Think I'm about to get ripped off?

[GRANDAD]

Hi PEV, grab the bull by the horns and back up using the seven CD discs as stated by your programme. It’s not a very large amount in real terms – my PC requires four DVD discs which is far greater than your requirement in CD’s. The time taken will not be that great and at least you know that it should work without problems.

This type of back up is recommended by your PC manufacturer and not a third party. Should this third party fail you would have no come back.

Edited August 6, 2012 by GRANDAD

[RandyL]

Thanks GRANDAD. Well said.

 

PEV make the recovery disks.

[Plastic Nev]

I agree, for the piffling amount of the cost for the seven CD's, why not?

 

If after that, you wish to go down the road of a mirror image, the Macrium Reflect is the one to use, and yes the free version.

 

Here is a little story, my rather old but still very useful XP laptop had a 40GB IDE drive fitted as new. It was getting rather full so by luck and chance found a local PC shop which was selling off cheap a 120GB IDE 2.5 inch Samsung laptop drive, so I bought it along with a caddy so I could use the old 40GB drive as a small external drive later.

Problem! how to get everything, including XP off the old and on to the new drive?

With Macrium reflect and my good old 500GB Buffalo external drive, it was simple, made an image of the old 40GB drive while still in the laptop, then removed it and fitted the new 120 GB drive, then using the image stored on the 500GB external, I installed everything on to the new hard drive. Very simple to do using Macrium Reflect free, and it is that program KenB, with a little help from myself, worked out a tutorial on how to get the best out of Macrium Reflect.

 

Nev.

[amdiag]

Hi Ray,

 

Much said about backing up etc... Some very good comments indeed.

As for backing up on the usb flash drive you would need to create an image of the dying hard drive.

It's the image that you will be backing up for copying onto the usb drive.

The image will contain all that is on your existing hard drive.

You can find out the size of the image before you create it with most softwares used to create images

I recommend that you leave some free space on your usb drive and not fill it up to the top.

The usb drive will need some free space for it to work, if it's full then it may freeze up.

 

The usb drive may be the more economical way to go until you have more funds to get an external drive if needed.

[GRANDAD]

Hi PEV,- my last comments----this thread has been running for over a month now with in your words a dying hard drive, you could have by now created all the backup discs required before anything major may happen to your hard drive.

I know that confidence comes into it at times as I have been down that road myself however nothing ventured nothing gained.

Is there not a friend or local school using IT that would assist you ?? I’m sure someone would be glad to do the backups for you should you be a little concerned yourself.

Start by backing up all your files—docs photos ect then at least you have all of them, this can easily be done by yourself in a very short time using your external hard drive. Then follow on by backing up your OS, ECT.

I wish you well and good luck.

 

 

 

Edited August 9, 2012 by GRANDAD

[PEV]

Guys

I have been away from this forum for a week or so but now see your latest advice posts..

You may be pleased to know (and sigh with relief or say at last he's getting the message!!!)

I have purchased the CD's (pack of 10) and my son in law is going to watch over me while I create the recovery CD's as he has backed up his lap top and other stuff in the past.

With his help I'm then going to get the files etc put onto the extternal hard drive I already purchased. (my PC hard drive has a useable 70 GB capacity and has around 30 GB unused.) The portable drive have bought is a Core 120 GB 2.0 USB

 

I hear you all regarding the Macrium reflect and will be looking at it as an better option than just back up files etc but hey at least I'll be creating the recovery cd's.

Will let you all know how I get on but may still be some time (weeks NOT Months or years) as I'm very busy ATM.

Thanks to one and all. This is a fantastic forum populated by so many knowledgeable, time giving nice folk.

Thanks again

ray

[RandyL]

That's good to hear PEV.

 

Let us know how it goes. Once you are ready to move on someone will help you with the next step.

 

Thanks for your kind words. We do indeed have many fine nembers such as GRANDAD. It's not just the staff that make a forum. It's members helping members that make a forum.

 

We hope to hear from you when you get the time.

[PEV]

Hi guys I'm back and not able to say all is well!

I have the CD-R's and following the instruction from my PC recover DVD/CR creator I inserted the first of the 7 required discs shortly to be given this message

 

'HP PC CD/DVD Creator WARNING CD/DVD Image file exceeds 667 MB Proces aborted'

Having had to click on OK the next message was 'You will start where you left off in this process the next time you launch this programme'

 

I first tried the discs creation by inserting the disc in the HP CD-Writter bay on my PC but when I got the messages I have shown I then tried the disc in the dvd-rom bay but with exactly the same result and messages!

