Thinking of a backup solution

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

Ok, I want to think this thing over with you guys and I need it cheap...so let's not go overkill.

I've tried the WD My Book external HD, and frankly, it's just an external HD without any software. I guess I can get by using the Windows Vista/7's backup and restore function...but how good will it be compared to WHS and other solution?

I also read about the HP MediaSmart server. A bit pricey but I like the swapability and the look. What I don't like is the price and the HP add-on software...is it necessary to use the OEM software? I want to try WHS in its purest form before adding stuff to it.

Or I could build a WHS box. The barebone is around $150, a 1TB HD $100, 2GB memory $50...and I still don't have the software and it won't be as good in terms of swapability.

I don't have other computers to connect to the server, so WHS is probably overkilled. How does windows 7 backup/restore compare to the WHS backup? The Win 7 can create an image disk but not sure if it can backup and restore certain folder/files which WHS seems able to do.

Does the WHS use Ethernet connection? Is it faster than say..USB 2.0? When I tried the WD My Book, my biggest complaint was how slow the backup was. I also like to remote access but if that adds too much cost, then forget it.

Advice needed. Thank you.

 

[dclive]

WHS is fantastic. It's completely ethernet based, so you'd need an ethernet network. It has world-class remote access too.

Do you have any other specific questions?

 

[bsobel]

For backing up a single machine, WHS is silly. Just use backup/restore in W7.

 

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

The Ethernet is great only for multiple computers...in my case, I just have one laptop that needs backup.

My specific questions are follow:

1) How does the backup/restore in Windows Vista/7 compare to WHS? I get a feeling it's the same thing but I need confirmation.

2) I have about 70GB of movie, music and photo...i want to move them somewhere else so my laptop doesn't get the HD reaching limit warning. Say if I create disc image, will I be able to play those movie, music and photo from the disc image?

3) Correct me if I am wrong. WHS creates disc image so that in case the laptop HD fails, we can restore from the disc image. If it's not meant to be accessed through iTune or WMP, then how does WHS do backup that allows user to stream/play the media?

 

[dclive]

1. WHS's is wonderful b/c it doesn't require an OS to do a full restore - you don't need to reinstall your OS then start the restore - just boot from the WHS CD, and immediately kick off a restore (if for example you lost a hard drive). Come back in a few minutes, reboot, and you're ready to go.
2. I'm not sure what you mean by disk image, but if you copy the 70gb to the WHS box, any PS3 / XBOX360 will be able to play the content, as will any Windows or Mac device. Very handy.
3. WHS creates images of the backed-up systems and you can restore everything or single files. It also has shares (music shares, video shares, etc.) and you'd move your 70gb data on one of those shares on the WHS machine and stream it from the WHS box to any consoles or computers you have.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: dclive
1. WHS's is wonderful b/c it doesn't require an OS to do a full restore - you don't need to reinstall your OS then start the restore - just boot from the WHS CD, and immediately kick off a restore (if for example you lost a hard drive). Come back in a few minutes, reboot, and you're ready to go.

Neither does Windows backup, the Windows installation DVD can be booted to run in restore mode.

Both WHS and Windows Full PC backup provide an image based backup of your entire system. The benefit to WHS is that it does cluster level de-dupe meaning (say) if you backup three Vista systems all the common files take up storage 'once' while if you use Windows Vista backup you have '3' copies.

Since you are backing up just one machine, the de-duping is overkill. If you start backing up other machines, then WHS is great.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: IHAVEAQUESTION
1) How does the backup/restore in Windows Vista/7 compare to WHS? I get a feeling it's the same thing but I need confirmation.

It depends on which version of Vista you have. Vista Home Basic and Vista Home Premium don't make "full system backups". You can't restore your entire PC with the backup it makes. Vista Business and Vista Ultimate make full system backups that let you restore your entire PC without re-installing Vista and all your programs.

One unfortunate "feature" of "Windows Complete PC Backup" is that with the as-issued settings, you can't make backups across a network. Complete PC Backup wants a LOCAL hard drive and wants to format it especially for backups.

 

[bsobel]

depends on which version of Vista you have. Windows Home Basic and Windows Home Premium don't make "full system backups". You can't restore your entire PC with the backup it makes. Vista Business and Vista Ultimate make full system backups that let you restore your entire PC without re-installing Vista and all your programs.

