Best way to back up my winxp?

[slinetz]

i know you can use win xp utility to back up. But they give you 3 choices to back up

1. back up your document file only

2. back up your docuemnt file + internet favorite + some settings

3. back up entire system

I just want to back up the system when everytime i am about to install new program. 1, 2 options seems insufficients , and 3rd options seems too much. any suggestion for me to back up files ? thanx

 

[Doh!]

Norton Ghost, Drive Image, Acronis TrueImage: any of these is the easiest.

 

[EeyoreX]

it also seems the the System Restore tool can be used... Just create a restore point before the new software install. If you have problems, restore from the restore point. Free and included with Windows.

\Dan

 

[baraka]

Originally posted by: EeyoreX
it also seems the the System Restore tool can be used... Just create a restore point before the new software install. If you have problems, restore from the restore point. Free and included with Windows.
\Dan

I think System Restore is meant to be used for small windows related changes like rolling back drivers and directX changes. I don't think it's meant to be used to roll back application installations.

 

[EeyoreX]

it also seems the the System Restore tool can be used... Just create a restore point before the new software install. If you have problems, restore from the restore point. Free and included with Windows.
\Dan

I think System Restore is meant to be used for small windows related changes like rolling back drivers and directX changes. I don't think it's meant to be used to roll back application installations.

System Restore can certainly be used for application rollbacks. As System Restore makes back up copies of the registry and system files, any registry and/or system file change made by the application can be "unmade" by selecting a restore point prior to the install. System Restore will not delete the applications folder and files in it, for example, but registry values would be "removed" and system files would be reverted back to their previous state. Since you have essentially taken the system files and registry "back in time", other than a folder and files to delete, there will be no trace of the program having been installed. Deleteing the folder without restoring from a restore point would only "break" the application, as all registry changes would be intact. Restoreing from a restore point removes these changes. Also, driver rollbacks can be done without doing a full system restore. Simply use the driver rollback button for the device(s) you wish to roll the drivers back on.

System Restore is by no means a full fledged backup, but it can be used for the purpose of rolling back application installs. Install app. App is bad. Restore to point prior to app installation. All registry and system file changes removed. Delete folder. System restored, no trace of app.

\Dan

 

[baraka]

Originally posted by: EeyoreX
System Restore can certainly be used for application rollbacks. As System Restore makes back up copies of the registry and system files, any registry and/or system file change made by the application can be "unmade" by selecting a restore point prior to the install. System Restore will not delete the applications folder and files in it, for example, but registry values would be "removed" and system files would be reverted back to their previous state. Since you have essentially taken the system files and registry "back in time", other than a folder and files to delete, there will be no trace of the program having been installed. Deleteing the folder without restoring from a restore point would only "break" the application, as all registry changes would be intact. Restoreing from a restore point removes these changes. Also, driver rollbacks can be done without doing a full system restore. Simply use the driver rollback button for the device(s) you wish to roll the drivers back on.

System Restore is by no means a full fledged backup, but it can be used for the purpose of rolling back application installs. Install app. App is bad. Restore to point prior to app installation. All registry and system file changes removed. Delete folder. System restored, no trace of app.

\Dan

That's fine if you know the application only adds files and modifies the registry. But if the application also modifies a shared dll that Windows Restore doesn't monitor then you could be SOL.

 

[NokiaDude]

Buy an exacy copy of the model of your HDD. Use the software disk included to do a complete drive to drive copy. I have two WD800JB exactly for this purpose. One I use day to day and the other I use to copy the daily "beater" every week. The progream from WD I use is super simple, three clicks and in 10 minutes I can use the backup excatly like the daily beater. It's like a clone!

 

[EeyoreX]

That's fine if you know the application only adds files and modifies the registry. But if the application also modifies a shared dll that Windows Restore doesn't monitor then you could be SOL.

If it's a critical system file, Windows Restore monitors it. If it's not a critical system file, it will likely affect one application already installed. An easy fix for this is to simply replace that file. Either by reinstalling the application that was broken or extracting it and copying it over, depending on the method of the software's install routine.

For what he seems to want to do, it seems System Restore would be a perfect solution. If you have a solution that's better than mine for what he wants, by all means suggest it. I am sure he'd appreciate it. I know if someone offers me a better way to do something I appreciate it as well. In fact, since you seem to discount my solution, almost out of hand, it seems you should have a better to offer both him and me...

\Dan

 

[KF]

> The program from WD I use is super simple, three clicks and in 10 minutes
> I can use the backup excatly like the daily beater.

What is this program? Is it a Windows program? Does it copy every partition including the linux partitions? It copies 80G in 10 minutes? WOW! That's over 100M per second.

When I have two formatted HDs hooked up (temporarily), XP totally screws up my drive letters, making XP all but unusable.

 

[baraka]

Originally posted by: EeyoreX

That's fine if you know the application only adds files and modifies the registry. But if the application also modifies a shared dll that Windows Restore doesn't monitor then you could be SOL.

If it's a critical system file, Windows Restore monitors it. If it's not a critical system file, it will likely affect one application already installed. An easy fix for this is to simply replace that file. Either by reinstalling the application that was broken or extracting it and copying it over, depending on the method of the software's install routine.

For what he seems to want to do, it seems System Restore would be a perfect solution. If you have a solution that's better than mine for what he wants, by all means suggest it. I am sure he'd appreciate it. I know if someone offers me a better way to do something I appreciate it as well. In fact, since you seem to discount my solution, almost out of hand, it seems you should have a better to offer both him and me...

\Dan

IMO, the best solution is to do what doh! suggested and create an image of your drive.

 

[EeyoreX]

IMO, the best solution is to do what doh! suggested and create an image of your drive.

Perhaps, but the OP did say that this seemed like it was uneccesary. And for what he seems to want to do I agree. I tryout software from time to time. I do restore points in cases where I am not sure of the quality of the program. I certainly don't image my drive everytime I want to try something out. I do have a clean image I can go back to with a new install of Windows and my "base" programs, should some software truely FUBAR my system.

\Dan

 

[drm7]

I installed XP Pro about 2 years ago and set up an automated task to run the built in back-up software once a week. My C: drive shows 10.9 gb of 'data' and my back-up file is 7 gb. My question is this, does XP compress? Are ALL of my files, installed programs, documents, etc backed up or is XP selective? I have selected the complete back-up option. I am putting together an external drive for back-up as my current back-up file is on the same drive as everything else. I figure I'm due a failure so I should start backing up to another drive. If needed can XP restore from my XP back-up to the exact image of the back-up I did before a failure?

Thanks!