need help back up hard drive ???

[Dazzler]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

i am a novice and not clear on how to backup my pc and what to and not
to backup.i have an external HD 200gig i use to backup .

i back up my HD in my pc using Norton systemwork premier 2005. my pc
soon after crashed so i used drive restore that comes with norton
systemworks (as im sure you know). it moved all the files from the
external HD to my PC HD. i know this is basic but i had no desktop
icons and when i created them some programs worked and other didnt so i
know i am not doing everything. so here is example .

so say i have 10 prgrams and 10 pc games what do i need to do so that i
have everything backed up so in the end i use restor my PC HD and i
click on the desktop icon and the program and or games start trouble
free

can some one provide step by step instructions please or a top website
that provides these steps.

very much appreciated and you will be saving me from a big headache.
many thanks and cheers


--
dazzler

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

The easiest way to do this is with a disk imaging program. The difference
between a backup and an image is that a backup will save your files, where an
image will copy your hard drive exactly as it exists at the time of the
imaging.

I use Acronis True Image for my imaging needs (http://www.acronis.com). It
costs about $50 US. I'm not aware of any easy to use freeware image
solutions.

For backups, I use SyncBackSE (there is a freeware version available -
http://www.2brightsparks.com) and I only backup data with it. Others prefer
to use the free version of Cobian Backup.

I image my hard drives periodically to a USB hard drive about once every 2
weeks and also when the computer starts acting up. I backup the data every
night (from my wife's office) and FTP it to my home system.

Hope that this helps you!

"dazzler" wrote:

>
> i am a novice and not clear on how to backup my pc and what to and not
> to backup.i have an external HD 200gig i use to backup .
>
> i back up my HD in my pc using Norton systemwork premier 2005. my pc
> soon after crashed so i used drive restore that comes with norton
> systemworks (as im sure you know). it moved all the files from the
> external HD to my PC HD. i know this is basic but i had no desktop
> icons and when i created them some programs worked and other didnt so i
> know i am not doing everything. so here is example .
>
> so say i have 10 prgrams and 10 pc games what do i need to do so that i
> have everything backed up so in the end i use restor my PC HD and i
> click on the desktop icon and the program and or games start trouble
> free
>
> can some one provide step by step instructions please or a top website
> that provides these steps.
>
> very much appreciated and you will be saving me from a big headache.
> many thanks and cheers
>
>
> --
> dazzler
>

 

[anna]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

> "dazzler" wrote:
>>
>> i am a novice and not clear on how to backup my pc and what to and not
>> to backup.i have an external HD 200gig i use to backup .
>>
>> i back up my HD in my pc using Norton systemwork premier 2005. my pc
>> soon after crashed so i used drive restore that comes with norton
>> systemworks (as im sure you know). it moved all the files from the
>> external HD to my PC HD. i know this is basic but i had no desktop
>> icons and when i created them some programs worked and other didnt so i
>> know i am not doing everything. so here is example .
>>
>> so say i have 10 prgrams and 10 pc games what do i need to do so that i
>> have everything backed up so in the end i use restor my PC HD and i
>> click on the desktop icon and the program and or games start trouble
>> free
>>
>> can some one provide step by step instructions please or a top website
>> that provides these steps.
>>
>> very much appreciated and you will be saving me from a big headache.
>> many thanks and cheers
>> --
>> dazzler


"usasma" <usasma@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1728CDC7-8BA0-49D5-BE2E-5B994CF51D32@microsoft.com...
> The easiest way to do this is with a disk imaging program. The difference
> between a backup and an image is that a backup will save your files, where
> an
> image will copy your hard drive exactly as it exists at the time of the
> imaging.
>
> I use Acronis True Image for my imaging needs (http://www.acronis.com).
> It
> costs about $50 US. I'm not aware of any easy to use freeware image
> solutions.
>
> For backups, I use SyncBackSE (there is a freeware version available -
> http://www.2brightsparks.com) and I only backup data with it. Others
> prefer
> to use the free version of Cobian Backup.
>
> I image my hard drives periodically to a USB hard drive about once every 2
> weeks and also when the computer starts acting up. I backup the data
> every
> night (from my wife's office) and FTP it to my home system.
>
> Hope that this helps you!


dazzler:
usama's recommendation re using a disk imaging program to backup your system
is an excellent one. In effect, by using such a program you can routinely
"clone" the entire contents of your working HD to your USB external hard
drive. By doing so you will then have an exact copy of your working HD.
While that USBEHD will not be bootable in an XP environment, you can, should
the need arise, clone back the contents of that EHD to your internal HD for
restoration purposes. It's an ideal backup system for most users. In most
cases you will not need any other backup program.

The Acronis program mentioned by usama is an excellent one; however, since
you have Symantec's Norton SystemWorks 2005 Premier program, it does include
the Norton Ghost program which is also a disk imaging program. So you can
use that program for backup purposes as we have described.

Use the help files in the SystemWorks program and the Ghost instructional
material on Symantec's website to learn how to use the Ghost program. It's
not terribly difficult but should you need further help you can always post
your queries to this newsgroup and similar forums dealing with Norton Ghost
issues.
Anna