Whats best way to back up a system?

[Blair]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

"Alpha" <none@none.net> wrote in message
news:11ifdpur3gjp94a@corp.supernews.com...
>
> "Blair" <darrach@coille.com> wrote in message
> news:%235F%23rwOuFHA.664@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> >
> > "Alpha" <none@none.net> wrote in message
> > news:11if9ap3qf55gb0@corp.supernews.com...
> >> However, the new drive better be in the same system or it won't work.
> >>
> > Could you expand on that statement please.
> > I have a PC with XP networked with a P.C. with 98Se and I use True Image
> > to
> > copy the XP to the 98SE.
> > Are you saying it won't work unless the 98SE is changed to XP?
> > Blair
> >
> >
>
> The images are complete backups, including system files and drivers. No,
> you cannot copy XP to another computer...even XP if it is not identical in
> every single way.
>
I am devastated! I have assumed that when I copied my image from XP PC to my
98 PC that it was a self contained file and when I wished to restore it
would restore it complete without any reference to the 98 operating system
on the PC.
You are telling me that I have been wasting my time and it wouldn't have
worked!
What I believed was that I was copying the whole disk and not copying XP
Blair

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Ghost

"2dogs" <2dogs@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:7AD7E0B3-DCFB-4D3F-8C66-28900F2E8C50@microsoft.com...
>I want a means of backing up my whole system, applications, data, and
> everything including the operating system to a separate hard drive. If my
> hard disk dies I don't want to have to reload the operating system and all
> its updates, reload all my software and their updates, recreate users, and
> etc, etc, etc. This literally takes days. I want to be able to put in a
> new
> hard drive and completely recreate my entire system from my backup drive
> and
> be back up and running in a couple hours.
>
> Will the backup utility supplied with XP do this?
>
>
>
>
> --
> 2dogs in Oregon USA

 

[Rock]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Leythos wrote:

> In article <#gYXpxOuFHA.3400@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl>, rock@mail.nospam.net
> says...
>
>>2dogs wrote:
>>
>>
>>>please tell me more. so far averyone else has disagreed.
>>>
>>>Were you able to install a new drive and completely restore the backup to it
>>>without formatting, partitioning, or installing the operating system first?
>>
>>Yes that can be done.
>
>
> On a single machine, without installing the OS, you can not run Windows
> BACKUP to restore the backup.
>

I didn't think we were talking about windows backup.

--
Rock
MS MVP Windows - Shell/User

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

On Tuesday 13 September 2005 08:35 pm, 2dogs had this to say in
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general:

> I want a means of backing up my whole system, applications, data, and
> everything including the operating system to a separate hard drive. If my
> hard disk dies I don't want to have to reload the operating system and all
> its updates, reload all my software and their updates, recreate users, and
> etc, etc, etc. This literally takes days. I want to be able to put in a
> new hard drive and completely recreate my entire system from my backup
> drive and be back up and running in a couple hours.
>
> Will the backup utility supplied with XP do this?
>
Of course not. What INCLUDED software that comes bundled with XP can be
relied upon to do much of anything? One usually has to find a third-party
app to get full functionality for a particular job.

Personally, I'd suggest you look at Acronis True Image software. It'll allow
you to disk image your XP hard drive to a file or files on your other drive
and makes for quick and easy recovery should you need to of everything on
your main hard drive.


--
Now this is Eye-Candy! Most beautiful desktop in the world.
Checkout ELive - a live Linux CD - run R17
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[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

In news😀102B212-DEBC-47DA-8E4A-6051E9222404@microsoft.com,
2dogs <2dogs@discussions.microsoft.com> typed:

> Will the process you described also work if the image drive is
> not a
> removable drive but is instead a second system hard drive used
> only
> for the image?


Yes, imaging works identically whether or not the drive is
removable.

However, if you're planning on backing up to a non-removable hard
drive, I urge you to rethink that strategy. I don't recommend
backup to a second non-removable hard drive because it leaves you
susceptible to simultaneous loss of the original and backup to
many of the most common dangers: severe power glitches, nearby
lightning strikes, virus attacks, even theft of the computer.


In my view, secure backup needs to be on removable media, and not
kept in the computer. For really secure backup (needed, for
example, if the life of your business depends on your data) you
should have multiple generations of backup, and at least one of
those generations should be stored off-site.


