True Computer Geeks Only..................
I am wanting to find the best backup program available, that will do an entire disc image to CD-RW, or DVD-Rom.
In other words,.....I don't want to hand pick files, but do an entire backup of everything, including the OS.
My backups of individual important files are getting out of hand, and it seems the "disc image" based types would be best,.......something crashes, or dies,....just replicate everything that was there before.
I have researched a few, but always prefer to hear from folks that have actually used a given program.
In other words,.....I don't want to hand pick files, but do an entire backup of everything, including the OS.
My backups of individual important files are getting out of hand, and it seems the "disc image" based types would be best,.......something crashes, or dies,....just replicate everything that was there before.
I have researched a few, but always prefer to hear from folks that have actually used a given program.
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http://shop.symantecstore.com/DRHM/servlet/ControllerServlet?Action=DisplayProductDetailsPage&SiteID=symnahho&Locale=en_US&ThemeID=106300&Env=BASE&productID=70058000&pgm=6037100
Several defense contractor companies, including the one I work for, use Ghost. It works very well.0 -
This isn't exactly an answer to what you asked, but something you might consider. You would need an external disk as big or bigger than your internal hard disk.
Norton Ghost does a complete clone of your system and data. For day to day file changes, I just backup files to the iomega disk. When I do a system change, after I'm sure it was what I wanted, I run a Norton Ghost to the iomega. When my system gets screwed up I do a Ghost restore of the system, delete all the old data files and restore them from the iomega disk.
I'm not a "True Computer Geek" but I reply to a lot of stuff I'm not qualified for. [:D]0 -
quote:Originally posted by JamesRK
This isn't exactly an answer to what you asked, but something you might consider. You would need an external disk as big or bigger than your internal hard disk.
Norton Ghost does a complete clone of your system and data. For day to day file changes, I just backup files to the iomega disk. When I do a system change, after I'm sure it was what I wanted, I run a Norton Ghost to the iomega. When my system gets screwed up I do a Ghost restore of the system, delete all the old data files and restore them from the iomega disk.
I'm not a "True Computer Geek" but I reply to a lot of stuff I'm not qualified for. [:D]
Same here, James. Have an Iomega 80gig external hard drive which keeps things backed up. Best way to go.0 -
I have a 200 gig Seagate External Harddrive for backup. I back up everything to it, the software comes with the drive. Although I still prefer to drag and drop only the files and folders I want!!! 0 -
Thanks for the replies,......I was already considering an external USB drive for this purpose.
I just thought that possibly a DVD-ROM could hold all the data necessary.
I did not know if the disc image is compressed or not, so I have no idea of the size needed
Simply put,.....I want to have a stone cold backup solution, that will do the job whether it be a virus, or a drive failure.
Also hoping to save the hours of re-installing the OS, and multiple programs, and then following behind with the "specific" files per se.
JamesRK,.......you are officially a "geek"![:D]
Edit: Is the Norton Ghost product anything like the rest they make?
I don't have much confidence in Symantec.0 -
There is an online service called Carbonite that's backs up your files everyday. I tried a free trial version last year and it worked pretty good. I don't think it will back up your OS. Do search for Carbonite. 0 -
Acronis TrueImage Home - completely backs up your PC. Complete restore of your OS and all your apps in minutes. Blows Norton Ghost out of the water.
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/0 -
I've never tried putting a new disk in my C drive and restoring that from my G drive (iomega), but I did do a DOD wipe on my C drive and restored that from the G drive once. I don't remember the exact message it gave me. It was one of those "Are you sure you aren't misusing the software" or something like that. I just clicked the right answer and it worked.
Ghost is a very old program. I'm not even sure it was always a Norton product. I agree Norton can be a major pain in the ass. Ghost is one of the few things they sell that I like.
