Re: Backup Software?

From: Daniel Rudy (nospam_at_die.spammer.die)
Date: 01/27/05 

Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 00:00:52 -0800

"Al Dykes" <adykes@panix.com> wrote in message
news:ct8q7m$no2$1@panix5.panix.com...
> In article <uRnWi84AFHA.3368@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl>,
> Daniel Rudy <nospam@die.spammer.die> wrote:
>>What backup software is recommended for WinXP Pro? The Microsoft
>>provided software is so brain-dead as to be virtually useless. I have
>>about 200GB of programs and data to backup. The target media is a
>>400GB
>>harddisk in the hot-swap bay. I want something that will compress the
>>data. Any suggestions?
>>
>>Thanks.
>>
>>
>
>
> ntbackup.exe is fine. I've used it for years. It will backup
> disk-to-disk and if the target disk has compression property set
> (NTFS, which you've got to use) you will get a compressed saveset.

Really? Why do I have to compress the target disk to compress the data
when the program should have an option for it internally without relying
on the compression functions of the operating system?

> NTbackup will do a full image backup of a running nt system.

No it won't, and I can prove it. Show me where in WinXP Pro SP2 that it
does images.

> Restore
> is a bit of a PITA if you've never done it. It also won't write to
> CDR/DVD media or break a saveset into chunks that match your
> media. Since I don;t trust CD/DVD for important backups. this doesn;t
> bother me.

Breaking the backup set into smaller chunks is not exactly a
requirement, but media spanning should be an option in any backup
software worth it's salt, which ntbackup.exe isn't.

> A major plus is that backups done with ntbackup will be readable in
> future versions of windows.

No they aren't. Backup sets from Win98 will not restore on WinXP. I
know, I've tried it. It doesn't work. And there is no garuntee that
Microsoft will not break backwards compatibility in the future again.

> That's (IMO) a major shortcomming of lots
> of the low-end consumer backup software. If the company goes bust
> you're SOL. The same can be said about cheap tape drive formats.

At least the low end backup software can be installed on just about any
OS from Win95 to Win Server 2003 and work just fine. Because it's the
same program, it will restore just fine. Where as with ntbackup, you
are stuck with the version that was installed with the operating system,
and the file formats tend to change between OS versions.

> --
>
> a d y k e s @ p a n i x . c o m

Say, wasn't panix.com the ISP that got their domain name hijacked
recently?

> Don't blame me. I voted for Gore.

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