How to backup

[yester64]

Hi, i am not sure if there is such a thing as selective backup.
What i am hoping to find is a backup software that can detect (somehow) the needed libs etc.. from a program and back them up.
The reason i am hoping to find such a thing is, that i want only to backup the good application i installed and leave the rest. I am not sure if there is such thing or if it has a name.
Otherwise i am stuck with just format and reinstall everyting and backup that state after install.

Thank You

 

[mesab66]

Normally, the (user) selective method asks us to 'select' the files & folders manually - not really what you want here.

1. Do you need to reinstall everything now? (...new system? , fixing a corrupt system?)

2. If you are only interested in keeping 1 application do you have the original uninstalled version (e.g. CD, .iso - and what is the application?) - unfortunately, that's pretty much the way to go....unless.......

3. You're best to do regular full backups using an imaging method e.g. Acronis True Image, Norton Ghost, etc - then, it's a very simple matter of restoring this image (but not to a different motherboard/system! - that requires manual reinstall of everything)

 

[smorizio]

there are programs from emc and other small biz aps (50.00) price range or free that will back up only the files that change as your making them. if you do this you still have to load your os and aps back on. most people use two program and some microsoft tools and make there own windows restore cd. microsoft tools allow you to log into windows without registering the os with an oem nuber and lets you change the boot screen if you want to put your company logo on the desktop or lock out parts of the os so that works cant use the internet or load aps that your company or yourself needs to use. you can then make a full back up of this custom image with any drive backup or copy software.

 

[yester64]

Normally, the (user) selective method asks us to 'select' the files & folders manually - not really what you want here.

1. Do you need to reinstall everything now? (...new system? , fixing a corrupt system?)

2. If you are only interested in keeping 1 application do you have the original uninstalled version (e.g. CD, .iso - and what is the application?) - unfortunately, that's pretty much the way to go....unless.......

3. You're best to do regular full backups using an imaging method e.g. Acronis True Image, Norton Ghost, etc - then, it's a very simple matter of restoring this image (but not to a different motherboard/system! - that requires manual reinstall of everything)

actually nothing is broken. However there are some app that i can not get rid of after i uninstalled them. I also plan to move everything to a different harddrive and replace the current one.
In fact i have my windows currently on a 300gb harddrive and have a almost unused 1tb harddrive. So my idea was to backup what i need and leaving unwanted applications.
After that just transfer everything to the 1tb drive and make a c:/ partition.

Right now the layout is like this.
300gb (c
1TB (e

What i am mostly concerned about are apps like windows updates, some games like oblivion.
Of course i can reinstall everything but that just needs time. (most hated part)

I am more curious about a backup solution in general. It seems that most backups just backup a folder (taken everything) than rather backup what a program needs (libs etc.).

I hope it makes sense what i am trying to say.

Thanks

 

[mesab66]

Thanks, I understand - It's definitely no fun reinstalling everything from scratch

There are backup methods (e.g. incremental) that only backup things that have changed since the last backup - as smorizio pointed out - they do need to monitor the changes as they happen (or between 2 backups) - unfortunately, not after the event as in your case.

If I was you I'd probably just bite the bullet and reinstall everything you need (cups of coffee in hand) - of course, manually backup all you own personal data beforehand. You will need to do the usual windows updates as well - always painfully slow, I know

My advice to you for future is that you make backups of your C: drive/partition as part of a routine....again, I can recommend Acronis True Image (I use) for it's ease of use and features. I had a drive failure a while back but with the Acronis recovery disc I had my system back up and running in less than 20 minutes - all programs, tweaks and windows updates included!

 

[yester64]

Best answer selected by yester64.

 

[yester64]

I think you are right. Lesson learned.
Its not that anything is broken, but i think i can get rid of the small drives (small now) and just have one drive in the pc.

Thanks for the advice and tip. Also for the last poster.

 

[nikorr]

This topic has been closed by Nikorr