Best HD backup tool

geeza

geeza

geeza

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(Or best way to backup my hard drive)

I have just got a 500gb external drive and would like to backup my primary hard drive. Would I just be able to create a folder on the external drive say "C drive" and copy everything from C: to the external.

Then when i need to copy it back just format it and copy all lthe contents back using another drive as the OS?

Or would it be better to create an image of the dirve that can be 'opened' somehow without using another OS



cheers
 
Best way is with an image because if you do it the copy way, you can sometimes miss crucial hidden OS files which aren't copied.

I use Acronis True Image Workstation 9. Never let me down.
 
Copying a folder like that will not mean Windows will run from it at a later day, your missing all the Registry etc.

You need make a Image for that, I dont bother, just have all my Media and APP's backed up on mines.
 
I just mean all my music/Videos and APP .EXE's are on my External HDD.

I format my PC and plug in the External HDD and install all my APP's and copy across my media, Mail Address Book, Configs for Speedfan/Rivatuner etc etc.

So yes its a total clean format each time for me, which is important as I Beta Test for MS.

If you dont have the time or dont want to do that 2-3 times per year, do a full clean install with all your drivers and get it running well, defrag it and them IMAGE it.
 
Last edited:
thanks.

Yeh im just going to use it to backup music/videos and make images of apps cds. I do a fresh install only when my pc gets mashed with viruses, the hard drive gets corrupted or I get a complete new system. (so about once every 3 or 4 years)
 
Assuming you just want a folder copy, i.e. for documents and important files backed up then I recommend Microsoft's SyncToy. I use this to automatically backup certain folders to my external drive every night. Quite a nifty piece of software.
 
Use acronis true image, its capable of backing up your entire hard drive into a true image file (.tim) using a bootable acronis recovery disc (you create this once you install acronis TI workstation) you can then restore the image file onto your hard disk any time should your primary hdd ever die and need replacing. It will then boot and run just as it had when the backup was taken.

Or, download the windows automated Installation kit. It contains a program called imagex, it des a similar jo but is command line driven instead, its free though.
 
brendy said:
...you can then restore the image file onto your hard disk any time should your primary hdd ever die and need replacing. It will then boot and run just as it had when the backup was taken.
...
Click to expand...

Does this mean an image will run and restore a corrupt hard drive? even if sectors or whatever are damaged?

Touch wood ive had no problems for a couple of years since upgrading but if my hard drive knackered couldnt i just reinstall windows, SP2 and NOD32.

Then move all my backed up media from the external drive to the freshly installed primary one?
 
Just a word of caution on using Acronis True Image Workstation 9, I used this with the Intel 975X chipset (with which it worked well), however when trying to make a Backup Image when using the X38 chipset it failed to run, I had to resort to ATI Home 10, however, ATI Workstation 9 does work with the P35 chipset...

For backup files/folders to other HDDs (internal/external), you can use (apart from SyncToy):

Allway Sync

EZBack-it-up

GoodSync

Karen's Replicator

Robocopy - with or without RoboCopy GUI

rsync

SyncBack Freeware

SyncToy v2.0 Beta
 
jbloggs said:
Just a word of caution on using Acronis True Image Workstation 9, I used this with the Intel 975X chipset (with which it worked well), however when trying to make a Backup Image when using the X38 chipset it failed to run, I had to resort to ATI Home 10, however, ATI Workstation 9 does work with the P35 chipset...
Click to expand...
Ive got the universal restore add in with acronis and have restored all sorts on laptops to desktops etc so you could keep your original image and use it on several hardware refreshes.
 
I have Acronis Home 10 and 11. Although when I try to install it on Vista 64 the OS crashes on reboot?

I thought it was just uncompatable with Vista64 so left it at that, but miss the security it gave me with XP.

Anyone using is successfully with Vista 64?
 
why dont you install it on one 32bit pc, create the boot cd, then take an image that way with the bootble cd? As far as im aware it would be a better bet.
 
Try this:
http://www.runtime.org/dixml.htm

It works damned well, and can be installed on a pen drive and run standalone.

Just install it on your PC and copy the folder onto your pen drive. You can delete any uninstall files from this folder. Then just click on the DIXML.exe file and hey presto! it works.
Create images and recover drives etc.

Also allows you to create an image of a pen drive!!, which is very useful for anyone who uses portable apps.

Oh, and did I tell you it was free.:D
 
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