Registry Backup

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jack Black
  • Start date Start date
Registry backup can be done with a tool, ERuNT
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/

However, Registry data is keyed to other system components. It's
better to use Imaging, as a fallback or recovery method. Programs
like Acronis True Image, Symantec Ghost and BootItNG are a few
of the more popular choices for disk/partition imaging. By imaging,
you can completely restore a previous state of a PC. About the only
downside is some loss of personal data - unless you segment your
setup so personal data resides on it's own partition, which is actually
a preferred setup/configuration.
 
R. McCarty said:
Registry backup can be done with a tool, ERuNT
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/

However, Registry data is keyed to other system components. It's
better to use Imaging, as a fallback or recovery method. Programs
like Acronis True Image, Symantec Ghost and BootItNG are a few
of the more popular choices for disk/partition imaging. By imaging,
you can completely restore a previous state of a PC. About the only
downside is some loss of personal data - unless you segment your
setup so personal data resides on it's own partition, which is actually
a preferred setup/configuration.
Click to expand...


R. McCarty:
For the reason you mentioned, I most certainly agree with your
observation/recommendation that all things considered a disk imaging program
that, in effect, clones the total contents of one's working HD to another
(preferably, in my opinion) HD or removable media is preferable, in most
cases, than using a registry backup program. At the least a user should give
consideration to using this type of program for basic backup needs in
comparison to a registry backup program. I say this because too many users
are under the (mistaken) impression that solely backing up their registry
will afford ample protection in case of future system files corruption that
result in a dysfunctional system.

But I don't understand your comment re this disk imaging/cloning process
when you state "About the only downside is some loss of personal data -
unless you segment your setup so personal data resides on it's own
partition, which is actually a preferred setup/configuration."

What "loss of personal data"? A clone is a clone is a clone. I'm sure you're
aware that when a disk imaging program, e.g., Symantec's Norton Ghost,
Acronis True Image, etc., is used to clone the contents of one HD to another
HD, the *entire* contents of the source drive are, in effect, copied over to
the destination drive, including "personal data". But I'm sure you know this
so perhaps I misunderstand your comment.
Anna
 
ERUNT is a far superior program. The XP Registry does not need cleaning.

--


Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups
 
Anna,

The point about "Personal Data Loss" pertains to restoring an image
of XP and the Documents & Settings data is reset to the image date.
Users who do not re-direct My Docs, Mail to a 2nd partition will loose
the most recent data as a result of the recovery. That's the reason I
recommend users setup XP with a dedicated partition for their data.
Then when a XP restore is done, the personal data is unaffected.
 
R. McCarty said:
Anna,

The point about "Personal Data Loss" pertains to restoring an image
of XP and the Documents & Settings data is reset to the image date.
Users who do not re-direct My Docs, Mail to a 2nd partition will loose
the most recent data as a result of the recovery. That's the reason I
recommend users setup XP with a dedicated partition for their data.
Then when a XP restore is done, the personal data is unaffected.
Click to expand...

Hi Anna and R. McCarty,

I am confused by this statement: "Users who do not re-direct My Docs,
Mail to a 2nd partition will loose
the most recent data as a result of the recovery." Is there a way to
Click to expand...
have a clone of my computer on one partition of my external hard drive,
and use another partition to back up new documents and mail? Also, what
do you mean by 're-direct'?

Sam in South Dakota
 
Redirect means changing the default path of personal settings, such as
My Documents, My Music, Email storage folders. You can use the
tool, Tweak-UI to accomplish this or manually change the Registry
keys for your profile paths.

As an example of Drive partitioning (Data Segmenting)
80-Gig hard drive

|| C: (10 Gig) ----|| D: (20 Gig)--|| E: (20 Gig)--|| F: (30 Gig--||

C: Contains Windows XP & Programs
D: Contains My Documents, Email Stores....
E: Contains My Music and other large multimedia files
F: Workspace drive (Temp, IE cache, Holds Images)

You create an image of C and store it on F: Your personal data is
separate and on Drive D: You can restore an image of C: without
affecting your personal data. Also because Music and other media
is on it's own partition E:, it is also unaffected by image restoration.
Images that are stored on drive F: should also be periodically burned
to CD/DVD media. You should never depend on "Magnetic" media
for storing image files.
 
Thanks very much for the excellent info, R. McCarty. I really
appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions. I think I'm
starting to understand how it works. I'm looking forward to becoming
familiar with partitioning. One thing I'm still not completely grokking
is the clone concept. If I understand you and Anna, I can create
partitions on my external drive and then clone my computer to one of the
partitions? Cloning my computer to an external hard drive partition
will not affect other partitions I have on the external hard drive? I
am using True Image to clone. Thanks for your help. - - SK
 
Sam said:
Hi Anna and R. McCarty,

I am confused by this statement: "Users who do not re-direct My Docs,
Mail to a 2nd partition will loose
have a clone of my computer on one partition of my external hard drive,
and use another partition to back up new documents and mail? Also, what
do you mean by 're-direct'?

Sam in South Dakota
Click to expand...


Sam:
Believe me when I tell you that what you're doing now in terms of using your
Acronis True Image program to directly clone the contents of your day-to-day
working HD to your USB external HD is fine. If you do this on a regular
basis - perhaps once a week; perhaps twice a week, perhaps more often should
you feel it necessary, you'll enjoy a reasonable level of security re
backing up your system in an effective manner. Please don't get confused
over all this and make it more complicated than it need be.

As we've previously discussed, when you create a disk-to-disk clone as you
have been doing with the ATI program, you are making, for all practical
purposes, an exact duplicate of your source disk. This includes your
operating system, all your programs, your data, your email program, etc.. In
short, *everything*. In practical terms, what better backup system can one
have?

As a practical matter, if the USBEHD is to serve as the recipient of the
cloned contents of your internal HD, there is no need to create an
additional partition on that device to be a depository for "new documents
and mail". Indeed, by so doing it could introduce complicating factors in
the future should you need to re:clone the contents of the USBEHD back to
the internal HD for restoration purposes should that need arise.

If, in between cloning operations, you have a need to backup this or that
recently created file, then simply copy it to a floppy disk, or a memory
stick (flash drive, jump drive, thumb drive) or even to a CD. You main
objective is use your disk imaging program to directly clone the contents of
one HD to another HD on a systematic & routine basis. If you do this there
will be no need to create multiple partitions to provide additional
security. And we have previously discussed our recommendations for storing
data for archival purposes.
Anna
 
Jack Black said:
Hiw do I backup my registry and how do I restore it in case
things go
awry?

Thanks
Click to expand...

IMO, a System State backup done with the XP provided NTBackup
program is best. It'll back up the Registry and everything else
that's important to stability. It's supplied with both Home and
Pro versions, but not automatically installed on Home versions.

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