Article Windows XP Backups

[Ian]

Ian submitted a new article:

Windows XP Backups - Windows XP Backups

Introduction

One of the most important rules to learn when using a computer, and especially when storing data on a computer, is to always keep backups. This may sound paranoid, but occasions can happen when you lose lots of work, photos and documents, and the user is the only person to blame.

Backing up your data can protect you from the worst, in the event that your hard disk fails or files are accidentally erased. Windows XP includes a...

Read more about this article...

 

[muckshifter]

Windows XP does include backup software, but for some reason it is not installed as default with a Windows XP Home Edition installation.

'cos it don't work ...

One of the things that you may note is the presence of the Automated System Recovery Wizard. While you can try to use this Wizard with the Home Edition of XP, the results can be unpredictable, and the disks created with this Wizard in XP Home are unreliable. Microsoft notes and acknowledges this in KB Article Q302700

 

[Ian]

'cos it don't work ...

Oh dear, I may have to modify this! I thought the reason they left it out was because ASR wasn't enabled in XP Home?

 

[Ian]

Ah, now I think I get it... The backup tool does work fine, but the ASR won't work (which I knew, but didnt realise it would still run), is that correct?

 

[muckshifter]

Basically yes ... I think MS "just added it" so that Home users had some sort of fallback, but really its a waste of disk space ... I would advise people to use an alternative back-up program if using Win XP Home.

My personal feeling is any MS back-up program will lead you into a false sense of security ... they never have got it right.

 

[smclintock]

I have to say thanks for this article , I wasent aware of MS's backup software before stumbelling across it on this website.

Even though it is said to be unreliable i've been using it for a few month's now and it's working brilliantly

So if i had the Professional Edition of XP this Backup software would already be installed?

 

[V_R]

Hope you dont mind me askin Mr M, But what would you recomend as an alternative? As i use the XP Back up utility. Never had to restore any thing yet though. Touch wood!!

 

[Raje]

Win xp home addidtion and pro come with the back up program you speak of, I belive it allows you to store your information onto the internet and have it password protected. At least its one feature I found with XP. The catch is you get 1 year of back up for free but its only 215mb- increase your storage to 1gig for only $600.00 a year. (for all you UK peeps its about 480 pounds). As for back up, a lot of systems come with a NON-Destructive system recovery- it backs up all your saved DATA (wordpad documents, exel sheets and pics and music) and rewrites Windows, but the sad part for all of us, reverts all software to factory setting, deleting any cool mod programs, winamps, the works.

 

[muckshifter]

Hope you dont mind me askin Mr M, But what would you recomend as an alternative? As i use the XP Back up utility. Never had to restore any thing yet though. Touch wood!!

I use DriveImage 7 ... the new Ghost from Symantec is good too.

 

[Cache-man]

I use Acronis True Image Deluxe which copies the entire hard drive as an image file to another drive.

I also back up all my important 'My Documents' files to DVD on a regular basis.

Don't really fancy trusting Microsoft to back up important data for me. lol. But thats just me.

 

[V_R]

Hmm.... i knen that microsoft could'nt be trusted! are all the above easily avaliable?

22/04/05
Well after reading the article and your comments to my question earlier, along with some other articles i googled for, i decided to go with the Norton Ghost 9.0. Installed and ran it yesterday with no problems whatsoever! Thankfully!
The good thing about it is that i can use the sofware to browse the back up image just like i would if i was looking at the original drive.

Thanks for the advice, You helped me out again!