Any FREE system backup software?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Karen
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Karen

It was suggested I do a "system BACKUP" of my computer but I'm not sure what
that means exactly. I have WXP-Home/Sp2. I backup my Mp3s, pictures and
other files... but a *system* backup??? I have Nero, MMJ, CDBurnerXP Pro3
and Sonic-Record-Now on my PC. I don't see a "system backup" choices.

Anyone?

karen.....
 
Karen said:
It was suggested I do a "system BACKUP" of my computer but I'm not sure
what that means exactly. I have WXP-Home/Sp2. I backup my Mp3s, pictures
and other files... but a *system* backup??? I have Nero, MMJ, CDBurnerXP
Pro3 and Sonic-Record-Now on my PC. I don't see a "system backup"
choices.

Anyone?

karen.....
Click to expand...


Google this group for one of the partition imager,
disk cloner tools. Your best bet is a (Ghost-like)
image of your entire partition or disk. I think one
is named partimage and there are, as I recall, a
couple more. The payware versions don't cost
much either, if you can't come up with a good
freeware tool. Good luck, Juz
 
juzme said:
Google this group for one of the partition imager,
disk cloner tools. Your best bet is a (Ghost-like)
image of your entire partition or disk. I think one
is named partimage and there are, as I recall, a
couple more. The payware versions don't cost
much either, if you can't come up with a good
freeware tool. Good luck, Juz
Click to expand...

Found one bookmarked....
Partimage is here: http://www.sysresccd.org/
You don't need linux. It clones your drive. Juz
 
"Karen" <,~~.@.~,=> wrote:
Click to expand...
It was suggested I do a "system BACKUP" of my computer but I'm not sure what
that means exactly. I have WXP-Home/Sp2. I backup my Mp3s, pictures and
other files... but a *system* backup??? I have Nero, MMJ, CDBurnerXP Pro3
and Sonic-Record-Now on my PC. I don't see a "system backup" choices.
Click to expand...

A normal system backup requires a bit of work, but it will save you a
great deal of time in the future. I'm, not sure what the record is for
a win system that connects to the internet to remain stable and solid.
There are so many exploits, worms, user errors, etc. that it's almost
a given that such a system will become unstable, for whatever reason,
and will require a fresh install from scratch at some point.

If your system is stable now, it's a good time to back everything up,
operating system included.

The savings are the time required to reinstall XP, get all critical
updates and other selected updates, reinstall and setup each program
that you use, and tweaking everything as you like it. If you don't
have a readable copy of each hardware driver more time is required to
determine which drivers are needed, getting each driver and installing
each.

If you have a system backup and your working install gets shaky, you
can format your boot drive and write your backup back in minutes,
rather than in hours or days with a slow download speed.

Creating a system backup is complicated by the fact that many of your
XP files are locked, and cannot be accessed, because the system is
running.

The best route is to create a bootable CD and to use it to bootup and
create or restore the backup. This negates file locking problems, but
there are several steps:

Step 1: the basic bootable CD:
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

Step 2: add the freeware backup tools:
http://www.ubcd4win.com/

Each of the sites gives pretty good details in what you need to do.
Read over them a couple of times. The term "slipstreaming" almost
turned me back, but that's just running your XP Service Packs with a
switch to guide them into a directory you copied your XP install CD
into.

If you can create the CD, simply boot from it and you'll get a slim XP
GUI bootup. Select the Lexan folder and try DrvImagerXP to create a
set of back up images on another partition, which needs to be almost
as large as the partition you're backing up.

There are other freeware tools from step 2 you can use to clear up
your boot drive, like AntiVir AV. Some folders are system protected,
which makes a great place for malware to hide. Booting from the CD
allows the scanning of every file.

I have used DrvImagerXP to create a backup without a boot CD. I still
have it, but I've not yet had to restore. I made another set of images
with the Boot CD and that's what I'll use if (when) the time comes, as
I know there were no file locking problems.

Here is a link if you want to try the easier route first. It reboots
into safe mode before creating the backup. I cannot guarantee that
this method will be successful though. I suggest investing the time to
create the bootable CD.

http://www.woundedmoon.org/win32/drvimagerxpsetup_2.2.html


SavePart, if I'm not mistaken, does not work with XP.
 
juzme said:
Found one bookmarked....
Partimage is here: http://www.sysresccd.org/
You don't need linux. It clones your drive. Juz
Click to expand...
=============================
Thanks but it's all geared to Lynux and I don't understand any of what's
said on the page, nor can I relate any of the pictures to what I see on my
WXP system. I know nothing about Lynux or how to use a Lynux based
program/software on a WXP computer. It doesn't explain how to use it on
WXP.

