System backups a la SBS 2003

[Bill]

Any recommendations for a full system
backup application for XP. Something
akin to the backup facility in SBS 2003.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[R. McCarty]

Acronis True Image. Would advise that any backups made use
the optional "Validate" pass to ensure integrity of the backup set.
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/

 

[Bill in Co.]

I have been using Casper 5.0 cloning software (http://www.fssdev.com/) and
an external SATA-3 hard drive in a Vantec enclosure for almost a year.
Absolutely reliable! No CD boot disk required and uses only XP -- no
Linux
or other non- XP media required as in some imaging or cloning software.

Slight correction on a possible misassumption:
If your thinking of Acronis True Image, it doesn't *require* a CD boot disk
for restore - that's just an option (but is a good one to have available, in
case XP is fried).

 

[bobster]

If XP was fried as you mentioned, that's when I would really want a complete
clone on another drive.

I have been using Casper 5.0 cloning software (http://www.fssdev.com/) and
an external SATA-3 hard drive in a Vantec enclosure for almost a year.
Absolutely reliable! No CD boot disk required and uses only XP -- no
Linux
or other non- XP media required as in some imaging or cloning software.

Slight correction on a possible misassumption:
If your thinking of Acronis True Image, it doesn't *require* a CD boot disk
for restore - that's just an option (but is a good one to have available, in
case XP is fried).

 

[Bill in Co.]

If XP was fried as you mentioned, that's when I would really want a
complete clone on another drive.

And then you'd have to either switch the drives, or restore the clone back
to the original drive. In True Image, you'd boot up on the bootable CD and
restore it. Either way would work.

 

[Bill]

Does Acronis True Image support multiple generations. I.e.,
full backups for each day of the week on a "Round-Robin"
basis? (Backups will be written to an external 1TB HD)
Thanks,
Bill

 

[R. McCarty]

Yes, you'd just have to create the tasks in Acronis True Image's
scheduler. Instead of a daily scheduled task you'd probably have
to create one for each day of the week setting a different name or
destination folder to prevent over writing a previous backup set.

 

[bobster]

Bill in Co,

If my XP was fried or my "C" drive failed all I would have to do to get back
up and running would be to press F12 (Dell computer) during the start
sequence, choose to boot to the identically configured external drive, and
about 45 seconds later, I'm back in business. I could then easily determine
if the problem was XP or a "C" drive physical failure. If the problem was
XP, I would just clone the external drive contents back to the "C". If the
problem were truly a physically failed "C" drive, I would replace it with a
new hard drive and clone the contents of the external drive to the new
drive.

As an aside, because hard drives are now so cheap, I have installed a second
internal hard drive ($45) in the second position so now I have 3 identical
HDs with identical contents providing a belt-and-suspenders safety
situation. Works great and allows experimental freedom to try lots of new
apps/other software without fear of losing valuable data.

Now all of this may sound complex but actually it's quite simple and gives
real peace of mind. Like all good clone/imaging software, Casper 5.0 can be
set to run automatically and can actually run while you are using your
computer . And, yes, I do know the pros and cons of cloning vs. imaging and
believe that cloning best meets my needs.

=======================================================

If XP was fried as you mentioned, that's when I would really want a
complete clone on another drive.

And then you'd have to either switch the drives, or restore the clone back
to the original drive. In True Image, you'd boot up on the bootable CD and
restore it. Either way would work.

 

[Bill in Co.]

Bill in Co,

If my XP was fried or my "C" drive failed all I would have to do to get
back
up and running would be to press F12 (Dell computer) during the start
sequence, choose to boot to the identically configured external drive, and
about 45 seconds later, I'm back in business. I could then easily
determine
if the problem was XP or a "C" drive physical failure. If the problem was
XP, I would just clone the external drive contents back to the "C". If
the
problem were truly a physically failed "C" drive, I would replace it with
a
new hard drive and clone the contents of the external drive to the new
drive.

As an aside, because hard drives are now so cheap, I have installed a
second
internal hard drive ($45) in the second position so now I have 3 identical
HDs with identical contents providing a belt-and-suspenders safety
situation. Works great and allows experimental freedom to try lots of new
apps/other software without fear of losing valuable data.

Now all of this may sound complex but actually it's quite simple and gives
real peace of mind. Like all good clone/imaging software, Casper 5.0 can
be set to run automatically and can actually run while you are using your
computer . And, yes, I do know the pros and cons of cloning vs. imaging
and believe that cloning best meets my needs.

OK.
For me, I like to keep several generational (different date) system images
stored on a secondary internal drive, and that's been useful for me. As we
both know, each method (clone or image) has its own respective advantages
and disadvantages.


===================================================

 

[Bill]

I think Acronis TI 2010 will do the trick.
Thanks,
Bill