"Dan" <Dan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news
E0E1954-7D47-4487-87F6-7C24C52C75E9@microsoft.com...
> hi, thanks for the response. I don't know if both will get this response
> so
> don't have to post twice. will try to be brief:
>
> - bump "back up my pc" app known to corrupt disks so restores don't work
> (called / worked with bump techs on couple of restore).
>
> (recommend don't use bump..) having gone from old dos? backup-restore that
> allowed: self-contained commands in small files that "SPANNED" multiple
> disks; did not require front or rear-end file "name TABLES" that cause
> corruptions, enterprise etc.. sorry,
>
> conversely, (1 user / home pc new install of OS; need to skip
> permissions)
> looking for simple backup method that spans cd's, does not get corrupt on
> user permissions when going from 1 pc to same pc, new OS install.
>
> not familiar with backup - restore
> Summary:
> - need know how to backup-restore user files, skipping user permission
> garbage.
> - must be able to span disks (cd's)
> - wouldn't care if it were unix commands if "small" backup-restore files
> can be carried around with
Look into Acronis True Image. There is a full-feature trial version, it's
not expensive (around US$50), it can span DVDs (don't use CDs), it can
produce bootable restore media, and it's as fast as anything else (much
faster than xcopy or similar).
There are two things you're really looking at backing up. The first is the
OS, so that you can quickly restore a working system in case of disaster.
The second is your data. Back these up separately (the OS backup will
contain your data if it is on the same paritition; not a problem); the OS
backup will only need to be refreshed when you make system changes. You
might want to get a bare hard disk for the OS backups - where I am,
terabyte-size drives are about $80 - and then consider what you're going to
back up the data to. Set the program to make 'incremental' backups, and
you will get one large initial backup and then much smaller "difference"
files.
Unfortunately, when making 'incremental' backups, TI requires the original
backup to be on the same drive, so you can't just store a 'reference' copy
on one DVD and have the increments put on another. Perhaps they will add
that feature someday, but AFAIK it isn't there now.
I use TI but there are other versions of the same kind of software. I'm
sure other posters will chime in with their suggestions; see what works best
for *you* and use that. Overall, though, imaging software is what you want
to use.
HTH
-pk
>
>
> "Patrick Keenan" wrote:
>
>>
>> "Dan" <Dan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:9B407DBE-AD58-4CB4-95FA-4C4E834EE15B@microsoft.com...
>> > hi, have run into a wall, backup apps that save permissions, whether
>> > you
>> > asked to save permissions or not.. pretty devastating?
>> >
>> > would rather skip the permissions thing all together. when pc get
>> > trashed
>> > am re-installing operating system, but my backup files won't install
>> > because
>> > of permissions, then application corrupts my backups... give up
>> >
>> > is there an X-COPY that still works / spans cd's ?
>> > thanks
>>
>> What is the app you are using?
>>
>> If your backups are on read-only optical media, the restoration process
>> can
>> not corrupt the backup itself. It is possible that the backup was not
>> valid in the first place, rendering it useless.
>>
>> Xcopy isn't really much good for backups. It's slow and prone to giving
>> up
>> on errors.
>>
>> Use an application that's built for this purpose, such as TrueImage.
>>
>> HTH
>> -pk
>>
>> .
>>