"Ready to go" backup

[consumerwhore]

Hi all,

I've been wondering if there is a software package that will allow me to achieve the following:

1. Backup the OS and other necessary files.
2. Backup other user-selected folders.
3. Make the backup destination bootable.
4. Backup incrementally on demand.

The reasons for these requirements are:

1. I want to prevent myself the hassle of reinstalling the OS. I want to be able to tell my BIOS to boot from the backup drive and be ready to go.
2. I don't want to back up applications, especially large ones.
3. My computer does not run 24/7. I can't schedule backups "when I'm not at the computer" because my computer is OFF when I'm not in front of it.

I would have this setup with two internal drives.

You might suggest that I run a RAID mirror. Well that's what I *had* until I ran an application that, as it ran, physically damaged the hard drive. (Well, I'm not 100% sure but that's what it looked like). You can imagine how having a mirror of a damaged drive is utterly useless.

Is what I'm suggesting making sense? Any better option I might not have considered?

I'm using XP 64.

Thanks.

 

[dunkster]

I do pretty much what you describe and I do it in two manual steps, but I don't use incremental backups.

My HD is configured with multiple partitions.

C:\ partition includes OS and security apps. I periodically do an image backup. Image backup takes about 5 minutes. Image restore takes just a bit longer, and of course the image is bootable after restore.

F:\ partition contains all data I consider critical. Word, Excel and other apps are configured to automatically store data to folders on F:\. I burn full backup copy of everything on F:\ to DVD media. Burn takes about 5 minutes and read takes about a minute.

Hope this helps!

 

[mc866]

Look into Acronis True image, I think it can do everything you are looking to do, the only piece I'm not positive on is #3, I don't think it make the destination bootable by default but you can mount the image at any time and you can also restore at any time. To restore you just boot to the Acronis disc and select the image to restore, super easy. Rather than raid I use a few different storage locations to make sure I'm covered, I keep a copy of my latest image and a few old ones on a separate internal drive, an external drive and on my WHS box just in case.

 

[consumerwhore]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all your input. I came back here to report on what I've found after some googling with more "focused" search terms. I found this article in which XXClone was mentioned and was said to do one thing I was particularly looking for: no "restoring" step.

I know Acronis seems to be the new end-all be-all of backup software but I just couldn't quickly understand from their shiny website if behind those big aqua-themed buttons lied the few functionalities I was looking for.

I've given a look at XXClone and it looks that that's the tool for me. The free version will do a file-by-file backup of your entire hard drive to another hard drive and allows you to set that other drive as bootable. It even throws in an extra mini-tool to add the backup drive to your boot menu, thus making testing of your backup a cinch.

The paid version adds incremental backup and, as I understand it, a no-splash-screen option so it can run from a batch. It will also do OS-only backup. No user-selected folders though.

As a backup tool, I think it sits somewhere between the crude disk copiers from HD vendors and the more full-fledged packages.

Ok, I'll stop here because with a post count of 2 I'm probably sounding like a plant. (But I swear I'm not!) Just wanted to share my findings.