What exactly does backup do? What gets backed up?

[Guest AJFconsult]

I am having a frustrating disagreement with our paid IT consultants.

 

I am running XP with the usual PC software. All of my data files are

backed up to a network server.

 

I want to backup the entire C drive - with the built-in XP function,

or with a program that makes an image of the C: drive, etc. I want to

be able to restore the PC to a prior date should there be a serious

problem.

 

Our IT consultants insist this is not possible. That, if I have a

serious problem, my only choice is to restore to factory default

settings, loading all programs again from original installation CDs,

and then restoring the files backed up to our network server.

 

Yet other consultants who we have not hired, and friends working at

other organizations tell me that a restoration to a prior date - e.g.

from an image - restores everything, including the OS, and any

programs on the PC. Not just data files.

 

So, my question is - does restoring from a backup restore programs

(E.g. MS Office, Quickbooks, etc.) or only data files?

 

Please help.

[Guest Big_Al]

Re: What exactly does backup do? What gets backed up?

 

AJFconsult wrote:

> I am having a frustrating disagreement with our paid IT consultants.

>

> I am running XP with the usual PC software. All of my data files are

> backed up to a network server.

>

> I want to backup the entire C drive - with the built-in XP function,

> or with a program that makes an image of the C: drive, etc. I want to

> be able to restore the PC to a prior date should there be a serious

> problem.

>

> Our IT consultants insist this is not possible. That, if I have a

> serious problem, my only choice is to restore to factory default

> settings, loading all programs again from original installation CDs,

> and then restoring the files backed up to our network server.

>

> Yet other consultants who we have not hired, and friends working at

> other organizations tell me that a restoration to a prior date - e.g.

> from an image - restores everything, including the OS, and any

> programs on the PC. Not just data files.

>

> So, my question is - does restoring from a backup restore programs

> (E.g. MS Office, Quickbooks, etc.) or only data files?

>

> Please help.

>

 

Acronis True Image is an imaging software that will, in layman's terms,

take a snapshot of your drives or partitions on a drive and save it to a

file. That file (like a zip file) contains *everything* on that

partition(s) and will, with a boot disk you create, allow you to restore

*everything* back to that point in time.

 

I have used it a lot. I've even used it to switch drives in my laptop

by making an image, swapping the HD, booting off CD, and restoring the

image. Its just like an ISO file made of a CD if you know what that is.

 

So 'yes', it can be done. And Acronis is just one of several good

programs on the market.

[Guest Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Re: What exactly does backup do? What gets backed up?

 

 

"AJFconsult" <clisttix@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message

news:69f23a2a-373c-4a06-b65c-8721b0c957c2@c22g2000prc.googlegroups.com...

>I am having a frustrating disagreement with our paid IT consultants.

>

> I am running XP with the usual PC software. All of my data files are

> backed up to a network server.

>

> I want to backup the entire C drive - with the built-in XP function,

> or with a program that makes an image of the C: drive, etc. I want to

> be able to restore the PC to a prior date should there be a serious

> problem.

>

> Our IT consultants insist this is not possible. That, if I have a

> serious problem, my only choice is to restore to factory default

> settings, loading all programs again from original installation CDs,

> and then restoring the files backed up to our network server.

>

> Yet other consultants who we have not hired, and friends working at

> other organizations tell me that a restoration to a prior date - e.g.

> from an image - restores everything, including the OS, and any

> programs on the PC. Not just data files.

>

> So, my question is - does restoring from a backup restore programs

> (E.g. MS Office, Quickbooks, etc.) or only data files?

>

> Please help.

>

 

You'd better change IT consultants. The ability to create an image of any

disk partition has been around for many years, and if you have such an image

then you can restore a Windows installation onto a completely blank disk.

Some of the traditional imaging programs are PQMagic, Ghost or Acronis

DriveImage. I do it all the time and so do lots of other contributors to

this newsgroup.

 

You can even create an image without any third-party software, e.g. by

connecting your disk as a slave disk to some other PC, then using a command

such as xcopy.exe or robocopy.exe to create a clone of the chosen partition.

It's a bit tedious but it works perfectly, provided that you use the

appropriate switches.

[Guest Terry R.]

Re: What exactly does backup do? What gets backed up?

 

The date and time was 9/12/2008 2:27 PM, and on a whim, AJFconsult

pounded out on the keyboard:

> I am having a frustrating disagreement with our paid IT consultants.

>

> I am running XP with the usual PC software. All of my data files are

> backed up to a network server.

>

 

Backed up or do they reside on the server? Do you work off a local copy

on the workstation? Do the servers have redundancy (RAID, tape backup)?

> I want to backup the entire C drive - with the built-in XP function,

> or with a program that makes an image of the C: drive, etc. I want to

> be able to restore the PC to a prior date should there be a serious

> problem.

 

The backup program on XP isn't that great. The only time I used it for a

restore of a drive I had to install Windows first and then restore the

backup. You can use Acronis Workstation which works MUCH better and easier.

>

> Our IT consultants insist this is not possible. That, if I have a

> serious problem, my only choice is to restore to factory default

> settings, loading all programs again from original installation CDs,

> and then restoring the files backed up to our network server.

