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

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Pappion wrote:

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?


Sorry, I'm lost. Why are you asking about a one-time event? Backup is
something that needs to be done regularly.


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 don't recommend that at all.CDs cost next to nothing. Just use a new set
of CDs each time you create a backup. That has the added that you can
restore by going back more than one generation if you need to.

And as Chuck suggested below, using an external USB hard drive (or better,
two, and alternating between them, is a much easier way to back up.

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



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


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Ken Re: Backing up files daily--Acronis--xcopy
    ... of CDs each time you create a backup. ... Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: ... available, and almost any third-party choice, such as Acronis True ... did it copy anything that was needed to boot ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics)
  • Re: XP Backup Needed
    ... After I have made an image backup to another HD, ... through the Restore menu prompts, and after checking the image, Acronis ... In the event you can't boot into windows in the first place, ... which starts pulling in the backup data from your external disk. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: XP Backup Needed
    ... I simply go into Acronis True Image and work through ... In the event you can't boot into windows in the first place, ... which starts pulling in the backup data from your external disk. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: XP Backup Needed
    ... After I have made an image backup to another HD, ... through the Restore menu prompts, and after checking the image, Acronis ... In the event you can't boot into windows in the first place, ... which starts pulling in the backup data from your external disk. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Backup programs for Windows
    ... You have to have the right Acronis program. ... Step-by-Step Instructions for Using the Acronis True Image Program to Backup ... can take to back up the entire contents of one's day-to-day working HDD, ... Creating disk images ...
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