WIN2000 Backup Strategy

[camaross98]

Since losing a hard drive a while back, I have been a backup fanatic. I just upgraded to W2000 Pro and am trying to figure a backup strategy. I want to backup to my CDRW using RW disks but I have no backup software and W2000 Backup does not write to CDRs . Should I use W2000 Backup to backup to a file, then put the file on CD?

 

[Shadow07]

Yes. That would probably be the best way. You would not get a reliable backup if you just copy your HD to a CDRW.

 

[camaross98]

Ok, last night I backed up to a file in W2000 Backup. However the backup file is around 1.3 gig. How in the h^%# do I get that file on a CD-RW?? It won't fit on a CD and I can't think of a way to continue it onto a second CD-RW. HELP!!

 

[jaywallen]

I suppose a file-splitter might be able to handle it, but I've never used one on a file that large. There's a PC Mag freebie called Slice32 (or something like that) that allows you to specify the size of file fragments created and the target to which they're written. Presumably that will work with a packet writer.

Come to think of it, some of the CD writing software I've seen has a backup option to it that will span CDs.

Finally, there are these people. They make a product called Veritas Backup Exec Desktop for backing up standalone computers to CDs, Zip and Jaz drives as well as to tape. They may have an evaluatation version available for download. I know that provide evaluation versions for some of their products.

Regards,
Jim

 

[igiveup]

Veritas is a corporate level backup software. Nice stuff. You can get Norton Ghost 2001 also, although 69 is kinda steep for me.

 

[WebDude]

I've been a backup advocate for a long time. I have been through a series of tape backup devices, and have come to the conclusion that today, given the prices of good hd's (you can get a new 10gig Quantum ATA100 7200rpm drive for around $80), they make the most sense for backup devices. Just a suggestion, you could put one of these in your system, and set the software to do an unattended nightly backup to it.

WebDude

 

[Rob G.]

Ghost 2001 (6.5) will dump the whole partition or drive to another partition or drive or your CD writer. And you'll be getting an exact copy of the drive.

It automatically splits the image file when writing to CD-R. When writing to disc, you can specify splits if you want them.

 

[Shadow07]

Do you have a tape drive? If you do, I would STRONGLY recommend using Veritas as your backup program. If you do not, I know that people sell some old DAT 4mm 4/8GB SCSI drives on E--BAY for about $50 or so.

 

[camaross98]

Thanks, guys. I have Adaptec CD software. I haven't seen a backup option on it but then again, my brain has been known to fart occasionally. I've looked at Veritas but it's quite high (129.99). I was gonna try and use what I have. The idea of backing up to a hard drive sounds good but I still want a hard copy in case something real bad happens (lightning). Also, for that extra measure of disaster recovery, I'll be taking backup CDs up the road to store at my brother's house when I figure out how to create em.

 

[Suppafly]

depending how much stuff you want to backup you could just export your users in win2k and import them back in on a new install..

does anyone have experience using Veritas with win2k? Im thinking of backing my system up and then unbacking it up on a larger drive but I dunno how well this would work.. ill probably just end up reinstalling windows and importing the users if I cant find some easy way backup everything...