(PeteCresswell) wrote:
> Per Shenan Stanley:
>>> I'm thinking about all the "Local Settings" and "Application
>>> Data" pointers for starters.
>>
>> Backups.
>
> Rightly or wrongly, I don't think of the system drive as a proper
> place for anything that needs incremental backups.
>
> If something needs incremental backups, I call that "Data" - and
> I would like to keep all data on a separate drive.
>
> C: gets backed up - but as an image.
>
> If C: goes south, I restore a known good image.
>
> Aside from the principal of the thing, it seems like incremental
> backups against the system drive could get complicated at restore
> time. What should be in synch with the old system? What
> doesn't matter?
>
> I'm just too clueless to know all the ins-and-outs.... and was
> hoping that greater minds might have identified what can be
> safely backed up/restored/kept separately in the context of
> reimaging.
>
> With teenagers banging on a box couple hours a day, re-imaging
> has become something I'm totally comfortable with and I'll do it
> the moment the sys even *seems* flaky. Takes all of 30 minutes
> and any problems go away.... and if there weren't actually any
> problems, that's OK too....
>
> But I'd like to get it down to where virtually nothing is lost in
> the process - cookies, for example.... GoogleEarth's cache for
> another..... but there have tb dozens more.
The easiest way to make sure everything is routinely and safely backed
up (including your OS) is to have one partition with everything. Use a
program like Acronis True Image to image the drive. Then automate
incremental imaging. You can also use Acronis to back up data -- daily,
if you wish (and incrementally). C
Documents and Settings should do the
trick (that's where just about all data reside, including cookies and
Favorites). If you have an e-mail program, check the documentation for
where everything resides. Also see this page if you have OE:
http://www.insideoe.com/backup/
IE Favorites are here:
C
Documents and Settings\[user profile]\Favorites
Acronis allows you to select whatever you want to back up. Incremental
backups include the same locations.
If you want to create a data partition (to allow for a smaller OS
partition), just make sure everything is accounted for (including My
Documents -- but you seem to already know this). But it's not really
necessary.
Seriously, if you want to be absolutely sure EVERYTHING
is backed up, just use one partition and image it.
Automatic
incremental images can be done in the background and you won't even know
it!