best back up

Hi there how do u back up ur current O/S and programs so say if u crashed? u wouldnt need to reformatt .. Most progams i see like Acronis need 10 discs to back up ur O/s and programs!! Which is the easiet way so i can just transfer everything over incase of a crash??..i have a cdrewrite and NTFS system xp home!! Thanks MD

 

I install Linux then use a program called "Partition Image" to make a backup or as they call it "image" (exact copy) of this Windows XP partition.

When I need to backup or restore, I just restart, boot into Linux and backup and restore as need be. Then I reboot again and I have my windows partition saved or restored.

Absolutely no problems so far, I have been using this technique for a while. No CD-Rs needed. Everything is stored on your hard drive, and it is way way faster - it only takes 7 minutes to restore/save my windows partition. As a bonus you get Linux as another OS on your drive to play with, if you feel like it (if not, just do a minimal install and you can use Linux exclusively as backup, like I do.

The only "catch" is you need to resize your NTFS (Windows) partition which may be difficult for newbies. And you must have at least 100% free space of your windows partition for linux

For example: If you have a 40GB hard drive, and you have used 25 GB for Windows - with no free space whatsoever. And only 15GB for partimage/Linux then you won't be able to image your partition

if you have 15GB for Windows and 25Gb left - then you can use the remaining 15 GB of the 25GB free space and you would be left with 10GB left to do whaetever.

if you have 40GB and all it is used by Windows (regardless of whether any of it is free space or not) then you need for resize your partition. So you have space to make a partition for Linux.

In short:
You can get a free Linux CD (inc. free shipping) from: http://shipit.ubuntulinux.org/ OR obtain any Linux distro in another way

And then download "partimage" from the Ubuntu package repository then install with: dpkg -i <name of file here>

 

I use Image for DOS ($20) and an external Maxtor harddrive, which is pretty inexpensive nowadays.

Rich

 

I don't back up the OS.

I use ZipBackup to backup Data and program configurations (including Registry entries) on a second internal HD and also an external HD.

-rich
________________
~~Be ALERT!!! ~~

 

maddawgz,
I don't know if it will help you, but I work like this, because I have also one cdrewrite and NTFS system win2000pro. So I don't really have a separate professional backup/restore system either.

Operating System :
I have an original CD of my Windows 2000 Professional and I consider this as a backup of my operating system and I use "Windows Update" to download the rest of win2000pro in order to get SP4, MSIE6 and patches.
According my readings, there is also a possibility to create a new CD from the original CD combined with SP4, MSIE6, etc. to minimize the use of "Windows Update", but until now, I'm too lazy to create this CD.

Office :
I have two original CD's of MS Office 2000 Professional and I consider these also as a backup.

Downloaded Softwares (freewares) :
I collect all my downloaded softwares on several CD-RW's : one folder per software, where I keep
a. the link of the original homepage.
b. the serial number of the software, if necessary (A2 Free for instance)
c. changed settings (other than default) and special remarks.
d. the downloaded installation file, just in case I don't have an internet connection.
a,b,c are also printed on paper, if my CD fails.

Personal Files :
I collect all my Personal Files on several CD-RW's, except the ones I'm working on.


That's my personal backup system.
My harddisk contains nothing but software and a few personal files, the rest is on CD.
In fact, I backup my files one by one, occasionally when necessary. I don't backup my total harddisk.
I prefer to use directCD, which makes it possible to copy/paste files from harddisk to CD-RW without needing a CD burner all the time.
Even when a crash occurs or having a serious malware infection, I won't lose anything.

I admit that re-installing my harddisk takes alot more time than a professional backup/restore system, but I don't re-install my harddisk every day either.

My backup is always based on one question : what happens when I lose that file ? If I can find it back on the internet, I don't care. If I can't find it back on the internet, I do care.

 

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