Backup Software Suggestions Needed

Dear Ladies & Gentlemen,

I have not purchased any imaging / backup software yet and have been trying to do my homework by looking at this and other forums to determine the best product for my needs. I am a relative novice as computers go but am presently retired and have lots of time to study.

I am using a Windows XP with IE6 on a Dell E510 Pentium 4, 1GB Memory and a 250 GB harddrive. I use my system primarily for personal use. I presently use the back-up system that came installed with my XP unit. I made a mistake and do not have an "A" Drive but do have a CD & DVD drive with a burner. There is only one hard drive on this unit and I have no other drives available.

There are so many problems with Imaging / Back-up software as can be attested to by simply reading over the many pages in this forum. It is obvious to me that you overall are a very dedicated group and this is why I am soliciting your advise. What are your recommendations to me?

Thanks in advance for all you do to make the "computer experience" as regards imaging a fun thing! Also, thank-you for your replie(s).

Respectfully,

Aarond38

 

Re: Acronis TI 9.0 "wannabe"

You can always get a usb floppy drive which will be your A drive - about $25.
I would also invest in an external usb hard drive - buy the drive on its own and an enclosure and you will save quite a few bucks. There are only two cables to connect and since you have time it will take you all of 2 minutes to figure out the connections.

The external usb hard drive will be for your backup images.

The bulk of the problems encountered with using True Image occur when people use wireless keyboard/mouse and multiple usb devices including hubs, and also, to some extent, using CD and DVD media for their primary backup media.

Also using True Image to backup files is like using a steam roller to crush a peanut. Keep it simple, backup files by using Windows Explorer.

Hope that starts you off in the right direction.

 

Re: Backup Software Suggestions

What size/ type etc. usb floppy drive would I need to accomplish storing an image of my drive?

 

My internal D drive is solely for True Image backups and other static archives,such as music,photos.

You can easily fit this drive yourself,with minimal research. It will operate as a slave to the main active C drive.

Even if there is a software or hardware failue with C,you still can access D and restore the Image(after replacing C,if required).

Of course,if the D drive destructs at the same time as the C,you are in trouble,but I guess the same could be said about an external drive.

I have used True Image since it was introduced and it has been 100% reliable.

If you want to backup some important files in between Imaging, try freeware Coban Backup- www.cobian.se



Every one will have their favorite method,but the above has worked fine

Mike


.

 

I have been using Farstone's RestoreIt for years and I couldn't be happier.
Just install it, choose your settings or use the default settings and you're done. My system is backed up (sort of) every 24 hours.
It's also very easy to make a bootable image on Cds/DVDS.
Zero system impact.

 

Re: Backup Software Suggestions

The usb floppy drive is the replacement ONLY for the standard A drive that you said you did not get with your computer.

The usb hard drive is the one for keeping the images. The size is depends on the size of your wallet. The type - stick with IDE as opposed to SATA.

 

First, you need to purchase at least two exrternal USB drives, each of which large enough to hold your hard drive's contents.

Then you should purchase backup software, e.g.:

- Acronis True Image 9: The best price is likely at a place such as www.newegg.com. If the purchase includes anything before build 3567, do not install the purchased version, instead, register your purchase at the Acronis web site and download the recently released build 3567.

 

Chutsman, Snap, Mikisu, Mike and all others that have and are contributing to my "suggestion pool" for imaging / backup programs I thank-you all very much for your suggestions. I plan to look into prices etc. and make my decision from there. Have a great day!!!!

Aarond38

 

One last advice : test your RESTORE after backup !!!

 

What software program do you use for imaging - backup?

 

None, because my new computer isn't ready yet.
I will choose between 3 softwares :
1. Acronis True Image.
2. Terabyte BootIt Next Generation (my preference on first sight).
3. Symantec Norton Ghost.

 

Just as a matter of interest aarond38........I don't have a 'A' Drive (Floppy Disc) either, mine died and went to the big Computer in the sky...I haven't bothered to replace it because they're not that much use anyway, too small capacity.

But you say you have DVD and CD-R and burner!!......If you double click 'My Computer' they sould show as 'Drive D' and 'Drive E' respectively...so there is nothing to stop you using either of them to back up your stuff to Disc by using the 'Send To' method.........Just a thought......

By the way WELCOME to Wilders.........


Cochise,

 

Welcome to Wilders aarond38.

As Howard Kaikow did, I'd recommend the purchase of two external USB drives, which you can rotate to have one always off site if you care to go that far in redundancy. They can be had for major cheap -- especially if you limit them in size to only holding two to four backups of your system.

The programs I have experienced the most RELIABILITY, SIMPLICITY, and SPEED with are Terabyte's Image for Windows (same as BootIt NG mentioned by ErikAlbert but more specialized for this purpose) for imaging and EMC Dantz Retrospect Pro 7.5 for nightly file-based full and incremental backing up (including two more machines as network clients, if you need them).

