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Thread ID: 76886 2007-02-19 13:47:00 Backing Up the Computer Poppa John (284) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
525895 2007-02-21 10:22:00 You only need to backup your data (documents, spreadsheets, email database files, images etc). Good housekeeping is essential, you need to know where the files are.

Backing up Windows or MS Office "program files" is pointless, you would reinstall them from the CD, you cannot just copy them back to a clean hard drive and expect them to work.

So your actual data will be only a fraction of drive C total space, and all of D.
godfather (25)
525896 2007-02-21 10:32:00 Yeah .. you need to know where the files are.

If you use Nero backup software you need that again.
If you use Nero normal - its like a floppy disk, you copy the individual files you want backed up ... and they can be opened up even on a DVD or at a diff computer or taken overseas or taken to the internet cafe ...

No point backing up software b/c they need to be reinstalled, they won't work, your computer won't boot up.

If you use a imaging software it can copy entiire HD for you onto a few DVDs. However when you need the info, its difficult to extract file by file. You will use the software and then browse via it .. and then looking at the folders for those files you want.
Nomad (952)
525897 2007-02-22 00:29:00 Jack, your D: "drive" isn't a partition of the C: "drive". They are two partitions on the same physical disk drive. They are totally independent "file systems", so D: isn't included in C: in any way.

When you do it, do some experiments first. It would be a good idea to use an RW disk, so you can erase it and try again until you are confident that everything you want to be backed up is actually written, and that it can be read from the backup medium.

Many people forget the second step. They've done a backup, but when they need it it's unreadable for some reason. :( A bad situation is when the "backup" can only be read by the working system, when the need is to restore the (non-working) system. Of course the worst is when the "backup" is just unreadable.)

One mainframe I used had a command "COPYANDCOMPARE" which would do the copy, rewind the tape, then do a bit by bit comparison with the disk files.
Using that, and making multiple tapes, made for a great sense of security.
Graham L (2)
525898 2007-02-22 00:58:00 If your data is so important to you, then I would contemplate using an on-line backup service where you upload your backup to web servers....or buy a proper backup device! SolMiester (139)
525899 2007-02-22 02:42:00 So Jack,get yourself a mainframe and you too can have that secure feeling.
An external drive would be slightly less expensive.
Cicero (40)
525900 2007-02-24 07:54:00 SOOO. As an exercise I did my first Backup of the whole C drive, using the Windows Programme. Took 1h & 9m. Shouldn't I be able to read the DVD disc?

I started it & because it was to take so long. that I walked away & left it to it. If there were any instructions at the end I missed them. Looking at the recording side of the disc, one can see that it has been partly used.

So should I be able to see what is on the disc ?? PJ
Poppa John (284)
525901 2007-02-24 14:45:00 If your data is so important to you, then I would contemplate using an on-line backup service where you upload your backup to web servers

errrrrrrr.......lol.............NO.......

I'd NEVER even CONSIDER putting my IMPORTANT data onto some server located somewhere far away perhaps half way round the other side of the world....
drcspy (146)
525902 2007-02-24 19:14:00 SOOO. As an exercise I did my first Backup of the whole C drive, using the Windows Programme. Took 1h & 9m. Shouldn't I be able to read the DVD disc?If you used the built-in Windows Backup program it cannot write directly to a DVD with the backup file. You should get Windows Backup to save the file it creates to the partition not being backed up (eg backing up C drive and the file gets saved to D drive). Then you can use Nero to burn the saved backup file to DVD.

Windows XP Backup Made Easy (www.microsoft.com).
Jen (38)
525903 2007-02-24 21:43:00 If your data is so important to you, then I would contemplate using an on-line backup service where you upload your backup to web servers

errrrrrrr.......lol.............NO.......

I'd NEVER even CONSIDER putting my IMPORTANT data onto some server located somewhere far away perhaps half way round the other side of the world....

Well, no I guess not for everyone, nor me really, but I have backup device anyway so dont need to..
SolMiester (139)
525904 2007-02-24 22:59:00 Jen.......Thanks for that. I will print off the link, read it, & try again. PJ Poppa John (284)
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