--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup




>> I use Acronis True Image.
>> I connected my removable HD.
>> Opened True Image and Imaged my C drive to the removable
>> HD......True Image did the rest
>> True Image lets you put a Start Up recovery manager in the
>> boot
>> process.This shows up on your screen before XP loads and tells
>> you
>> if you wish to start the Manager to push F?.When you do this
>> True
>> Image Starts and you can restore a saved image without being
>> in XP.
>> By Imaging my C drive to a removable HD I can and have removed
>> my C
>> drive and booted with the removable HD.It is an exact copy af
>> the
>> drive at that point in time.By saving Images of various
>> Partitions
>> onto another drive you can restore that partition to the point
>> in
>> time that you imaged it.Images will need to be updated when
>> you have
>> changes.
>> I was worth what I paid for it.
>> peterk
>>
>> --
>> Never trust a computer you can't throw out the window. - Steve
>> Wozniak "2dogs" <2dogs@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
>> message
>> news:89FA10B8-8306-4BE1-8ED4-E732AC02CAC0@microsoft.com...
>>> When recreating the system on a new drive using an image
>>> utility is
>>> it necessary to format, partition and install the operating
>>> system
>>> on the new drive before restoring from the backup drive?
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> 2dogs in Oregon USA
>>>
>>>
>>> "dev" wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> No.
>>>>
>>>> But an imaging utility will, provided that you keep current
>>>> back
>>>> ups. The
>>>> one I use here restores 3+ gigs in less than 4 minutes -
>>>> every
>>>> file, every
>>>> setting.
>>>>
>>>> There are several good tools for this purpose. Check out...
>>>> http://terabyteunlimited.com (Image for Windows)
>>>> http://ghost.com
>>>> http://www.acronis.com/
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> For most XP answers and tweaks...
>>>> http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_abc.htm
>>>> http://dougknox.com http://aumha.org
>>>> http://support.microsoft.com

 

[anna]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

> "steve.a" wrote:
>> sorry this can also be done with removable drives, again just change to
>> master insert drive in the pc and boot again 2 minute job, no need to
>> install windows format or anything else ghost takes care of the full
>> process been a lifesaver for me on a number of occasions



"Timothy Daniels" <TDaniels@NoSpamDot.com> wrote in message
news:Zs2dndq1E_MBwLXeRVn-1w@comcast.com...
> What is done with the main drive? If it remains in the computer
> and it and the removable HD were put on the same cable (i.e.
> same IDE channel), the BIOS's default HD boot order would
> select the main HD (the Master) for booting. If the main HD were
> always jumpered as Slave to allow the removable HD to take over
> as Master whenever it appeared, the main HD wouldn't boot when
> the removable HD were present for the cloning. For the simple
> slide-in-and-take-over to work, the main drive would have to be
> on the 2nd IDE channel (as Master or Slave), and the removable
> HD would have to be on the 1st IDE channel. That is because the
> default HD boot order gives the 1st channel (ch. 0) precedence
> over the 2nd channel (ch. 1).
>
> If the 2 HDs are to be on the same channel at the same time,
> the BIOS's HD boot order must be changed to put the appropriate
> HD at the head of the boot order.
>
> Of course, none of this has to be dealt with if the both the main HD
> and the backup HD are in removable trays and insertable into 2
> separate racks. Then, simply removing the main HD would pass
> booting control to the backup HD.
>
> *TimDaniels*


No doubt the OP is long-gone, thoroughly confused over the complexity of
this thread as it has evolved since his or her original query. I hope that's
not the case, but I fear it is.

Anyway, I hope he or she will forgive me for not specifically responding to
his/her query while I respond to Tim's comments. And I hope (most likely, a
forlorn one) that the OP will gain some measure of understanding from all
that has gone on re the discussion of this issue.

Tim, I think you know from my previous postings that I am a strong proponent
of users equipping their desktop computers with *two* removable hard drives
in their mobile racks. For many reasons (which I won't go into here) it is,
in my view, a most desirable hardware configuration for many, if not most
desktop PC users. The flexibility & peace of mind one gains from this
arrangement is enormous. But we'll leave any further discussion of the
advantages of removable drives for another day, OK?

However, we frequently find that for one reason or another (usually the lack
of two available 5 1/4" bays), the user can install only one removable HD.
Their other HD will be an internal one. In that situation our usual
configuration method (of course, I'm speaking of PATA drives here) is to
connect the removable drive as Primary Master and the internal one as
Secondary Master. The removable drive becomes the user's day-to-day working
drive while the internal one acts as recipient of the clone for backup
purposes. Under these circumstances the system will ordinarily boot to the
removable HD. Should the removable drive be disconnected (a simple turn of
the keylock to the OFF position), the system will boot to the internal HD.

In cloning the contents of one drive to another we usually work with Ghost's
2003 bootable floppy disk (or bootable CD), or if using the Acronis True
Image program, the ATI bootable CD. The process is simple, straightforward,
and effective.

