Windows XP Backup

[sasha gottfried]

I'm wondering if using the XP backup Wizard will construct a true image of
the hard drive, one that will essentially recreate the same settings,
install all programs and data in case of a hard drive crash. I know that
there are image "ghosting" programs available like Norton 'Save and Restore'
and Acronis 'True Image,' but, from reading reviews, they seem fraught with
problems and complications.

Thanks,


marc

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I'm wondering if using the XP backup Wizard will construct a true
image of the hard drive, one that will essentially recreate the same
settings, install all programs and data in case of a hard drive
crash. I know that there are image "ghosting" programs available like
Norton 'Save and Restore' and Acronis 'True Image,' but, from reading
reviews, they seem fraught with problems and complications.

No problems or complications with Acronis True Iamge here. It works just
fine and I like it very much.

 

[Earl Grey]

Hi Sasha:

To make a complete copy of your hard disk (or a partition) you need disk
imaging software. Acronis True Image 10 and Norton Save and Restore are
two well-known examples, but there are other brands as well.

Disk imaging is not a simple thing to understand, and that may account
for much of "problems and complications" you read about. Nonetheless, if
you're careful to read and follow the instructions - and don't mind
doing a bit of experimenting to work out all the details - I think
you'll get the hang of it pretty quickly.

FWIW: I use Acronis True Image 10 and I'm very happy with it. One of its
advantages is that it has a user forum filled with people who really
understand the software and will help you use it. Can't say that about
Symantec software.

In any case, once you start making disk images you'll wonder how you
ever survived without them. Driver update crashed your system? No
worries - restore your most recent image and you're back in the saddle
in minutes like nothing happened.

Earl Grey

 

[D. Spencer Hines]

So you restore the image to a second computer?

How do you know it is a Good Image without testing it?

DSH

 

[Poprivet]

So you restore the image to a second computer?

How do you know it is a Good Image without testing it?

DSH

Ahh, finally, someone brought up the missing piece of these types of things.
You "test" them before you trust them!

I use another drive for testing; works well. Also just because you have an
'image' doesn't mean you can't recover a single file or set of
files/folders. ANWAYS test ANY catastrophic backup application! That will
also include an emergency start CD of one sort of another, too.

Pop`

 

[John Barnett MVP]

Windows XP Backup won't make a true image. If you have Windows Vista
Ultimate, for example, the the new complete pc backup and restore option
would correctly image the drive, but this is not available in Windows XP.

I suggest you forget the Windows Backup software and go for Acronis True
Image. I've never had any problems with it. As for Norton Save and restore
i'd throw that in the bin, like all the other norton software.

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows Shell/User

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..

 

[Poprivet]

I'm wondering if using the XP backup Wizard will construct a true
image of the hard drive, one that will essentially recreate the same
settings, install all programs and data in case of a hard drive
crash. I know that there are image "ghosting" programs available like
Norton 'Save and Restore' and Acronis 'True Image,' but, from reading
reviews, they seem fraught with problems and complications.

Thanks,


marc

Literally, an "image" is a "picture" of a drive. If something exists on
sector 5, the restoration process will put the same data back into sector 5.
The term gets tossed around and misused a lot, including by companies who
should know better.

XP's backup does not make an image. It simply makes backup copies of files
which can be restored at a later time. If Shadow Copy is used (it's
defaulted on) it also backs up any files that happen to be in use.
But, when XP's Restore runs, it just copies things back to their
respective folders within the disk structure. It doesn't put things in
exactly the same location and thus isn't an "imaging" program, although
usage gives near the same results at least when restoring to the same drive
the backup was made on.

Pop`

 

[D. Spencer Hines]

How do you run the test for the image without having another complete
computer to do it on -- thereby avoiding the risk of bollixing your
"Personal Computer" and its hard drive?

DSH

 

[D. Spencer Hines]

What do you think of Iomega Automatic Backup Pro?

DSH

 

[Earl Grey]

Hello...I'm not sure who:

"How do you run the test for the image without having another complete
computer to do it on?"

The only 100% for sure way to test an image is to restore it to the same
disk that was imaged in the first place.

Obviously it's not convenient or even desirable to do this every time. I
do this from time to time - i.e., make an image and then restore it
immediately afterwards, sometimes from within the program and sometimes
from the rescue CD - just to check that True Image is functioning
properly. For the rest of the time I rely on the program's verification
routine and a positive result in the program logs. Prayer sometimes
comes into play.

In addition, I image my system daily (and sometimes more often) to
maximize my chances of having a good recent image.

Earl Grey

 

[JCO]

One issue I have with Acronis True Image (which I like a lot), is that it
can't see my harddrive that is SATA. So while building this machine, I had
to go back to ghost for creating images. I would like to get True Image to
work but it can't detect the harddrive.

Any idea what it would take to fix this issue?
Have you noticed this with SATA harddrives?

Thanks

 

[John E. Carty]

All my drives are SATA and Acronis True Image Home works fine here

 

[D. Spencer Hines]

The only 100% for sure way to test an image is to restore it to the same

disk that was imaged in the first place.

Thanks.

I suspected that.

Does EVERYTHING get restored -- every single file and program -- in
precisely the same place?

DSH

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

One issue I have with Acronis True Image (which I like a lot), is
that it can't see my harddrive that is SATA. So while building this
machine, I had to go back to ghost for creating images. I would like
to get True Image to work but it can't detect the harddrive.

Any idea what it would take to fix this issue?
Have you noticed this with SATA harddrives?

I don't know what's causing your problem, but I can tell that my drives here
are all SATA, and I have no problem using Acronis True Image on them

Whatever your problem is, it's not that your drive is SATA.

 

[JCO]

Could it be that I'm using True Image Server 8.0?
What version are you using?

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Could it be that I'm using True Image Server 8.0?
What version are you using?

I'm using Workstation 9.1 I've never used the Server version, so I can't be
sure, but I doubt very much that it is unable to see SATA drives.