back up or image?

[Rottie]

I have backupmypc program that I use regularly but I have seen people have posted about Norton Ghost.
so what is difference or better?

 

[BlueWeasel]

Ghost/TrueImage/Image for Windows makes a bit-for-bit "snapshot" of the drive or partition when the image is created. These images can be later reinstalled to restore the drive/partition to the exact condition at the time of the imaging. For example, I always make an image after a clean install of XP, updates, and programs. That way, if my OS gets hosed, I can restore the image and not have to reinstall everything again from scratch.

File backup programs only backup individual files and aren't able to backup a boot partition (ie, C:\) to be fully restored later.

 

[Nothinman]

File backup programs only backup individual files and aren't able to backup a boot partition (ie, C:\) to be fully restored later.

Sure they can, it's just extra work to do the restore if the backup program doesn't automatically create you some sort of rescue environment on bootable CD or something.

 

[drinkmorejava]

I generally do both, a Ghost image for windows with the most recent drivers, updates, and my most used programs, and then automatic backups of "my documents" and stuff.

 

[BlueWeasel]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

File backup programs only backup individual files and aren't able to backup a boot partition (ie, C:\) to be fully restored later.

Sure they can, it's just extra work to do the restore if the backup program doesn't automatically create you some sort of rescue environment on bootable CD or something.

Point well taken.

Let me rephrase then. I wouldn't trust backing up my entire C:\ partition (for later restoration) to just ANY backup program.

 

[Nothinman]

Let me rephrase then. I wouldn't trust backing up my entire C:\ partition (for later restoration) to just ANY backup program.

You think corporations ghost their servers?

Actually we do where I work, to a small extent. But all the Win boxes use something like Veritas BackupExec for their main backups.

 

[Zugzwang152]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

Let me rephrase then. I wouldn't trust backing up my entire C:\ partition (for later restoration) to just ANY backup program.

You think corporations ghost their servers?

Actually we do where I work, to a small extent. But all the Win boxes use something like Veritas BackupExec for their main backups.

I'm fairly certain he's n ot talking about backing up servers. I've always thought for a business having a nice clean image of a server is indispensible. Is it really that uncommon?

 

[jonnylingo]

The server we have at work doesn't have a clean image backup. I guess it might be a good idea, but we have a lot of students transition through, so there are always changes in the Active Directory.
We just use Windows backup and do a full backup to a tape drive. It seems to work ok. When it crashed...it took about 4 hours to bring everything back up from tapes.
At home though...i think ghosting would be more practical considering people don't usually have automated tape backup systems.

 

[rh71]

for home pcs, backing up files that change often is a must anyway. Just once in a while backup your personal files... you don't need extra software for that.

Ghost images are good for initial loads of the OS. I don't really see the point in ghosting an OS, that has been in place for a while, over and over. What'll be missing is software that you can throw in on top of it - basically a pristine machine. Backup your personal files then reinstall your OS and ghost it. From there, keep up with the personal file backups and you're set.

 

[Nothinman]

I'm fairly certain he's n ot talking about backing up servers. I've always thought for a business having a nice clean image of a server is indispensible. Is it really that uncommon?

I know he's not talking about servers, but my point is that his distrust is pretty stupid considering that most commercial entities use that sort of software for their backups. And I can't speak for how common/uncommon it is, I only work at one mid-sized company and I don't make backups a topic of conversation unless I have to, but I would say since the big names in backups are Veritas, Legato, etc and they don't do images like ghost that it's not very common.

 

[BlueWeasel]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

I'm fairly certain he's n ot talking about backing up servers. I've always thought for a business having a nice clean image of a server is indispensible. Is it really that uncommon?

I know he's not talking about servers, but my point is that his distrust is pretty stupid considering that most commercial entities use that sort of software for their backups. And I can't speak for how common/uncommon it is, I only work at one mid-sized company and I don't make backups a topic of conversation unless I have to, but I would say since the big names in backups are Veritas, Legato, etc and they don't do images like ghost that it's not very common.

I don't see what makes my distrust so stupid to you, oh wise one. :roll:

I'm not trying to make a point that imaging software is better than general file backup programs. I understand completely that they are different and some of the uses and features may overlap.

I only use Acronis True Image to make an image of my C:\ drive after a clean installation of Windows with updates and programs. My other data partition either gets backed up to an external HD or DVD since it's not feasible to backup the entire partition as an image every couple days.

I just assumed that the OP was inquiring about home use only. Given the backup software available for home use, would you trust backing up the entire C:\ partition using Microsoft backup or BackupMyPC? Then assuming the OS gets hosed, how do you restore the backup you made in Windows?

I don't have any experience with expensive, commercial backup software but I don't doubt it has more features that closely resemble Ghost/TrueImage, etc. Then again, how many home users are going to spend the money for that?

 

[Rottie]

I have 3 hard drives total 140GB so Ghost can abel able to image the entire 3 hard drives?
I heard some horrible stories about Ghost problems. But I never had any problems with backupmypc. So I want to see how image program works.