There certainly are those who will debate the simplicity of Retrospect -- but it wasn't so difficult after I RTFM.

This judgment is based on my own experience, including having bought and used True Image 8 and then True Image 9, as well, and including having successfully tested the restore of my system partition and a home netwrok client's system partition.

YMMV

 

Right I forgot about Image for Windows and Image for DOS. I probably will buy the whole set. I like the words RELIABILITY, SIMPLICITY and SPEED already.

 

Currently, I have 3 USB drives, and I am using Ghost 10 and True Image 9.

If you are using windows XP, I would suggest the new Norton Save and Restore, instead of Ghost 10. I've not used it, but it looks like it is basically Ghost 10 plus added files backup capability, i.e., to go after the True Image customer base.

I used to use Retrospect 6,5, but Restrospect gave significant errors after I converted my drives to NTFS in Feb 2006.

Also, a file based backup, be it Retrospect, or another program, is way too slow for full backups.

 

I've time enough to choose.
Before IMAGE BACKUP, I have to do experiments with separating winXPproSP2 from personal files.
What will happen on my harddisks, how far can I go with this separation and what kind of impact it has on installing other softwares ?
This is a must for me, because it will influence all the rest in a better way.
I like to do things in the right order and I don't care how much time it takes.

 

aarond38,

Take a look at the 2006 "Disk Imaging Software Review" located here:

Link removed. Rogue site. - Ron

This may be of help in your decision. It includes 10 products (some mentioned previously in this thread) by features, rating, price, etc. This, along with using Google to find add'l reviews (including forums such as Wilders) for specific products, helped me a great deal.

I'm a cheapskate with 2 PCs and went with Bootit NG (partitioning and boot manager), Image for Windows and Image for DOS as a package deal around $50. (Terabytle Unlimited has no restrictions on the number of PCs you install the software on if you are a home user.) Also, I mullti-boot both PCs with Linux and Win XP. If you do not plan on having more than a single OS, presumably Windows, on your hard drive (also read a single partition), you can get by with either Image for Windows and/or Image for DOS. However, as stated in the review, be aware that you will have to download a few plugins in addition to the software. For file backups in between images, I use a nifty, Java-based, freeware application called "Snap Backup" located here: http://www.snapbackup.com/

That said, Acronis True Image and Norton Ghost are usually the top picks in the reviews I read. It just depends on what features you need and how much money you want to spend.

Good luck!

bktII

 

It's not really possible to assure a clean separation.

1. Some programs have a mind of their own and may not allow you to save settings, etc. separately in a location of you choosing.

2. Many apps, even if not installed, may write stuffin the registry.

3. Lot's of programs allow to store significant things wheresoever you wish, e.g., Favorites, Cookies, My Documents, and application specifi cdirectories for programs such as Firefox and Thunderbird,

IMNSHO, one should do FULL backups, not pick and choose the files to be backed up. For purposes of backup separation of files does not matter, but for keeping track of things, it does. But then each of us has our own (in)efective (dis)organization method.

 

Hello,

I suggest to give BootIt Next Generation a try; you can use a full functional trial for 30 days. Bing is a 3-in-1 prog for partitioning, imaging and multiboot manager. You can (among many other things) burn a rescue disc or write directly an image to a DVD without any problems. Never had 1 problem with restoring an image (or with other applications of this prog for that matter). Everything works flawlessly. I consider this prog my software buy of the year. I have never used a more reliable prog than Bing. The price is a steal: U$ 34,95.
The only problem I see is it's manual; it's confusing. Helpful is that the company (Terrabyte) has put on its website vid's that show you e.g. how to install the prog. etc. Also take a look (on the same website) at the Hefly's helppage. This user has put there some vids showing you how to partition, restore etc. etc. Also there is a very good helpsite where you can get help from BING users.
Don't follow blindly the hype for certain progs. Also take a look at other forums and read what users of the prog you have in mind are saying.

Hope to have been of some help.
(BTW i'm running a Dell Dimension 5000)

 

Have a look at exboot but it is expensive.

 

Yes, I'm aware of possible problems, because not every software is designed for such a separation.
That's why I have to do tests and monitor these softwares for awhile, at least the ones I use myself.
Some members already reported certain problems, but they didn't cause a malfunction up to now.
Once I wrote a post at Wilders to inform me better about real problems, but the post never got any reply.
So I have to figure it out myself.

 

Another recent (12/2005) Wilders forum thread with good comments on Terabyte Unlimited's Bootit NG, Image for Windows (IFW) and Image for DOS (IFD) here:

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/archive/index.php/t-112568.html

Just scroll down a bit.

bktII

 

The issue of separationis entirely separate from choice of backup program.

 

.......I hope your taking note of all this info aarond38 because I think you may have to fill in a questionnaire later on... (Just joking)..


Regards, Cochise,