computer backup methods

   / computer backup methods #1  
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On the previous advice from members, I went out and purchased an external hard drive with one terrabite for about a hundred bucks. I then discovered I was only using 22 gigs of my 80 gig hard drive that includes pictures on it. I could not justify spending the money for such a large storage device as I only want to back up once in case of hard drive failure. I do not swap files in and out of this computer. I purchased some 8 gig dvd's and come to find out, there seems no mechanism on my Windows XP to be able to back up to dvds. My question is what do I need to be able to back up to dvds on Windows XP? Another program perhaps? Is it possible?
 
   / computer backup methods #2  
Do you have a dvd recorder in your pc?

Cdr's would do too they are about 700MB it would take 22 give or take

The usb drive is by far the easiest way to do it in my opinion.

tom
 
   / computer backup methods #3  
Make sure your DVD can burn/write DVDs. Then you can download any number of free DVD burner programs from the net.

SimS
 
   / computer backup methods #4  
Use the Windows Backup utility: Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Backup

It's pretty self explanatory after that. Also format the DVD with in Windows Explorer before using it.
 
   / computer backup methods #5  
Arrow,

Most backup software programs are picky about what, where to and how they back up. Windows built in program is no different.

For some reason the home version of windows does not allows you to RECOVER your backups. Don't bother with Windows backup software unless you have Pro.

External hard drive is probably you're most universal, DVD is probably more secure. You can google free programs if you like. Genie-soft makes a pretty good paid version. It's fairly inexpensive, versatile and easy to use. I'd recommend it to my family.

Joe
 
   / computer backup methods #6  
If the DVD media you bought says 8.5 gig capacity...be aware they are "Dual Layer" and not all DVD burners have dual layer capability...likewise with the software that is used for "backup to DVD/CD"...

In some cases you can write to a dual layer disk but you won't be able to read it later or from other machines... the same goes for some backup software...

regular capacity DVDs hold 4.7Gig.
 
   / computer backup methods #7  
JCB said:
For some reason the home version of windows does not allows you to RECOVER your backups. Don't bother with Windows backup software unless you have Pro.
Click to expand...

No XP Pro here but I do have Service Pack 3. I must have the "special" version of Windows XP Home Edition...
 

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   / computer backup methods
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#8  
Dmace said:
No XP Pro here but I do have Service Pack 3. I must have the "special" version of Windows XP Home Edition...
Click to expand...

I have Windows Pak 3 as well but does not produce this screen. Instead, it only relates to "restore to a previous point" or "choose your own restore point". No "backup" provision as described for XP Pro as I have XP Home.

Does an outside program such as GFI allow my computer to back up to dvds even though Windows XP Home does not have a support for dvd back up?
 
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   / computer backup methods #9  
   / computer backup methods #10  
WHAT are you trying to back up?

If you have a very simple configuration on the PC. A system that has had very little modification and few applications installed you might just want to save your data. Save the photos, spreadsheets, document files, etc. If you loose the system you just rebuild it or buy a new one and copy over you data.

Frankly I am not very happy with the quality of software these days. Reading reviews of backup software and finding a good package has not given me warm fuzzy feelings.

I run a backup program, Migo Software, Inc. - PC Backup Pro : Backup PC, save data, backup my PC, protect PC files, data recovery, automated backups, that runs a couple of times a week. Since I have not tried a restore I don't know if it really will work. So I hope that I never loose the hard drive and two if I do, the software will restore.

To backup the backup I copy all of my important data by hand to USB hard drives, USB thumb drives, and DVDs. The only data that I have that really consumes disk space are photographs. Spreadsheets, documents, etc take up very little space. I hundreds of GBs of photos that uses up the most disk space.

DVD backup is problematic if you have lots of data. Cheap DVDs likely have a limited lifetime. I have used cheap DVDs but I have also started to use Verbatim has a couple of different DVD that SHOULD provide a much longer lifetime than the cheaper media.

The system I can rebuild if I have too. Hopefully I will not have too and if I do the backup will recover. If not I have my manually copied files.

Later,
Dan
 
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