using ntbackup in xp home

[SBS user]

I some questions reguarding ntback in xp home

Can you do a full system backup including system state?
If so do you need to do anything special to make it work when setting it up?
If so do you need to do anything special when restoring?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I some questions reguarding ntback in xp home

Can you do a full system backup including system state?
If so do you need to do anything special to make it work when
setting it up? If so do you need to do anything special when
restoring?

Some reading for you to do:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTBackup
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/learnmore/bott_03july14.mspx
http://www.theeldergeek.com/backup_using_wizard.htm
http://www.pc1news.com/how-to-use-ntbackup-advanced-mode-on-windows-xp-1752.html

You should find your answers by unerstanding the application you are
attempting to use better.


I guess you have it installed - but just in case:
http://www.ntbackup.us/Articles/install-ntbackup-xp-home.htm

In my opinion - there are more advantages to using other utilities than
there are in trying to use NTBACKUP. The number of freeware choices out
there is staggering and some things (like imaging/cloning) give you a
better/cleaner result when combined with periodic file/system state backups.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I some questions reguarding ntback in xp home

Can you do a full system backup including system state?

No, this can not be done.

However, the UI will let you think you can, right up to the point where it
fails.

If so do you need to do anything special to make it work when setting it
up?
If so do you need to do anything special when restoring?

Make a better choice and use a modern imaging program. I've had great
results for years with TrueImage.

HTH
-pk

 

[Jim]

I some questions reguarding ntback in xp home

Can you do a full system backup including system state?
If so do you need to do anything special to make it work when setting it
up?
If so do you need to do anything special when restoring?

You can make a full system backup. It is the restoration that is the
problem.

To perform this task you need
1. A floppy drive (nothing else will do)
2. An XP distribution disk.
3. A drive which has enough space to contain the backup files.

To restore the backup:
1. Add the floppy drive
2. Boot from the XP disk
3. At the appropriate time, tell the computer that you are restoring.
4. The program will open the file on disk, read the floppy, and if luck is
with you the program will restore the backup.

It is ever so much simpler just to use ATI.

Jim

 

[Patrick Keenan]

You can make a full system backup. It is the restoration that is the
problem.

Sorry, but you can not make a full system state backup under XP Home using
NTBACKUP. To do this, you use ASR, which is not supported on XP Home.

This is a rather strange MS KB article - it tells you how to install
NTBACKUP on XP Home and how to launch ASR as a "workaround", and then
mentions that the "workaround" doesn't work.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302700/

Which states that "...ASR is not supported in Windows XP Home Edition.
However, Windows XP Home Edition users can access the ASR Wizard if they
install the Ntbackup program from the Valueadd folder on the Windows XP Home
Edition CD-ROM. "

And that means that you can install the program and attempt to invoke the
ASR function, but it won't work.

To perform this task you need
1. A floppy drive (nothing else will do)

And this is where the UI *finally* tells you it can't finish the task on XP
Home. It gets all the way to the point of asking for the floppy, and
*then* tells you it can't continue. The OS version detection is in the
wrong place.

2. An XP distribution disk.
3. A drive which has enough space to contain the backup files.

To restore the backup:
1. Add the floppy drive
2. Boot from the XP disk
3. At the appropriate time, tell the computer that you are restoring.

Again from the link above:
"NOTE: ASR does not function and is not supported on Windows XP Home
edition.

The ASR Wizard may create the floppy disks and a backup file (Backup.bkf).
The floppy disks, however, cannot start the ASR process in Windows XP Home
Edition if they are used after a catastrophic system failure."

4. The program will open the file on disk, read the floppy, and if luck
is with you the program will restore the backup.

Their suggested solution is ultimately to do a manual, clean install of XP
Home, reinstall the backup, and restore from your backup.

It is ever so much simpler just to use ATI.

I agree completely.

-pk

 

[SBS user]

I know ntbackup well, I use it alot on xp pro and even on some servers. I
am just wondering because I have heard of people having issues trying to
restore backups on xp home.

 

[SBS user]

The reason I do not want to use true image is becase I would like to have an
icon that I can have the user double click and the backup runs. This will
not be a scheduled backup as it is a home computer that is off more than on.
Is there a way to create a backup routine in trueimage that can be run by
double clicking a desktop icon?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I some questions reguarding ntback in xp home

Can you do a full system backup including system state?
If so do you need to do anything special to make it work when
setting it up? If so do you need to do anything special when
restoring?

Reading through your answers... Here's your best option, in my opinion - for
this 'home user'...

http://www.seagate.com/replica/

 

[SBS user]

Actually after extensive further testing I see that this works just fine.
Actually the article says that ASR does not work, not ntbackup. In testing
I was able to install ntbackup from the xp home install CD per the KB and do
a full system backup. I then reformatted the drive installed OS and did
full system restore with no issues.