Re: Trouble Backing Up

Here's a newbie's best friend - don't be put off by the titles:

"Windows XP For Dummies, 2nd Edition"
http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesTitle/productCd-0764573268.html

"PCs For Dummies, 10th Edition"
http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesTitle/productCd-076458958X,subcat-HARDWARE.html

And a friendly tip: You're more likely to be ignored in a newsgroup when you post a novel.

---
Ted Zieglar
"Backup is a computer user's best friend."

MelAnne wrote:
I'm running Win XP SP2 and I've been trying to backup my computer for, like, forever! Every time I tried looking through help files, I was always referred to the 'system disks' that I don't have. Why don't the help files understand that Win XP doesn't necessarily come with these disks? Am I expected to make my own disks in case I need them later -- like right now? I called the store back when I bought my computer and they told me the same thing, that Win XP is 'partitioned' with everything I need in case I want to restore or recover my system, but here's problem #1: I wanted to use backup, but it wasn't automatically installed. The help files said I had to install it via the system disks. I was to open a certain file from the 'mystery disks' and find the backup program and install it that way. No disks, no backup.
Problem #2: I installed Norton Save & Restore in order to backup my stuff, but when I received the email and clicked the link on their site, I got an 'Internal Error 2753' message involving something about 'VProSvc.exe' and the installer said the program did not complete it's installation. I've had a Support Ticket out with Norton for 2 weeks now and so far, all I've gotten in return was the automated message everybody gets when you first send the request for support!
Problem #3: I downloaded Win Live OneCare specifically to backup my system. Like Norton, I haven't been able to do any backing up. Like Norton, I've had a Support Ticket out with Microsoft. Unlike Norton, however, I've been writing back and forth with Microsoft, but they haven't been able to fix OneCare, so I thought maybe now it's a problem with my CD-RW rather than with OneCare which brings me, finally, to the questions I have for this post.
If I forget everything else, for the moment anyway, how could I check the CD burner -- or whatever it's really called. I don't even really know that much. I'm a newbie when it comes to the CD-RW portion of my computer. I read the post by AmyM called "XP Backup Utility vs. Disk Imaging?" on 11-03-06 in this same newsgroup and I was overwhelmed by all the info I found there. I have some questions, if someone hasn't already fallen asleep reading all of this. LOL
One product suggested was 'Acronis True Image' and perusing it's site I found that it can "Copy your entire PC, including the operating system, applications, user settings, and all data using our patented disk imaging technology." ASSUMING my CD works, is this something I could use to backup more than just my 'pictures and documents'. Would this make 'system disks' for me? What's the difference between it and 'Acronis Disk Director Suite 10.0'? I won't need them to find Windows Backup Utility anymore. Obviously, if TI backs up my system, I wouldn't need another backup program. My point, I guess, would this make CDs I could use to restore my computer? Would I finally have something 'in my hands' that would equal everything that is 'my computer'?
Another site mentioned on the other post was 'Bootdisk.com' at http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm and one of the options there was a link for 'XP Home/Pro Original/SP1/SP2'. I never used anything like that before. Can these be trusted? Would this link I mentioned make the CDs I can use to restore my computer back to the day I bought it? Granted, I've got a lot of 'stuff' invested in my machine since the day I first brought it home, but if it meant I'd get what I started out with, it'd be better than nothing at all, right?
I don't believe I have any viruses or what have you. I just finished a subscription with Computer Associates and had no complaints. That's when I installed OneCare with the intentions to start backing up my stuff so I wouldn't lose any of it, for one thing, and secondly, I want to regain some space back. To date, here's some stats that may help steer me in the right direction:
HP Pavilion 503n
Celeron(R) CPU 1.70GHz
1.69GHz, 760 MB of RAM
C: 13.5 GB free space remaining (of 32.2 GB)
D: 753 MB free space remaining (of 5.01 GB)
Windows XP SP2 with IE 7
Out of curiousity, I'd also like to know what the next best/worse processor is so I'd have an idea about what requirements compare to what I have. For example, to install 'Acronis Disk Director Suite 10.0', it suggests:
A PC-compatible computer with a Pentium or similar CPU
128 MB RAM
A floppy or a CD-RW/DVD-RW drive
When it mentions '128 MB RAM', does this mean on the hard drive? There's sooo much, I now realize, that I don't understand about such things, but you really need to know most of it if you need to install programs, perform tasks above and beyond or simply if you want to preserve what you've already accomplished with your computer. I'm still learning and I'm not afraid to explore. I just don't want to lose anything in the process. I'm working on a website of my own and I want to devote most of my time to it, but I really need to do some 'spring cleaning' at this point.
Anything anyone could suggest about any part of this will be greatly appreciated. I know I said a lot and asked a lot, but I've been working on this issue for over a month now. I lost my Adobe a couple of weeks ago and just got that problem fixed. Performing a non-destructive recovery isn't all it's cracked up to be and I don't like relying on recovery to solve my problems -- it certainly didn't help me with my CD burner or backing up. I want to back up all my files, programs I like but maybe don't want them taking up space right now, hard copies of my system and, well, just to know that if something should happen -- I'll be able to restore any of it I want when I want, when I need to. Thanks

Mel Anne [;}]

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Relevant Pages

  • Re: Death of a Computer...
    ... These things are backed up via the install disks and as you say, restoring them via a backup to a new drive or PC is nearly impossible anyway for all the reasons you cite and more. ...
    (rec.sport.billiard)
  • Re: scratch cd (We have liftoff!!)
    ... I think you can have image files as other than ISO images (eg. old DOS backup files). ... At least with the disks, I can try out a distro without having to install it on the HD and possibly messing it up. ... If you don't do this and have a power failure without a graceful shutdown, you _might_ be looking at a whole re-install because, at least in earlier distros one or more cached data would not be written back the the HD as the OS crashes. ...
    (sci.research.careers)
  • Trouble Backing Up
    ... I'm running Win XP SP2 and I've been trying to backup my computer for, like, ... Every time I tried looking through help files, ... understand that Win XP doesn't necessarily come with these disks? ... disks' and find the backup program and install it that way. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain)
  • Re: GoBack again but worse
    ... install. ... Only trouble with Norton I had was letting it run automatically. ... GoBack reboot at start up to protect the disk from being corrupted. ... No way to access my disks or disable GoBack. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: RAID 0
    ... Do NOT try to use RAID0 for an SBS server. ... Then install onto the 30-40 GB first partition. ... Finally, on adding additional, non-RAID disks as backup targets- yes, you ... Just received new SBS 2003 with RAID 0 Array over four disks. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)