 

[Nothinman]

I don't see what makes my distrust so stupid to you, oh wise one.

Um, because the process has been in use for backing up and restoring millions of servers for decades? Not wanting to use it because imaging it easier for you is one thing, but distrust of a proven process is stupid.

 

[jonnylingo]

Originally posted by: Rottie
I have 3 hard drives total 140GB so Ghost can abel able to image the entire 3 hard drives?
I heard some horrible stories about Ghost problems. But I never had any problems with backupmypc. So I want to see how image program works.

Ghost is only going to restore what you have when you create the ghost. That's what rh71 was saying. If you want to back up pics, music, word files, ect....then use Windows backup. Ghost is better for when you have your Operating system all up and running with all the drivers. That saves you a lot of restarts after a reload. But to keep your personal files, use windows backup.

-jonny

 

[Smilin]

File backup programs only backup individual files and aren't able to backup a boot partition (ie, C:\) to be fully restored later.

Shenanigans!

RTFM dude!

Not only can backup programs do this but many (NTBackup built in for free to your OS for example) know what NOT (some enum keys) to back up so that when you restore you can do so to dissimilar hardware.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: Rottie
I have 3 hard drives total 140GB so Ghost can abel able to image the entire 3 hard drives?
I heard some horrible stories about Ghost problems. But I never had any problems with backupmypc. So I want to see how image program works.

Ghost bit me in the great crash of 2002. I lost a whole computer due to a corrupted image.

🙁

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel
I just assumed that the OP was inquiring about home use only. Given the backup software available for home use, would you trust backing up the entire C:\ partition using Microsoft backup or BackupMyPC? Then assuming the OS gets hosed, how do you restore the backup you made in Windows?

I would absolutely trust a backup of the entire C:\ partition using Microsoft backup. As a matter of fact I'm using it at home right now. Works great. Tested my restores on more than one occasion (have you REALLY tested yours? 😛 ). If you are after speed, just use ASR (also built into your OS). Ghost is horrible for backup purposes. Keeping images up to date vs traditional backups is a major pain. It's only good for dropping an OS down real quick. However, the only time I do that is when I have new hardware which makes the image completely useless. :roll:

At work we're Veritas BackupExec for Test boxes and NetBackup+robotic library for production. We also use Bare Metal Restore from Veritas for boot-from-floppy restores of any server to dissimilar hardware.

We use Ghost for base images on occasion. We never use it for any sort of data backup. It's just not practical to keep the images up to date.

 

[BlueWeasel]

Originally posted by: Smilin
Shenanigans!

RTFM dude!

Not only can backup programs do this but many (NTBackup built in for free to your OS for example) know what NOT (some enum keys) to back up so that when you restore you can do so to dissimilar hardware.

Originally posted by: Smilin
I would absolutely trust a backup of the entire C:\ partition using Microsoft backup. As a matter of fact I'm using it at home right now. Works great. Tested my restores on more than one occasion (have you REALLY tested yours? 😛 ). If you are after speed, just use ASR (also built into your OS). Ghost is horrible for backup purposes. Keeping images up to date vs traditional backups is a major pain. It's only good for dropping an OS down real quick. However, the only time I do that is when I have new hardware which makes the image completely useless. :roll:

At work we're Veritas BackupExec for Test boxes and NetBackup+robotic library for production. We also use Bare Metal Restore from Veritas for boot-from-floppy restores of any server to dissimilar hardware.

We use Ghost for base images on occasion. We never use it for any sort of data backup. It's just not practical to keep the images up to date.

I never said I use imaging software for general data backup. I just simply use it for "dropping an OS down real quick" in your own words and nothing else. My remaining data gets backed to another HD or DVD.

Quite honestly, I just assumed that MS Backup is unable to backup files in use by Windows, and if so, then it makes the partition backup worthless if used in the same sense as a drive imaging.

Again, for all you backup lovers, why should I spent a large sum of money buying BackupExec or Netback because it can do the same thing as Ghost or TrueImage? I just checked online and BackupExec is about $800, yet Ghost or TrueImage goes for $60-$70.

If I used XP's integrated backup to do a full backup of my C:\ partition, how do I go about restoring this backup if I can't even boot into Windows? If that's impossible, then how does that make it as good as imaging programs. If I can't restore the data outside of Windows, it's worthless for me.

[Edit]
After checking out MS Backup, I'm speechless. Apparently, I'm an idiot and should have at least tried it before running my mouth. I had no idea the ASR with bootable media was even possible.

I'm still sticking with True Image, though. 😀 😉

 

[oog]

the integrated XP backup with the ASR option gives you bare-metal backups though a boot disk that you create.

 

[ITJunkie]

Originally posted by: Rottie
I have 3 hard drives total 140GB so Ghost can abel able to image the entire 3 hard drives?
I heard some horrible stories about Ghost problems. But I never had any problems with backupmypc. So I want to see how image program works.

I can't say I've had any complaints with Ghost per se but I use True Image for this because it's been stable for me and is a fraction of the cost of Ghost 🙂