>

 

That gives them a little more hourly work. ;-) But you usually have a

bit snappier workstation after a clean install.

 

It is possible, but an image is only as good as the last update.

> Yet other consultants who we have not hired, and friends working at

> other organizations tell me that a restoration to a prior date - e.g.

> from an image - restores everything, including the OS, and any

> programs on the PC. Not just data files.

 

But backing up a complete hard drive can take considerable time and

storage space. Backing up only the data is much faster and can be done

on a daily basis.

 

And if your last complete image was created a week ago and then

restored, your data would be out of date by a week.

>

> So, my question is - does restoring from a backup restore programs

> (E.g. MS Office, Quickbooks, etc.) or only data files?

>

> Please help.

>

 

Restoring from a backup restores everything you configure it to save in

the first place. If you configure the backup just for data, only the

data can be restored. If you configure it for the whole drive, the

whole drive can be restored.

 

--

Terry R.

 

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Delete NOSPAM from the email address after clicking Reply.

[Guest Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Re: What exactly does backup do? What gets backed up?

 

 

"Terry R." <F1Com@NOSPAMpobox.com> wrote in message

news:%23F6ygISFJHA.4056@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

> The date and time was 9/12/2008 2:27 PM, and on a whim, AJFconsult pounded

> out on the keyboard:

>

>> I am having a frustrating disagreement with our paid IT consultants.

>>

>> I am running XP with the usual PC software. All of my data files are

>> backed up to a network server.

>>

>

> Backed up or do they reside on the server? Do you work off a local copy

> on the workstation? Do the servers have redundancy (RAID, tape backup)?

>

>> I want to backup the entire C drive - with the built-in XP function,

>> or with a program that makes an image of the C: drive, etc. I want to

>> be able to restore the PC to a prior date should there be a serious

>> problem.

>

> The backup program on XP isn't that great. The only time I used it for a

> restore of a drive I had to install Windows first and then restore the

> backup. You can use Acronis Workstation which works MUCH better and

> easier.

>

>>

>> Our IT consultants insist this is not possible. That, if I have a

>> serious problem, my only choice is to restore to factory default

>> settings, loading all programs again from original installation CDs,

>> and then restoring the files backed up to our network server.

>>

>

> That gives them a little more hourly work. ;-) But you usually have a bit

> snappier workstation after a clean install.

 

If the image is taken right after the machine has been fully configured then

a machine restored from this image will be exactly as snappy as a rebuilt

machine.

[Guest Terry R.]

Re: What exactly does backup do? What gets backed up?

 

The date and time was 9/12/2008 2:59 PM, and on a whim, Pegasus (MVP)

pounded out on the keyboard:

> "Terry R." <F1Com@NOSPAMpobox.com> wrote in message

> news:%23F6ygISFJHA.4056@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>> The date and time was 9/12/2008 2:27 PM, and on a whim, AJFconsult pounded

>> out on the keyboard:

>>

>>> I am having a frustrating disagreement with our paid IT consultants.

>>>

>>> I am running XP with the usual PC software. All of my data files are

>>> backed up to a network server.

>>>

>> Backed up or do they reside on the server? Do you work off a local copy

>> on the workstation? Do the servers have redundancy (RAID, tape backup)?

>>

>>> I want to backup the entire C drive - with the built-in XP function,

>>> or with a program that makes an image of the C: drive, etc. I want to

>>> be able to restore the PC to a prior date should there be a serious

>>> problem.

>> The backup program on XP isn't that great. The only time I used it for a

>> restore of a drive I had to install Windows first and then restore the

>> backup. You can use Acronis Workstation which works MUCH better and

>> easier.

>>

>>> Our IT consultants insist this is not possible. That, if I have a

>>> serious problem, my only choice is to restore to factory default

>>> settings, loading all programs again from original installation CDs,

>>> and then restoring the files backed up to our network server.

>>>

>> That gives them a little more hourly work. ;-) But you usually have a bit

>> snappier workstation after a clean install.

>

> If the image is taken right after the machine has been fully configured then

> a machine restored from this image will be exactly as snappy as a rebuilt

> machine.

>

>

 

Minus the data... which is more important. The OP clearly wants to

know about complete images versus data backup, correct? So in order to

have that snappy image, they will also have to do frequent data backups.

It sounds like he wants to only do one, but I could be wrong.

 

--

Terry R.

 

***Reply Note***

Anti-spam measures are included in my email address.

Delete NOSPAM from the email address after clicking Reply.

[Guest dadiOH]

Re: What exactly does backup do? What gets backed up?

 

AJFconsult wrote:

> I am having a frustrating disagreement with our paid IT consultants.

>

> I am running XP with the usual PC software. All of my data files are

> backed up to a network server.

>

> I want to backup the entire C drive - with the built-in XP function,

> or with a program that makes an image of the C: drive, etc. I want to

> be able to restore the PC to a prior date should there be a serious

> problem.