When you make your first clone of your C drive, you also make a floppy disk to run the restore. The restore runs in DOS. It's basically just an old time disk to disk copy with a few things added. I keep an extra copy of the floppy (just in case [:D])
A DOD wipe writes zero/one to every location on the hard drive seven times. Wipes the disk totally clean.0 -
quote:Originally posted by pabooger
I have a 200 gig Seagate External Harddrive for backup. I back up everything to it, the software comes with the drive. Although I still prefer to drag and drop only the files and folders I want!!!
+1[^][:)]0 -
I cought a good deal at wallyworld a few months ago and bought a second H/D.I put it in my machine and ghosted all the data on my main one, over to my new one, than took it out and boxed it back up.[;)]If some thing goes wrong, i can just use my new one...HEhehehe 0 -
quote:Originally posted by JamesRK
I've never tried putting a new disk in my C drive and restoring that from my G drive (iomega), but I did do a DOD wipe on my C drive and restored that from the G drive once. I don't remember the exact message it gave me. It was one of those "Are you sure you aren't misusing the software" or something like that. I just clicked the right answer and it worked.
Ghost is a very old program. I'm not even sure it was always a Norton product. I agree Norton can be a major pain in the ass. Ghost is one of the few things they sell that I like.
When you make your first clone of your C drive, you also make a floppy disk to run the restore. The restore runs in DOS. It's basically just an old time disk to disk copy with a few things added. I keep an extra copy of the floppy (just in case [:D])
A DOD wipe writes zero/one to every location on the hard drive seven times. Wipes the disk totally clean.
Thanks for that info James,......rules out Ghost for me, as I don't have a floppy drive. Just a DVD, and a DVD RW,.....didn't order a floppy as I had not used the one on my old system for years.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Marc1301
Thanks for that info James,......rules out Ghost for me, as I don't have a floppy drive. Just a DVD, and a DVD RW,.....didn't order a floppy as I had not used the one on my old system for years.
I don't see why you couldn't do the same thing with a CD or DVD vice the floppy, but it would take a little more knowledge of how to manipulate one of these contraptions than I have.
When you lose your C drive, you have to have some way to boot the system. The way mine works on startup it checks the floppy first, then the CD/DVD and if it doesn't find a bootable disk, it goes to drive C.
Yours probably checks the DVD first, but I'm guessing. If you can make a DVD with DOS and put Ghost on the same disk, it should work, but it will take somebody who knows what they are talking about to tell you how to do it.
They might even have a version of Ghost that give you that option. There ain't much floppy use any more.0 -
I just downloaded the Acronis product linked above, as it has a 15 day free trial.
It does not require a boot disc, so this brings up another question!
Lets say I buy a USB hard drive, and do a total disc image, which the program says would be about 30 GB for mine.
I fully understand that if I simply get some issues I can put it back just like it was very easily.
How would you restore from the USB drive if I lost my original hard drive, and had to install a new one?
Problem I see is that the Acronis program would have to be on the new hard drive, and to be able to install it, I would have to put the OS on manually. At that point I can run the program, and restore from the USB backup location.
I guess the disc image idea is really only good if you don't trash the original hard drive, i.e. a virus, or file corruption.
Seems almost as easy to simply get the USB drive, and do a disc copy, and run the USB as a clone.
What a pain![xx(]0 -
It does not require a boot disk to restore individual files/folders. To do a bare metal restore, you need to have a boot disk. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by DarkStar11
It does not require a boot disk to restore individual files/folders. To do a bare metal restore, you need to have a boot disk.
So are you saying if I make an XP boot CD, and if I use Acronis for a total disc image on a USB drive, I would install the new drive,.....if I lost one,.....boot the new drive from the CD, and I could restore the disc image from the USB without installing the OS, or the Acronis program on the new hard drive first?0 -
You create the bootable media using Acronis -- not a windows boot CD. Boot from the created media, and restore your complete image from the USB drive to your new hard drive. No reinstalling the OS or any apps. 0 -
Darkstar11,.....thanks much for the help.
I found the bootable media location in the drop downs.
Seems like what I need.
Now I just have to find a USB Drive,.....that should be simple!
Edit: USB Drive is done! Got a 250 GB 7200 RPM WD from Fleabay for 60 bucks.0
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