Windows and backups...
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Mark Topic as New
- Mark Topic as Read
- Float this Topic for Current User
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Printer Friendly Page
- Plusnet Community
- :
- Forum
- :
- Other forums
- :
- Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc
- :
- Re: Windows and backups...
Windows and backups...
27-03-2012 1:42 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
She got a scare when the HP recovery software decided to kick-in for no apparent reason and I've convinced her she needs to take backups.
I don't want to resize a 250GB NTFS partition so I can install Linux (it take weeks).
However, Windows has this very nasty habit of mixing programs and files all over the disk.
I would like to run something like rsync (I expect Windows would require the 64 bit version, unless it does mixed mode).
What are the possibilities for free software for Windows?
I have a slightly remote NAS (500GB spare) accessible via NFS.
However, the backup would probably have to run over wireless.
"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."
Re: Windows and backups...
27-03-2012 1:49 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
Backing up the operating system including installed programs and backing up the user data
For the installed programs including Windows there is a built in utility in Windows 7 to do that
For the user data I would use SyncToy and backup to another computer on the network. This can be set to run at predetermined intervals (mine is set to 18.30 every day using the contribute option)
Re: Windows and backups...
27-03-2012 1:57 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
Created a recovery DVD and a full backup to an external drive. (Did that all twice to be sure)
This was due to a suspect hard disk so I took the opportunity to replace it with a larger one.
After the reinstall all worked fine, including all programs (which recovered perfectly) and all user data.
I also took the opportunity (afterwards) to do some partition resizing; this too is quick & easy in W7.
Re: Windows and backups...
27-03-2012 2:04 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
(You also need to create a recovery CD to enable you to boot up the computer in the event of a complete system failure.)
Re: Windows and backups...
27-03-2012 2:26 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
To argue with someone who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead - Thomas Paine
Re: Windows and backups...
27-03-2012 3:09 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
I'm interested in one of these backup methods - but noway am I copying entire disks around!
"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."
Re: Windows and backups...
28-03-2012 6:32 AM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
Re: Windows and backups...
28-03-2012 12:52 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
I had this deja vu feeling.
I know I should force people to take backups...
But I lack enthusiasm, they don't want to lose their machine for many hours
and I'm not prepared to pay for extra hardware (such as an external drive) to make it happen quickly.
I'm going to mull over both sets of answers...
"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."
Re: Windows and backups...
28-03-2012 2:22 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
To argue with someone who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead - Thomas Paine
Re: Windows and backups...
28-03-2012 7:46 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."
Re: Windows and backups...
28-03-2012 11:17 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
Re: Windows and backups...
29-03-2012 12:30 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
On the grounds that you can't backup Windows if bits of it are in use (so you don't get a decent sync point) I tried a homegrown solution.
I used an ancient XP laptop - around 75GB of crud and only 512MB of memory.
I booted a small linux from CD (which can store some data in a USB stick) - I had a 1GB free sample spare.
I also have a NFS disk connected to the router via 100Mb ethernet.
Using the builtin wireless I ran a program called rsync
Normally this would only send the bits of files which have changed between backups to the backup drive - but obviously the first time it is horrendous!!!
It is still running.
BTW I discovered major amounts of crud (including IE5 files) stored in Temp directories - not to mention major amounts of java cache files.
Who do these people think they are?
Every software developer (and his dog) seems to think they're obliged to leave major messes.
"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Mark Topic as New
- Mark Topic as Read
- Float this Topic for Current User
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Printer Friendly Page
- Plusnet Community
- :
- Forum
- :
- Other forums
- :
- Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc
- :
- Re: Windows and backups...