>

> Our IT consultants insist this is not possible. That, if I have a

> serious problem, my only choice is to restore to factory default

> settings, loading all programs again from original installation CDs,

> and then restoring the files backed up to our network server.

>

> Yet other consultants who we have not hired, and friends working at

> other organizations tell me that a restoration to a prior date - e.g.

> from an image - restores everything, including the OS, and any

> programs on the PC. Not just data files.

 

Dump your current IT consultants because they don't know up from down. Hire

somebody who told you that you COULD restore an image and that it WOULD

restore everything.

 

BTW, how much do the current consultants charge?

 

--

 

dadiOH

____________________________

 

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...

....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from

LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.

Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

[Guest Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Re: What exactly does backup do? What gets backed up?

 

 

"Terry R." <F1Com@NOSPAMpobox.com> wrote in message

news:%23BTLxOSFJHA.612@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> The date and time was 9/12/2008 2:59 PM, and on a whim, Pegasus (MVP)

> pounded out on the keyboard:

>

>> "Terry R." <F1Com@NOSPAMpobox.com> wrote in message

>> news:%23F6ygISFJHA.4056@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>>> The date and time was 9/12/2008 2:27 PM, and on a whim, AJFconsult

>>> pounded out on the keyboard:

>>>

>>>> I am having a frustrating disagreement with our paid IT consultants.

>>>>

>>>> I am running XP with the usual PC software. All of my data files are

>>>> backed up to a network server.

>>>>

>>> Backed up or do they reside on the server? Do you work off a local copy

>>> on the workstation? Do the servers have redundancy (RAID, tape backup)?

>>>

>>>> I want to backup the entire C drive - with the built-in XP function,

>>>> or with a program that makes an image of the C: drive, etc. I want to

>>>> be able to restore the PC to a prior date should there be a serious

>>>> problem.

>>> The backup program on XP isn't that great. The only time I used it for a

>>> restore of a drive I had to install Windows first and then restore the

>>> backup. You can use Acronis Workstation which works MUCH better and

>>> easier.

>>>

>>>> Our IT consultants insist this is not possible. That, if I have a

>>>> serious problem, my only choice is to restore to factory default

>>>> settings, loading all programs again from original installation CDs,

>>>> and then restoring the files backed up to our network server.

>>>>

>>> That gives them a little more hourly work. ;-) But you usually have a

>>> bit snappier workstation after a clean install.

>>

>> If the image is taken right after the machine has been fully configured

>> then a machine restored from this image will be exactly as snappy as a

>> rebuilt machine.

>>

>>

>

> Minus the data... which is more important. The OP clearly wants to know

> about complete images versus data backup, correct? So in order to have

> that snappy image, they will also have to do frequent data backups. It

> sounds like he wants to only do one, but I could be wrong.

>

> --

> Terry R.

>

 

Indeed - and this is why I consider it much better to have two partitions:

- Drive C:, containing the OS and all apps, with a new image created perhaps

twice a year

- Drive D:, containing all user data (including EMail files!), with some

backup program backing up files once every few days.

[Guest RJK]

Re: What exactly does backup do? What gets backed up?

 

"Terry R." <F1Com@NOSPAMpobox.com> wrote in message

news:%23BTLxOSFJHA.612@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> The date and time was 9/12/2008 2:59 PM, and on a whim, Pegasus (MVP)

> pounded out on the keyboard:

>

>> "Terry R." <F1Com@NOSPAMpobox.com> wrote in message

>> news:%23F6ygISFJHA.4056@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>>> The date and time was 9/12/2008 2:27 PM, and on a whim, AJFconsult

>>> pounded out on the keyboard:

>>>

>>>> I am having a frustrating disagreement with our paid IT consultants.

>>>>

 

....sounds more like the "IT consultants" don't want the customer to be able

to solve any major problems that arise - comparatively simply and quickly -

by themselves !!! :-)

 

regards, Richard

[Guest norm]

Re: What exactly does backup do? What gets backed up?

 

On Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:39:59 -0400, Big_Al <BigAl@md.com> wrote:

>AJFconsult wrote:

>> I am having a frustrating disagreement with our paid IT consultants.

>>

>> I am running XP with the usual PC software. All of my data files are

>> backed up to a network server.

>>

>> I want to backup the entire C drive - with the built-in XP function,

>> or with a program that makes an image of the C: drive, etc. I want to

>> be able to restore the PC to a prior date should there be a serious

>> problem.

>SNIP

>

>Acronis True Image is an imaging software that will, in layman's terms,

>take a snapshot of your drives or partitions on a drive and save it to a

>file. That file (like a zip file) contains *everything* on that

>partition(s) and will, with a boot disk you create, allow you to restore

>*everything* back to that point in time.

>

>I have used it a lot. I've even used it to switch drives in my laptop

>by making an image, swapping the HD, booting off CD, and restoring the

>image. Its just like an ISO file made of a CD if you know what that is.

>

>So 'yes', it can be done. And Acronis is just one of several good

>programs on the market.

 

Do you know the procedure in Paragon disk manager?

Is it Copy or Backup, and making a boot CD?

The manual is not easy to follow for the problem mentioned above.

 

thanks Norm