Windows backup options

[divoch]

Windows backup gives me the following options:
-My documents and settings
-Everyone's documents and settings
-All information on this computer
-Let me choose...

A] It is not clear from the very brief description what each option actually
backs up. For example, do all three options backup Outlook Express Store
folder and all then settings so that all can be restored to the original
state? is there any way I can see what has been backed up?
B] Trying to backup "All information on this computer" into the freecom USB
mobile hard drive fails with the message:
"Files for the recovery diskette could not be created. Operation was
aborted". I do not necessarily want this hard drive to be a bootable disk
but I do want to backup ALL information on this computer. How do I do it?

Thanks
divoch

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Divoch,

1. To backup Outlook Express data, you can:

a. Manually backup the message store, export the Address book, Message
rules etc (tedious task)
b. Use Files and Settings Transfer Wizard to backup OE data completely.
However, this method is unreliable, and data store corruption can happen.
c. Use a third-party tool to backup Outlook Express data completely. I
can recommend the following program:

Genie-Soft - Outlook Express Backup:
http://www.genie-soft.com/products/oeb/default.html

I'm using the above software for years, and it's fantastic. Unfortunately,
it's not a freeware.


For Problem #2: Are you trying to use ASR in Windows XP Home Edition? If
so, read here:

An Error Message Is Displayed When You Attempt to Use the Automated System
Recovery Wizard:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=302700


--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Windows backup gives me the following options:
-My documents and settings
-Everyone's documents and settings
-All information on this computer
-Let me choose...

A] It is not clear from the very brief description what each option actually
backs up. For example, do all three options backup Outlook Express Store
folder and all then settings so that all can be restored to the original
state? is there any way I can see what has been backed up?
B] Trying to backup "All information on this computer" into the freecom USB
mobile hard drive fails with the message:
"Files for the recovery diskette could not be created. Operation was
aborted". I do not necessarily want this hard drive to be a bootable disk
but I do want to backup ALL information on this computer. How do I do it?

Thanks
divoch

 

[divoch]

For problem #1. OK, I could separately use some other method
such as you suggested but my question really was: what exactly these
listed options do back up and is one of the things which gets backed up
by Win XP OE store? Are you saying that it is not?
For problem #2. I was not trying to use ASR but that backup option
may do so. I just wanted to backup ALL information to USB
hard drive. That option may possibly work for diskettes, I have not
tried that, but not for USB hard drive. The reason may well be the
one you mentioned.

divoch

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

"Everyone's documents and settings" : This includes the OE Message store and
Address Book. BUT, when you restore the backup to a new system, OE *won't*
take it right away. It establishes a new GUID and then sets a new folder as
the store folder.

For example, like this:

C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Application
Data\Identities\{C92ED5B5-E222-4D09-B996-42618F4E8EA2}\Microsoft\Outlook
Express

The GUID in this case is "{C92ED5B5-E222-4D09-B996-42618F4E8EA2}" always
varies.

That's the reason I said NTBackup does not effectively restore OE data.
Secondly, the Message Rules, and News rules are not backed up.

Regarding #2: If you're not trying to create an ASR disk, then I have no
idea why this error occurs. Perhaps you can try changing the target to hard
drive, and then transfer the backup image to removable media later.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


For problem #1. OK, I could separately use some other method
such as you suggested but my question really was: what exactly these
listed options do back up and is one of the things which gets backed up
by Win XP OE store? Are you saying that it is not?
For problem #2. I was not trying to use ASR but that backup option
may do so. I just wanted to backup ALL information to USB
hard drive. That option may possibly work for diskettes, I have not
tried that, but not for USB hard drive. The reason may well be the
one you mentioned.

divoch

 

[divoch]

Regarding #1. OK, understood, I would have to do more to actually restore OE
store
than when using specialised OE backup software. Hopefully that will not be
required to be done at all or not too often, however if I had to use
different procedure
to backup different folders I may not do it often enough. I need "one button
does it
all" solution as I am lazy -
Regarding #2. Although I do not intentionally go out to create ASR disk I
wonder if
that backup option "All information on this computer" does not work because
it is trying
to do just that. In description it says: "Includes all data on this computer
and creates
a system recovery disk that can be used to restore Windows in the case of
major
failure". ( it may even work with diskettes, which is not what I tried. I
wanted
to backup to an external USB hard drive)

divoch

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

divoch,

Regarding the ASR part, you're correct. Here is an excerpt from MS Technet
article:

<Q>
To create an Automated System Recovery set using Backup
1. Open Backup.
The Backup or Restore Wizard starts by default, unless it is disabled. You
can use the Backup or Restore Wizard to create an Automated System Recovery
(ASR) set by answering All information on this computer in the What do you
want to backup? section. Otherwise, you can go to the next step to create an
ASR set in Advanced Mode.
2. Click the Advanced Mode link on the Backup or Restore Wizard.
3. On the Tools menu, click ASR Wizard.
4. Follow the instructions that appear on your screen.

</Q>


And from another article:

<Q>

You can, however, choose to back up All information on this computer when
running Backup. This option creates a full backup of your entire system,
including ASR data. This means that you can recover the entire system
through the ASR process in the event of failure.

</Q>


Ref:
http://technet2.microsoft.com/Windo...259b-4d55-98f9-12dbc4eb06311033.mspx?mfr=true
http://technet2.microsoft.com/Windo...cc90-4b52-b6ab-064f9db8d2721033.mspx?mfr=true


--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Regarding #1. OK, understood, I would have to do more to actually restore OE
store
than when using specialised OE backup software. Hopefully that will not be
required to be done at all or not too often, however if I had to use
different procedure
to backup different folders I may not do it often enough. I need "one button
does it
all" solution as I am lazy -
Regarding #2. Although I do not intentionally go out to create ASR disk I
wonder if
that backup option "All information on this computer" does not work because
it is trying
to do just that. In description it says: "Includes all data on this computer
and creates
a system recovery disk that can be used to restore Windows in the case of
major
failure". ( it may even work with diskettes, which is not what I tried. I
wanted
to backup to an external USB hard drive)

divoch

 

[divoch]

OK,
thanks
divoch