Help please!

Ray

[RandyL]

PEV that is strange. I understand your frustration.

 

It may be time to order those disks from HP for a nominal fee if they still have any available. They are only about $20 US.

 

I can't check or link you directly because I'm unsure of your model but start by Support and drivers at this link and see if it is an option.

http://www8.hp.com/uk/en/support-drivers.html

 

I'm sorry but support options and recovery disk options may be different in the UK then they are in the USA.

 

What is your model number? Perhaps we can look in to more.

[PEV]

Randy I have found this using the link to HP

Complete collection of original display/monitor drivers. Purpose: Original Driver Category: Graphics Operating System: Windows XP Home Windows XP Professional Language(s): Global English

Is this what I need?

Ray

[PEV]

Uh think I copied wrong thing is it this?

[Plastic Nev]

No Ray, those are drivers which are just downloads, you need to look for recovery disks which can be posted to you.

 

Nev.

[GRANDAD]

Hi PEV, Strange---as a check put an empty disc into your drive click on computer then click on the empty disc then properties and see what space is shown on that empty disc.

Im thinking that for what ever reason the discs may be short of what they should be ie 700mb. Could it be that your discs are only 667mb and hence just short of that required albeit ive never seen that b4.

My CD's show 702mb space.

[PEV]

Yeh it shows 702 MB.

I just think I have a dog of a PC everything that can be crap is!

As I speak there is so much activity from the box that half the time everything is running slow or paralised for minutes at a time.

[PEV]

Apparently there are no longer any recovery discs purchaseable or available from HP.

[PEV]

The problem was the power pack which he replaced.

The starter button is still faulty but not a problem, I just give it the lightest of touches and it works without sticking.

[PEV]

Sorry guys this answer refers to way back when I mentioned a sticking start button.

[PEV]

Granddad and all you others who have been advising me over last (seems like forever)

I have now started to transfer stuff from my desktop into my 120GB Core portable hard drive.

So far I have sent all 'my docs' folders and all programmes.

I don't really know what else to store?

This is all a bit haphazard but if the stuff is in the External drive and my Desk top goes pop then I will be able to retrieve stuff and put it into the new replacement hard drive or new PC whichever is the case.

Grandad I tried the AUSLOGICS BITREPLICA but when I downloaded it it made no sense and I could not find how to use it so removed it from my PC. If you can advise on where I may have gone wrong?

Also it's been suggested/asked do I want to partition the Ext hard drive? well I don't know if I need to?

I copied the documents over then opened a new filw for the programmes.

Is this partitioning?

Anyway I await your replies with the usual thanks.

Ray

[GRANDAD]

Hi, pleased to see that you have started to back up your files-just ensure that you cover all items-docs,photos,music,downloads, favorites contacts ect, then at least if your system goes bellyup you are able to restore your files.

'Google' AUSLOGICS BITREPLICA TUTORIALS and this will give you an idea of how things work.

I dont know if its worth partitioning your ext hard drive, to me not, but others would say differently. RE your last comment then to create a new file is not to partition, just to say i always create files relevant to each area i save--photo docs ect.

By what you have said in the past then your PC would appear to be of a certain age, like some of us, and hence the cost to refurbish would be greater than to replace, this could be via a pre owend unit but more up to date with a full operating system installed.

 

As a last point did your system abort by itself when you tried to back up your op system or did you abort.

Grandad.

[PEV]

Hi Grandad

When I tried to back up using the CD 's it just said that the disc was not of enough capacity.

I don't know why and you will see from comments by others who don't know why either but I am past worrying about it as I am now using the portable hard drive.

Ray

[GRANDAD]

Hi, my thinking at the moment withregards to backing up your OP system is that disc one will have 668mb ofinformation on it [ish] then disc two would have a similar amount and so on till you have completed your seven CD discs. It may be that you system would just ask youto insert disc two on completion of the previous disc and so on till all sevenare complete.

If you’re not too bothered you couldtry this.

Regards.

[PEV]

Problem is its a 'brick wall' a message just appears saying it cannot be done as I described and there is no alternative it's just no can do.

Ray

[GRANDAD]

Just a point to remember

Light travels faster than sound-hence someone can appear to be bright until they open their mouth.

 

I try

[PEV]

You are OK mate I've learned more in 3 months from this forum and people like you than I learned previously in 10 years!

Ray