What other backup software?

[jon_fl]

Besides TI, do you use another backup software? If yes, which one? How do you utilize it?

[mareke]

I use 'Handy Backup' (http://www.handybackup.com/) to automatically backup files I would not want to lose if I had to restore an Acronis image. 'Handy Backup' can be configured to auto backup pretty much any files you want such as My Documents, Outlook Express, My Favorites etc as frequently as you like so that if you restore an Acronis image you don't lose the changes made to these files since the image that you restored was made.

I would hate for example to have to restore an Acronis image and lose changes to my financial records made since the restored image was made which were necessary to accurately complete my tax; records that I store in My Documents and that may have changed since the restored Acronis image was made. Using a good backup program means this will not occur when I restore an Acronis image made some time ago. Handy Backup also has a sister company that makes 'Platinum Backup' which differs from 'Handy Backup' only in that it will also backup to DVD. I prefer to backup to a second and third hard drive to be on the safe side. 'Handy Backup' even backs up my Acronis images to the third drive so that I have the Acronis images on two drives to be doubly safe. I have yet to find a better backup program than 'Handy Backup'.

[sandokan]

Not really. What for? ATI covers all my needs. If I ever want to backup my Favs, for example, I just archive it and toss it in my 2nd HDD.

[Menorcaman]

I've made life a little easier for myself by saving my data folders (e.g. My Documents, E-mail, Favourites etc.) to my backup drive each time True Image is launched from Windows. After restoring an image I merely copy the data folders back to their original locations on my main drive. My "System_Backup.bat" backs up the current data and then launches TI whilst running "Data_Restore.bat" after restoring an image copies the current data back again. Both are started manually via Desktop shortcuts.
If anyone is interested, the two bat files are listed below and can be easily tailored to suit your own situations. Note: you will need to create the relevant directories/folders on your backup drive before running the bat files for the first time.

If for some reason you can't create images from within Windows, remove the command START C:\"Program Files"\Acronis\"TrueImage"\"TrueImage.exe" from Data_Backup.bat and run it just prior to dropping into TI boot rescue mode.

System_Backup.bat-{ Quote: "Rem CURRENT SYSTEM BACKUP
echo
echo Deleting old backup of Thunderbird profiles and mail directory
RMDIR /S /Q E:\Backup_C\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"Application Data"\"Thunderbird"\"Profiles"
echo
echo Creating new backup of Thunderbird profiles and mail directory
XCOPY C:\"Documents and Settings"\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"Application Data"\"Thunderbird"\"Profiles" E:\Backup_C\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"Application Data"\"Thunderbird"\"Profiles"\ /E /H /G /K
echo
echo Deleting old backup of Outlook Express mail folder
RMDIR /S /Q E:\Backup_C\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"Local Settings"\"Application Data"\"Identities"
echo
echo Creating new backup of Outlook Express mail directory
XCOPY C:\"Documents and Settings"\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"Local Settings"\"Application Data"\"Identities" E:\Backup_C\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"Local Settings"\"Application Data"\"Identities"\ /E /H /G /K
echo
echo Deleting old backup of Favorites directory
RMDIR /S /Q E:\Backup_C\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"Favorites"
echo
echo Creating new backup of Favorites directory
XCOPY C:\"Documents and Settings"\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"Favorites" E:\Backup_C\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"Favorites"\ /E /H /G /K
echo
echo Deleting old backup of My Documents directory
RMDIR /S /Q E:\Backup_C\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"My Documents"
echo
echo Creating new backup of My Documents directory
XCOPY C:\"Documents and Settings"\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"My Documents" E:\Backup_C\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"My Documents"\ /E /H /G /K
echo
echo Deleting old backup of Data Becker Work directory
RMDIR /S /Q E:\Backup_C\"Program Files"\"Data Becker"\"CD LabelMaker"\"Work"
echo
echo Creating new backup of Data Becker Work directory
XCOPY C:\"Program Files"\"Data Becker"\"CD LabelMaker"\"Work" E:\Backup_C\"Program Files"\"Data Becker"\"CD LabelMaker"\"Work"\ /E /H /G /K
echo
echo Deleting old backup of Canon CD-LabelPrint Label directory
RMDIR /S /Q E:\Backup_C\"Program Files"\"Canon"\"CD-LabelPrint"\"Labels"
echo
echo Creating new backup of Canon CD-LabelPrint Label directory
XCOPY C:\"Program Files"\"Canon"\"CD-LabelPrint"\"Labels" E:\Backup_C\"Program Files"\"Canon"\"CD-LabelPrint"\"Labels"\ /E /H /G /K
echo
echo Loading TrueImage. Please wait...
START C:\"Program Files"\Acronis\"TrueImage"\"TrueImage.exe"" }-Data_Restore.bat

