Backup 101

[Hanky]

Please if you have the time, explain backup to me.
My questions are, is the whole HD mirrored so a new HD can be
copied to or is it just the changes made to all software that is retained
and will be restored after a reload? Is the backup software included w/external drives safe to use?
Thank you for your time
hank*
*I'm using win xp sp 3 or 4 .987354583623538595473648rejdfjrg789398tgjiyadi yada

[Flores]

great questions hank. Here are some short answers:

Backing up the OS and installed software is a bit tricky, and here is why. WHEN your system fails, it's going to need a fresh OS install. Odds are, given how often OSs change and update, your going to take the opportunity to either buy a new machine or at least move to the latest version of the OS.

In either case, your going to have to re-install your software from scratch to get it 'right' on the new machine. So I don't usually back up software or OS.

What is irreplaceable is my data. I can't create most of it again. So THAT is what gets backed up. In multiple places.

That being said, backups can be as complicated or as simple as you like. You can let a piece of software automagicly back it all up for you ever night, or you can just keep duplicates of your stuff in multiple places.

It really just depends on if you want everything to be in sync all the time, or if you just want a hole to shove stuff into.

I do the following:

backup media files onto an external drive and network attached storage system

Finished work additionally goes to my google account ($50 a year for 200gigs)

so I have 2 copies of EVERYTHING and 3 of the stuff that I really really don't ever want to lose.

[Marburg]

I agree. That being said, if for some reason you really want to backup your os or make a mirror copy there are some good programs that come to mind such as Symantec's Ghost.

For me, I just backup my data. I'm a bit cautious on that end and make several backups. I use bounceback to do an automatic backup (you have to select what to backup and what not to). I also make a backup to a different external drive as I go. Finally, I have an archive backup. This way I always have 3 backups in case 1 or more drives go down (which has happened to me in the past).

Originally Posted by Flores

great questions hank. Here are some short answers:

Backing up the OS and installed software is a bit tricky, and here is why. WHEN your system fails, it's going to need a fresh OS install. Odds are, given how often OSs change and update, your going to take the opportunity to either buy a new machine or at least move to the latest version of the OS.

In either case, your going to have to re-install your software from scratch to get it 'right' on the new machine. So I don't usually back up software or OS.

What is irreplaceable is my data. I can't create most of it again. So THAT is what gets backed up. In multiple places.

That being said, backups can be as complicated or as simple as you like. You can let a piece of software automagicly back it all up for you ever night, or you can just keep duplicates of your stuff in multiple places.

It really just depends on if you want everything to be in sync all the time, or if you just want a hole to shove stuff into.

I do the following:

backup media files onto an external drive and network attached storage system

Finished work additionally goes to my google account ($50 a year for 200gigs)

so I have 2 copies of EVERYTHING and 3 of the stuff that I really really don't ever want to lose.

[Hanky]

Thanks guys, I asking because I just lost my computer to a glitch in Avast anti virus.*
If I have to rebuild a new hard drive I will definately do some form of back up.
*http://www.texasphotoforum.com/forum...ml#post1203454

[SCone]

Your AV probably quarantined a system file... without the file, no OS... go figure.

I never back-up my OS or even my installed software, all the CDROMs are on the shelf for re-install... only concern is DATA. I re-direct MY DOCUMENTS to a 2nd hard drive & then have that protected by Carbonite Back-Up.

If the OS drive fails, swap the drive and re-establish the link to data on the 2nd drive. If the 2nd drive fails, swap the drive and re-cover data using Carbonite.