Having said all this, let me reiterate my opinion that the most desirable
hardware configuration for many, if not most PC users to equip their desktop
computer with *two* removable drives. Should that be not feasible, we
recommend that a USB/Firewire external hard drive be employed for backup
purposes, rather than an internal HD. Obviously a more secure backup system
will result from having an external device rather than an internal one as
the recipient of the clone. But, for one reason or another, should the user
be unable or unwilling to use a removable or external drive for backing up
their system, then a internal drive will have to suffice. We do *not*
recommend using a different (separate) partition on a single drive for
backup purposes.

So, to summarize, using a removable HD and an internal HD, viable clones of
one's system can be created using a disk imaging program such as the ones
discussed.
Anna

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

"Blair" <darrach@coille.com> wrote:


>I am devastated! I have assumed that when I copied my image from XP PC to my
>98 PC that it was a self contained file and when I wished to restore it
>would restore it complete without any reference to the 98 operating system
>on the PC.
>You are telling me that I have been wasting my time and it wouldn't have
>worked!
>What I believed was that I was copying the whole disk and not copying XP
>Blair
>

You have misunderstood.

Where the backup image is stored is basically irrelevant, provided the
drive is accessible and has enough capacity.

What the original comment meant was that when you restore an image you
must restore it to the same PC that it was created from, otherwise
there will be problems.

You cannot make a backup image of Computer A: and then restore that
image to the hard drive of Computer B:, thereby obtaining two
functioning computers (A and B) with the same operating system,
installed apps, etc.

Hope this clarifies the situation.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

In article <vfohi1520kae9m83gu912gb63nmqnm7n3p@4ax.com>,
ron.martell@gmail.com says...
> What the original comment meant was that when you restore an image you
> must restore it to the same PC that it was created from, otherwise
> there will be problems.
>
> You cannot make a backup image of Computer A: and then restore that
> image to the hard drive of Computer B:, thereby obtaining two
> functioning computers (A and B) with the same operating system,
> installed apps, etc.
>
> Hope this clarifies the situation.

Actually, if you consider a "repair/reinstall" you can restore the image
and regain full use of your system. I just did three of these over the
weekend and found it worked perfectly.

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[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Leythos <void@nowhere.lan> wrote:


>
>Actually, if you consider a "repair/reinstall" you can restore the image
>and regain full use of your system. I just did three of these over the
>weekend and found it worked perfectly.


The need to do a Repair Install and also to provide a different
product key, are what I was alluding to when I said "otherwise
there will be problems".

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm

 

[Blair]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

"Ron Martell" <ron.martell@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:vfohi1520kae9m83gu912gb63nmqnm7n3p@4ax.com...
> "Blair" <darrach@coille.com> wrote:
>
>
> >I am devastated! I have assumed that when I copied my image from XP PC to
my
> >98 PC that it was a self contained file and when I wished to restore it
> >would restore it complete without any reference to the 98 operating
system
> >on the PC.
> >You are telling me that I have been wasting my time and it wouldn't have
> >worked!
> >What I believed was that I was copying the whole disk and not copying XP
> >Blair
> >
>
> You have misunderstood.
>
> Where the backup image is stored is basically irrelevant, provided the
> drive is accessible and has enough capacity.
>
> What the original comment meant was that when you restore an image you
> must restore it to the same PC that it was created from, otherwise
> there will be problems.
>
> You cannot make a backup image of Computer A: and then restore that
> image to the hard drive of Computer B:, thereby obtaining two
> functioning computers (A and B) with the same operating system,
> installed apps, etc.
>
> Hope this clarifies the situation.
>
> Good luck
>
> Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
> --
> Microsoft MVP
> On-Line Help Computer Service
> http://onlinehelp.bc.ca
>
> In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
> http://aumha.org/alex.htm

Thanks for clarifying what was intended in the original comment. I am
relieved
Regards
Blair

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

In article <brqji1l31fldbbinbt85t127i0t0hnh6vd@4ax.com>,
ron.martell@gmail.com says...
> Leythos <void@nowhere.lan> wrote:
>
>
> >
> >Actually, if you consider a "repair/reinstall" you can restore the image
> >and regain full use of your system. I just did three of these over the
> >weekend and found it worked perfectly.
>
>
> The need to do a Repair Install and also to provide a different
> product key, are what I was alluding to when I said "otherwise
> there will be problems".

You can use the same product key/COA as long as it's a repair - you are
even permitted to restore an OEM install to a new board as long as it
was to replace a defective board.

--

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