What to BU for "System State"

[Chips]

With WinXP Pro, using the MS BU utility,

If I am going to BU the "System State", should I also BU other folders, like
Windows, Program Folders & Documents & Settings for a restore to actually
work?

Also, would it be better to get a program that "ghosts" or makes an image?

Thanks,

Greg

 

[Mark Adams]

With WinXP Pro, using the MS BU utility,

If I am going to BU the "System State", should I also BU other folders, like
Windows, Program Folders & Documents & Settings for a restore to actually
work?

Also, would it be better to get a program that "ghosts" or makes an image?

Thanks,

Greg

I think the third party backup programs are easier to use. I use Acronis
True Image and Norton Save and Restore. Both are capable of making images and
saving and restoring files and folders separately. Norton Ghost should be
able to do this as well.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

If you want to back up your data, use the MS BU utility. If you want to
back up your system, use something else.

 

[Chips]

I think I have the MS BU app running pretty well, with a scheduled sequence
of normal, diff, & inc. BUs.

Seems to be doing what it is supposed to for "data".

I also have a pair of mirrored hard drives.

What I am concerned about is a total crash where I would have to spend hours
also reloading Windows, all my apps, etc.

Not sure if the "System State" along with other folders in MS BU would
handle that kind of problem.

As I recall, Acronis was something I was leaning toward.

Greg.

 

[Guest]

my suggestion is to
use system restore
to conveniently backup
the functional state of
your system.

then for added assurance
use driveimagexml to
make cd size images of
your disk.

then make a bartspe boot
up disk with the driveimage
xml plugging and a copy
of dixml.

then if the system becomes
unbootable,

you can boot with bartspe
and then restore your images
from the cd onto the disk.

there is more fyi at the home
site for driveimagexml.

there is also occassions that
the registry becomes corrupted.

so you might want to make
copies of the registry hive as
well.

if the day comes that the system
can't boot up because the system
files are corrupted or not found,

you can either restore you system
via old images "or" simply replace
the missing registry hive with a
backed up.

it would be quicker to do the above
and in my opinion have a weekly
copy of your registry.
--
db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

"share the nirvana mann" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Twayne]

With WinXP Pro, using the MS BU utility,

If I am going to BU the "System State", should I also BU other
folders, like Windows, Program Folders & Documents & Settings for a
restore to actually work?

Also, would it be better to get a program that "ghosts" or makes an
image?
Thanks,

Greg

In XP's backup utility, "system state" is one of the choices you can
select for backup. It's more thorough than a simple Restore and can
usually get a botched system back up and running. System State contains
NONE of your own data; it's ONLY the system state, literally.
If you want to see what it contains, and it's fairly quick to run,
the dialogs will show you the files it contains. Just choose System
State from the options dialog when it shows the Explorer mini-window.

Yes, it would be better to use an imaging program such as Norton Ghost
or Acronis True Image. They put everything you need in one place, are
less crytpic, have auto-schedulers and are reliable and stable.
Many people choose to make two different types of backups: One of the
operating system drive and one for the data drive, unless you have it
all in one drive, in which case you only need one backup. Ghost, and
I -think- True Image will also clone drives should you ever need to.
Don't quote me on TI though; haven't used it in a long time. And of
course you can Restore a file, files, folder, folders, or the whole
computer.

HTH,

Twayne`