. Problem
with drag-and-drop is...there are lots of error messages if I try to
(bulldoze and) just drag "c:" over to "e:" (the WD 80 gig drive).

So, it looks like will have to use a backup software. Right?

Has anyone tried the *WinXP utility* in Start Prog > Accessories > Sys
Tools

Thanks for any insights,
George

George:
Since you're interested in backing up "everything", you might want to
consider a disk imaging program, e.g., Symantec's Norton Ghost or Acronis
True Image, to routinely "clone" the contents of your day-to-day working HD
to your USB external HD. By using a disk imaging program such as the ones
mentioned, you would be creating, for all practical purposes, a duplicate of
your source drive, including the OS, all your programs & applications, your
registry, your created data - in short, everything that's on the source
disk. If & when restoration is necessary, you would use the DI program to
clone back the contents of the USBEHD to a functional HD.
Anna

 

[Richard Urban]

Backup MyPC works just fine with CD's and DVD's. You have to have "packet"
writing software installed for it to function correctly. This packet writing
software is available as a module when you install either Roxio Easy Media
Creator or Nero CD/DVD writing software.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Rock]

I wondered if several folks might offer suggestions on file backup
software...what you use and how you use it. I'm looking to backup
"everything" and prefer good mainstream (but easy to use), or even a
WindowsXP-included backup, if there is one and it works.

I'm currently using the popular Stomp (brand) "BackupMyPC" to route files to
a Travan tape. Rather than fool around with lots of settings and setup, I
let the software use a "bulldoze" *everything* on c-drive into the Travan
tape. Besides, that way I get everything in case need to see...files, what
was on desktop, system folder things, you name it, it's there.

But the tape drive quit, and the CD-writer quit writing at same time--a
Windows problem--I'll need to re-install. In meantime, got to keep backups
going, so got a simple Western Digital external hard drive, 80GB. Problem
with drag-and-drop is...there are lots of error messages if I try to
(bulldoze and) just drag "c:" over to "e:" (the WD 80 gig drive).

So, it looks like will have to use a backup software. Right?

Has anyone tried the *WinXP utility* in Start Prog > Accessories > Sys Tools



Thanks for any insights,
George

Why not use what you have - BackupMYPC, though a drive imaging program
does have some advantages. It can be used in conjunction with
BackupMYPC for different purposes.

A drive imaging program makes an exact image of the partition which can
be saved on CD/DVD or to another drive - internal or external. Imaging
to an external USB 2.0 / Firewire drive works well. Then occasionally
burning an image to DVD gives you redundancy. Restores can be done of
the entire partition or individual files / folders. These work well and
make it easy to recover from a drive crash. You can also clone the drive
to another one and have that to swap out if the main one dies. Examples
of this are:

Norton Ghost 10
Acronis True Image
Terabyte Unlimited's Image for Windows
CasperXP

 

[George]

Thanks,

Great ideas, Symantec's Norton Ghost seems to get great reviews, and seems
the discount prices is around $48. Two brief things...

Would this possibly backup to my many-gigabyte Travan Tape drive too, or is
another HD mandatory as the destination.

Also, does the cloning thing really work...if lightning strikes the PC, can
I really create an instand, "perfect" clone (duplicate) of the prior Hard
Drive?

(Reason I ask is... seems like lots of backup software's claim "all you need
to do is this and that" and you can re-create your hard-drive...but the
'this and that' is complicated...takes a restore disk, a backup tape/disk,
etc. And as complex and interconnected as registry and other things are, my
hunch I'm going to have to manually re-install some applications anyway...so
I've always just backed up DATA, assuming the applications are BEST just
installed from original CDs. Any insights on this? Thanks again

Thanks,
George

 

[George]

Thanks, I did go ahead and get an external HD, it's a small (in size)
Winchester Digital "Passport" and I like it a lot...

Only thing is, I can't just simply "drag-and-drop" the entire c: drive over
to the external-HD, which would be really easy and quick. (I can't recall
the error messages, but it's no-go and "sharing" the c-drive doesn't let it
work either). Is there some WinXP-pro setting (that's simple) that I can do
to "let" the whole c-drive get copied?

Also, there is a CD that came with the "Passport", presumably some backup
software. I haven't installed it yet...because the PC has op-system
problems right now, but do you think that installing that software (once I
fix the op-system) might allow for 1) drag-and-drop backup, or 2) at least
some type of backup program

Thanks,
George

 

[Richard Urban]

Also, does the cloning thing really work...if lightning strikes the PC,
can
I really create an instand, "perfect" clone (duplicate) of the prior Hard
Drive?

You had better create your clone "before" the lightning strikes. (-;

If you have already created the clone, all you do is install the drive
(jumpered correctly - of course) and boot the computer - assuming that the
lightning hasn't taken out the M/B.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!