Hello
Could someone put backup options in a nutshell for me.
I'll tell you what I think I know and loook forward to corrections and explanations.
1-I know about the A: drive- 1.44 mb for small work.
2-I can use my burning program,Sonic, to burn (700mb's) to cd=r's and cd-rw's(what about dvd disksat 4 gigs?)
3-I can use ntbackup which is limited and which I've had trouble with.
With neither Sonic nor ntbackup have I been able to write "my documents" to a disc at once-I have to send each of the five folders in it which is awkward. Am I doing it wrong?
5-A dvd disk can write 4 gigs but I don't know if my drives can do a dvd disk.
6-I will be getting third party like true image or ?Norton ghost-I'd like to get someting that will backup files and folders and the whole system and be easy to restore.
Well, sorry to have been so long winded but I'm trying to get these drives/disks straightened out so I can understand what I doing and purchase the right backup afterwards.
Thank you
Pete

 

There are many backup options: CD, DVD, tape, network, floppy, Zip, etc.

From what you said in your other thread, I think the best option for you for large files (or simply large amounts of data) is to backup to CD since I don't think you have a DVD-recordable drive.

Floppies are ok for a file or two, but CD's would be best.

I don't use "Sonic", but I would GUESS that you should be able to write all the contents of the My Documents folder directly to CD and have it burn the subdirectories as well. I don't know why you have to specify all individual directories. Try asking the Sonic people. There's gotta be a setting you just have wrong.

HTH,

Chris

 

What do you think of third party backup like Trueimage?

 

You mean THIS?

Looks fine. These programs need a drive as large or larger than the drive you're backing up, though. For instance, you aren't going to back up a 40GB HDD to a 650MB CD...

You need a tape drive or another HDD that is 40GB or more to back up to.

Although I've never used TrueImage, I'm sure it works well.

Chris

 

Hi Chris
I went to some stores today and have a couple of questions for you.
If I am not techy enought to partiton my hard drive etc shouldn't I be using an external device like a harddrive to back up my system + or files to?
First if I had Norton Ghost or acronis imaging etc., wouldn't I need to know about bootable disks etc to restore my system or files?
Secondly my sysytem is 40 gigs and I do not have a dvd writer so with my cd-rw writer I can only write 600 mbs.
Would an external zip drive be a consideration?
Thank you for your help
Pete

 

Well, backing up an entire system is different than simply burning a CD. Most backup drives/software packages come with instructions on what to do in case of failure. Usually, you have to make a bootable disk of some kind to be able to recognize the backup device if the HDD failed or a fresh one is in their. Once the backup drive alone is found, then you insert the backup media (say, a tape) and start the restoration process.

However, for most home systems, that is not necessary. Losing a system really isn't a big deal because you can always reinstall OS'es and software. It's the DATA on your PC that you create that is important. Use the CD burner to do that. Files cannot easily be replaced if a catastrophe happens, unless you have copies. Use a CD burner for that, and don't worry if the whole PC craps out.

If it does, reinstall all the software, then take the data you made copies of and put that back on.

Done.

Chris

 

Hi Chris
Thank you-I understand that I really only need to back up my data; after that I can reinstall the os if necessary.
BTW, when I try to backup 'my docs' to a cd with my Sonic program, I have to do each folder in My docs seperately. Is there a way to send my docs to the cd like you do with a floppy ie, 'send to'?
Thanx
Pete

 

I already answered that above. Unfortunately, it was the best answer I can give.

 

Chris
I did find out how to send My Docs to floppy or disc by "exploring" my computer and then 'send to' Sonic or A: or E:.
Thanx for your patience. BTW, I did write to Sonic but I'm 64 so I don't think I'll hear in my lifetime.
Pete

 

Well, that shouldn't be how to do it. It should be a method actually in the Sonic program itself. Using Explorer should have nothing to do with it.
LOL!

Chris