True, you do need a version of Vista with 'complete pc backup' to do the image backup.

One unfortunate "feature" of "Windows Complete PC Backup" is that with the as-issued settings, you can't make backups across a network. Complete PC Backup wants a LOCAL hard drive and wants to format it especially for backups.

You can't from the gui, works fine from the cmd line. This is because the boot rescue disk expects local restore media and doesnt support loading network drivers (as they'd run into the problem of needing all the drivers, something WHS gets around by taking the drivers from the box being backed up....)

Bill

 

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

Wait. So you are saying the Windows backup can only be stored in local HD? I don't think that's the case. At least not in Win 7 Ultimate. When I click on backup, it asks me which drive I want the backup to be stored at. Unfortunately, i don't have an external HD to proceed further, but I think in Win 7 it lets you choose an external HD.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: IHAVEAQUESTION
Wait. So you are saying the Windows backup can only be stored in local HD? I don't think that's the case. At least not in Win 7 Ultimate. When I click on backup, it asks me which drive I want the backup to be stored at. Unfortunately, i don't have an external HD to proceed further, but I think in Win 7 it lets you choose an external HD.

By local HD he means non-network, USB/Firewire (etc) drivers would be considered local for this discussion.

 

[RebateMonger]

As Bill notes, Windows Home Server is likely overkill for a single PC. It's backups are VERY powerful, but it's far from free. (However, if you can scrounge up an older PC and a suitable hard drive, it's pretty easy to make one yourself for the $100 software cost).

In between WHS and free, there are several commercial disk imaging backup programs, usually $100 or less.

If you are happy with just file backup (not full system backup), then either of the Vista/W7 backup programs will suffice. The version that comes with Business/Ultimate and does imaging backups is, in theory, pretty good.

Mostly, be aware of what you are/aren't backing up, test your backups occasionally, and have a plan for how you'll recover your data or your PC when necessary.

Finally, make AUTOMATED backups your preference. Nobody does backups if they aren't automatic. Even me.

 

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

Well, my question is the disc image only allows you to restore computer from scratch.

So how does WHS allow you to stream media files? Through shared folders? And say I just want to restore a folder/file...will WHS and Windows backup allow me to do that?

Btw, can't I just buy an external HD, install WHS on it...? I mean except for the streaming and other fancies...why wouldn't this make sense?

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: IHAVEAQUESTION
Well, my question is the disc image only allows you to restore computer from scratch.

Most disk imaging programs allow you to restore either an entire partition or just restore individual files/folders. WHS and Vista's imaging backup program give you the choice.

WHS is a complete operating system (like XP or Vista). Normally, an entire computer is devoted to WHS, although it needs little CPU power and little memory. WHS can also be "virtualized" on another computer or server, but that's a topic for some other time.

 

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

Ok, I see why installing WHS on an external HD is not a viable option.

For the Windows Restore, it says it will undo the changes to system files but leave files such as music, movie unchanged. So...what type of backup this is? This is not disc image restore...is it?

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: IHAVEAQUESTION
Ok, I see why installing WHS on an external HD is not a viable option.

For the Windows Restore, it says it will undo the changes to system files but leave files such as music, movie unchanged. So...what type of backup this is? This is not disc image restore...is it?

That's a Windows System Restore. It has little/nothing to do with a backup.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: IHAVEAQUESTION
Ok, I see why installing WHS on an external HD is not a viable option.

For the Windows Restore, it says it will undo the changes to system files but leave files such as music, movie unchanged. So...what type of backup this is? This is not disc image restore...is it?

Your confusing system restore (which reverts your machines settings to an earlier time) with backup/restore which is different.

 

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: IHAVEAQUESTION
Ok, I see why installing WHS on an external HD is not a viable option.

For the Windows Restore, it says it will undo the changes to system files but leave files such as music, movie unchanged. So...what type of backup this is? This is not disc image restore...is it?

Your confusing system restore (which reverts your machines settings to an earlier time) with backup/restore which is different.

Ok, I see what you mean now.

So say if I create a disc image via windows 7, I will be able to either restore the entire computer or any particular files (including personal files), right?

Btw, how large is a copy of disc image for a 120GB HD? I read that the first copy takes hours to create but subsequent copies only take minutes. How large are each copy? I need to know what size of HD to purchase.