Ken Re: Backing up files daily--Acronis--xcopy

Yes, I have XP Pro, and my computer is a year old. and all Windows updates
are current, and use IE--all patches installed. Do you suggest using Acronis
as a one-time event?

I would use my CD burner, but cannot see to find out how to simply add to
the CDs each day to create backups. I'm visually-impaired, and utilize
adaptive software, extensively, including Kurzweil, and Dragon. At times,
the screen reader isn't too helpful in attempting new programs or
delineating their variables. As a writer, I am concerned, although owning a
computer since the late 1970s I've never had a crash, or Virus, Trojan, et
al, and run all utilities purposefully, incl AVG, Spyblaster, AdAware, +
Trendmicro every few weeks, and have Zone Alarm, and don't permit
pop-ups--et al.

Thank you for your time and opinion.
"Ken Blake" <kblake@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:e9dIZTnBHHA.1196@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Chuck Davis" <newsgroup at anthemwebs dot com> wrote in message
news:OvIGyDnBHHA.4060@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I would buy an external hard drive. They are connected via USB. A 300 GB
drive can be bought for about 80USD. You didn't mention your version of
Windows, but Windows XP Pro already has a backup program, that will back
up your data and system settings. It will make incremental backups. If you
are using Windows XP Home, you can Google search for ntbackup.msi file.


It's not normally necessary to download ntbackup, even with XP Home. It
comes with both Professional and Home. Backup is installed automatically
on XP Professional, but not on XP Home. If you have the complete XP Home
CD, find backup on the CD, in \ValueAdd\MSFT\NTBACKUP and install it
yourself by doubleclicking the file ntbackup.msi.

But if you don't have an XP CD, you can download ntbackup.msi at
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/software/ntbackup.msi.


However, as backup programs go, this is perhaps the [poorest choice
available, and almost any third-party choice, such as Acronis True Image,
is better.

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




Download and install. This version will not backup system settings, but
is otherwise identical.
"Pappion" <pappion@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23NWvLndBHHA.1224@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Would Acronis be a good program to use if I'm going to clean my HD,
instead of backing up files on CDs?

I use Roxio, and cannot for the life of me figure out how to put in a CD
with say A-D files on it, and add anything new to it without replicating
those already burned.

Also, it take 3-6 CDs, and right now I want to back up my C Drive (only
one I use for documents) and do it daily, instead of now and then.

How do I accomplish this easy backup on a daily basis?
"Patrick Keenan" <test@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:OVzdieaBHHA.3836@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ted Gervais" <ve1drg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23MWwv3OBHHA.1196@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I just ran 'xcopy /e /c /h /o c: h: and it copies everything I had
from drive c to h.

Not exactly.


My question now is, did it copy anything that was needed to boot that
drive to the mbr or whereever, so that if I tried to boot from drive H
(this is a separate physical drive) that it would in fact boot?

Nope. Xcopy isn't capable of doing this.


I have the feeling even though xcopy is a great thing it misses those
tiny things that will permit a new drive to boot up after a current
system was transferred to it.

Critical boot files in precise locations aren't actually tiny things.
Xcopy is simply the wrong tool.


Any comments guys on what I did? Perhaps there is a better way but I
thought that where I have this second drive already mounted in the
computer and it would take the place of the old drive, why not xcopy
everything over from one to the other??
Did I do wrong..??

You need to use a disk cloning utility, which will copy *all* of the
files including the ones you do not have access to, and put the
critical boot files in the precise locations they need to be. I use
Acronis True Image with good success, and it has a free 15-day trial.

http://www.acronis.com/

And as a bonus, you'll probably find that cloning/imaging takes
significantly less time than running xcopy, sometimes hours less.

HTH
-pk









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