Backup Failure - XP Home Utility

[Guest Johnd0809]

When using the window xp home - backup utility, under system tools, using

wizard mode, I select backup all information on this computer. It is suppose

to create a systems recovery disk, but the operation always fails. Message

is - "The recovery diskett could not be created. Operation aborted"

 

I can use any of the other functions and they work fine, meaning backup;

-my documents and setting

-everyone's documents and setting, etc.

 

I am backing everything up to an external USB drive.

 

Any help would be appreciated. Also do I need a "recovery disk"? Could I

make it another way?

Thanks, John

[Guest Patrick Keenan]

Re: Backup Failure - XP Home Utility

 

"Johnd0809" <Johnd0809@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:988895AE-537E-49D0-B147-44665D497E29@microsoft.com...

> When using the window xp home - backup utility, under system tools, using

> wizard mode, I select backup all information on this computer. It is

> suppose

> to create a systems recovery disk, but the operation always fails.

 

Of course it fails; this feature isn't supported in XP Home.

 

The real flaw is that ntbackup lets you think it will do it.

 

You aren't doing anything incorrectly. The feature just does not work on

XP Home, and shouldn't be visible.

 

> Message

> is - "The recovery diskett could not be created. Operation aborted"

 

This is unfortunately normal. But it shouldn't let you get anywhere near

this point, or let you think you can do it.

 

Really, the option should not be selectable since it can't work on XP Home.

 

The Knowledgebase article on this is both clear and misleading. It tells

you directly that the message appears on XP Home because ASR isn't supported

and won't work, but then offers "workaround" of installing ntbackup, which

is then specified as not providing the function on XP Home.

 

The "workaround" does not in fact enable or allow or provide the function.

 

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302700/EN-US/

 

"When you attempt to use the ASR Wizard on Windows XP Home Edition, you may

receive the following error message:

Backup Utility

 

The files for recovery diskette could not be created. The operation was

cancelled.

If you receive this message, you may be unable to create a backup set with

ASR.

Back to the top

 

CAUSE

This behavior can occur because ASR is not supported in Windows XP Home

Edition. However, Windows XP Home Edition users can access the ASR Wizard if

they install the Ntbackup program from the Valueadd folder on the Windows XP

Home Edition CD-ROM.

 

 

RESOLUTION

To work around this behavior, access the Automated System Restore Wizard: 1.

Install Backup Utility for Windows on the Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

CD-ROM. Follow these steps to install Backup Utility for Windows:a.

Double-click the Ntbackup.msi file in the following location on the Windows

XP Home Edition CD:

CD-ROM Drive:\Valueadd\MSFT\Ntbackup

b. When the installation wizard is complete, click Finish.

 

2. Click Start and, then click All Programs.

3. Point to Accessories, point to System Tools and then click Backup on the

All Programs menu.

4. Click the Advanced Mode link on the first screen of the Backup and

Restore Wizard.

5. On the Backup Utility dialog box, click the Automated System Recovery

Wizard button. "

 

But then, after this, you have exactly the same problem you started with:

 

" NOTE: ASR does not function and is not supported on Windows XP Home

edition."

 

> I can use any of the other functions and they work fine, meaning backup;

> -my documents and setting

> -everyone's documents and setting, etc.

 

Yes, those functions *are* supported in XP Home. ASR is not.

>

> I am backing everything up to an external USB drive.

 

You might want to clear browser caches and temp file folders first. These

can add hundreds of megabytes of useless backup.

>

> Any help would be appreciated. Also do I need a "recovery disk"? Could I

> make it another way?

> Thanks, John

 

What you're trying to do is use ASR, Automated System Recovery. This is

just not supported and does not work with XP Home, and the ntbackup UI

should reflect this but doesn't.

 

ASR requires a floppy drive and diskette, and recovery boots to Windows

Setup and then formats the hard disk and recovers from the backup drive.

 

If you want a full restorable backup that can produce bootable media, you

might investigate other backup and cloning programs like Acronis TrueImage,

Ghost, etc. You'll pay around $50 for an excellent solution that does not

require floppy disks.

 

HTH

-pk

[Guest db ´¯`·.. >]

Re: Backup Failure - XP Home Utility

 

windows backup or

"backups" in general

are not reliable and

inefficient for many

regular computer users.

 

instead i would suggest

to use disk imaging

technology. the one

i use is called drive image

xml.

 

unlike a backup file

where all files and

folders are compressed

into 1 giant file, disk

imaging creates sections

that fit onto individual

cd's. however i also keep

them in a separate partition

for convenience.

 

------------------

 

in regards to a recovery

disk, unless you have an

utter disk failure, you can

usually repair a crashed

operating system with

your windows cd. but you

can image the o.s. as well.

 

------------------

 

that being said, i think that disk

images of your personal files, docs,

pics, mailboxes, favorites, etc would

be better than imaging the entire

disk and the system files - keeping

in mind that you already have a set

of system files on the windows cd.

 

----------------------

 

another consideration is that

you may simply have sufficient

protection against data loss by

performing a straight copy

of your personal files onto another

drive.

 

for all practical purposes the copies

are still backups of the originals -

"no point in making things more

difficult than needed."

 

i find it much more of a convenience

to use the microsoft synctoy and

simply transfer my personal files from

the laptop to my desktop whenever

they are connected together.

 

i diskimaging as well approximately

every 7 or 8 months but again i find

syncing straight copies of my personal

files easier.

--

 

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

 

"Johnd0809" <Johnd0809@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:988895AE-537E-49D0-B147-44665D497E29@microsoft.com...

> When using the window xp home - backup utility, under system tools, using

> wizard mode, I select backup all information on this computer. It is suppose

> to create a systems recovery disk, but the operation always fails. Message

> is - "The recovery diskett could not be created. Operation aborted"

>

> I can use any of the other functions and they work fine, meaning backup;

> -my documents and setting

> -everyone's documents and setting, etc.

>

> I am backing everything up to an external USB drive.

>

> Any help would be appreciated. Also do I need a "recovery disk"? Could I

> make it another way?

> Thanks, John

>

>

[Guest PD43]

Re: Backup Failure - XP Home Utility

 

db ´¯`·.. ><)))º>` .. . <databaseben.public.newsgroup.microsoft.com>

wrote:

>windows backup or

>"backups" in general

>are not reliable and

>inefficient for many

>regular computer users.

[snip]

 

DO SOMETHING about your word wrap.

 

Your current mode is obnoxious.

[Guest db ´¯`·.. >]

Re: Backup Failure - XP Home Utility

 

U'Grumpy,

it is you that is

obnoxious.

 

 

--

 

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

 

"PD43" <pauld1943@comcast.net> wrote in message

news:1kc6s395hg1qm7pnimj0hq9l0q67l0gana@4ax.com...

> db ´¯`·.. ><)))º>` .. . <databaseben.public.newsgroup.microsoft.com>

> wrote:

>

>>windows backup or

>>"backups" in general

>>are not reliable and

>>inefficient for many

>>regular computer users.

> [snip]

>

> DO SOMETHING about your word wrap.

>

> Your current mode is obnoxious.