Why don't people just use WinZip for backup software

[Fike]

After messing around with several backup utilities, I can't figure out why people need these fancy backup tools. Winzip should work fine for all data backup. It has compression and checks. Sure, it isn't particularly automated, but what good backup is?

I know that winzip will not image my boot drive, allowing me to recover my windows installation. that is okay. I would just reinstall anyway since I wouldn't know the true source of the problem.

Anything wrong with my plan?

 

[DaveSimmons]

I use Winzip for data backup, such as my Eudora email folder.

I use Acronis True Image for my boot drive since even if something catastrophic happens this week I know an image from 3 months ago is fine.

Setting up a work PC is a _lot_ more work than restoring an image, but just reinstalling could make sense for a home PC.

 

[jfall]

Most people implement a backup routine that is automated

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: Fike
After messing around with several backup utilities, I can't figure out why people need these fancy backup tools. Winzip should work fine for all data backup. It has compression and checks. Sure, it isn't particularly automated, but what good backup is?

ALL of them.

All good backups are automated. That's what makes them good.

I know that winzip will not image my boot drive, allowing me to recover my windows installation. that is okay. I would just reinstall anyway since I wouldn't know the true source of the problem.

Why reinstall? Use a good backup program and you can just restore and be up and running again in a fraction of the time a rebuild takes.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: jfall
Most people have no backup routine at all until after they lose everything at least once

fixed that for you

 

[tranceport]

It doesn't support LTO drives

 

[Rottie]

I never bother to use winzip for back up all of my 1.6 million notes (1k file each) I put them on CDRW for safekeep in case of hard drives failure.

 

[zodder]

Originally posted by: tranceport
It doesn't support LTO drives

Just got our new LTO drive in yesterday at work. Giddy up!

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons

Originally posted by: jfall
Most people have no backup routine at all until after they lose everything at least once

fixed that for you

And those of us (me) that went through the great crash of 2001 have multiple overlapping backups using more than one method.

 

[SViper]

Originally posted by: Fike
After messing around with several backup utilities, I can't figure out why people need these fancy backup tools. Winzip should work fine for all data backup. It has compression and checks. Sure, it isn't particularly automated, but what good backup is?

I know that winzip will not image my boot drive, allowing me to recover my windows installation. that is okay. I would just reinstall anyway since I wouldn't know the true source of the problem.

Anything wrong with my plan?

We have 50+ servers at work with at least 5GB per server that needs to be checked for file changes and backed up to a SAN server every night. Then this server is backed up to tape. We would have to hire 5 guys just to do backups every night if we didn't have an automated solution.

 

[EtOH]

I just use ROBOCOPY via a .bat file I wrote. Set that up on a scheduled task to run weekly.

The script copies specific drives/directories to a USB HD. I have 2 USB HDs the same size. Every month I just swap the drives and take the one I removed to work. That way I have an offsite that is only 1 month out of date.

ROBOCOPY rules for backups, and it is free!

 

[sandorski]

Winzip sucks, I might be willing to use WinRAR for backup though. However, I only have a little that actually ever need backed up(just a Home User) so when I need it I jjust burn thinggs onto a CD or DVD.

 

[Smilin]

winrar is nice because you can create recovery volumes similar to raid.


Make a 2 disc archive take three discs. If you lose *any* one of them the other two are fine.