-{ Quote: "Rem CURRENT DATA RESTORE
echo
echo Deleting Thunderbird profiles and mail directory
RMDIR /S /Q C:\"Documents and Settings"\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"Application Data"\"Thunderbird"\"Profiles"
echo
echo Restoring backup of Thunderbird profiles and mail directory
XCOPY E:\Backup_C\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"Application Data"\"Thunderbird"\"Profiles" C:\"Documents and Settings"\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"Application Data"\"Thunderbird"\"Profiles"\ /E /H /G /K
echo
echo Deleting Outlook Express mail folder
RMDIR /S /Q C:\"Documents and Settings"\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"Local Settings"\"Application Data"\"Identities"
echo
echo Restoring backup of Outlook Express mail directory
XCOPY E:\Backup_C\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"Local Settings"\"Application Data"\"Identities" C:\"Documents and Settings"\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"Local Settings"\"Application Data"\"Identities"\ /E /H /G /K
echo
echo Deleting Favorites directory
RMDIR /S /Q C:\"Documents and Settings"\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"Favorites"
echo
echo Restoring backup of Favorites directory
XCOPY E:\Backup_C\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"Favorites" C:\"Documents and Settings"\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"Favorites"\ /E /H /G /K
echo
echo Deleting My Documents directory
RMDIR /S /Q C:\"Documents and Settings"\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"My Documents"
echo
echo Restoring backup of My Documents directory
XCOPY E:\Backup_C\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"My Documents" C:\"Documents and Settings"\"Tom & Fay.HOME-1"\"My Documents"\ /E /H /G /K
echo
echo Deleting Data Becker Work directory
RMDIR /S /Q C:\"Program Files"\"Data Becker"\"CD LabelMaker"\"Work"
echo
echo Restoring backup of Data Becker Work directory
XCOPY E:\Backup_C\"Program Files"\"Data Becker"\"CD LabelMaker"\"Work" C:\"Program Files"\"Data Becker"\"CD LabelMaker"\"Work"\ /E /H /G /K
echo
echo Deleting Canon CD-LabelPrint Label directory
RMDIR /S /Q C:\"Program Files"\"Canon"\"CD-LabelPrint"\"Labels"
echo
echo Restoring backup of Canon CD-LabelPrint Label directory
XCOPY E:\Backup_C\"Program Files"\"Canon"\"CD-LabelPrint"\"Labels" C:\"Program Files"\"Canon"\"CD-LabelPrint"\"Labels"\ /E /H /G /K
echo" }-Not very sophisticated I know but it works quite well!!

Regards

[MiniMax]

Windows NT Backup - it is free, and it works.

Main screen

http://www.theeldergeek.com/images/Backup%20Advanced%20Mode/pic1.gif

Backup screen

http://www.theeldergeek.com/images/Backup%20Advanced%20Mode/pic2.gif

Scheduling screen

http://www.theeldergeek.com/images/Backup%20Advanced%20Mode/pic4.gif

More info at one of my favourite sites: The Elder Geek on Windows XP (http://www.theeldergeek.com/backup_using_advanced_mode.htm).