From the site:
Description: SystemRescueCd is a linux system on a bootable cdrom for
repairing your system and your data after a crash. It also aims to provide
an easy way to carry out admin tasks on your computer, such as creating and
editing the partitions of the hard disk. It contains a lot of system
utilities (parted, partimage, fstools, ...) and basic ones (editors,
midnight commander, network tools). It aims to be very easy to use: just
boot from the cdrom, and you can do everything. The kernel of the system
supports most important file systems (ext2/ext3, reiserfs, xfs, jfs, vfat,
ntfs, iso9660), and network ones (samba and nfs).
Here are the main system tools:
GNU Parted is the best tool for editing your disk partitions under linux
QtParted is a Partition Magic clone for Linux.
Partimage is a Ghost/Drive-image clone for Linux
File systems tools (e2fsprogs, reiserfsprogs, xfsprogs, jfsutils, ntfsprogs,
dosfstools): they allow you to format, resize, debug an existing partition
of your hard disk
Sfdisk allows you to backup and restore your partition table
Operating System Linux 2.4.27 with XFS


Karen.........
 
REM said:
===============================================
A normal system backup requires a bit of work, but it will save you a
great deal of time in the future. I'm, not sure what the record is for
a win system that connects to the internet to remain stable and solid.
There are so many exploits, worms, user errors, etc. that it's almost
a given that such a system will become unstable, for whatever reason,
and will require a fresh install from scratch at some point.

If your system is stable now, it's a good time to back everything up,
operating system included.
Click to expand...

## Yes, that's what I was told. But learning how that is done is not so
easy. WXP helpfiles and my XP book doesn't say....
The savings are the time required to reinstall XP, get all critical
updates and other selected updates, reinstall and setup each program
that you use, and tweaking everything as you like it. If you don't
have a readable copy of each hardware driver more time is required to
determine which drivers are needed, getting each driver and installing
each.
Click to expand...

## Makes sense. It took many hours to get our old W98SE back to where we
wanted it after a major browser invasion/crash (by some worm/virus nothing
could remove.), reformat and reinstall of the OS.
If you have a system backup and your working install gets shaky, you
can format your boot drive and write your backup back in minutes,
rather than in hours or days with a slow download speed.
Click to expand...

## My boot drive? You mean C: drive?
Creating a system backup is complicated by the fact that many of your
XP files are locked, and cannot be accessed, because the system is
running.

The best route is to create a bootable CD and to use it to bootup and
create or restore the backup. This negates file locking problems, but
there are several steps:
Click to expand...
Step 1: the basic bootable CD:
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/
Click to expand...

## This isn't the basic one. It's pretty complicated and goes into a lot
more than making a simple boot disk, or system backup disk. A BartPE? I
think he wrote this for computer technicians, not the average Jane or Joe.
I'm sorry but I don't know any techie types to help me with something this
complicated. Isn't there anything easier and less complcated to do this
"system backup?"

EXAMPLE:
What is the difference between BartPE and Microsofts WinPE?
Target - Microsoft sees Windows PE as an installation platform. Bart sees
Windows PE as the next generation rescue platform. Start-menu - Bart's
builder gives you a simple, dynamic and powerful start-menu (Nu2Menu, see
screenshots). Microsoft's builder does not give you a start-menu, it uses a
command prompt.
Build from - Bart's builder can also build from Windows XP Home Edition or
from a preinstalled Windows XP version (without CD).
Plugins - With PE Builder you can easily add applications, drivers or tools
using plugins. This makes PE Builder extremely powerful. The end user can
even combine plugins from different software vendors into one CD image.
Step 2: add the freeware backup tools:
http://www.ubcd4win.com/
Click to expand...
Each of the sites gives pretty good details in what you need to do.
Read over them a couple of times. The term "slipstreaming" almost
turned me back, but that's just running your XP Service Packs with a
switch to guide them into a directory you copied your XP install CD
into.
Click to expand...

## I can't even understand how to make the complicated BartPE BOOT CD.
If you can create the CD, simply boot from it and you'll get a slim XP
GUI bootup. Select the Lexan folder and try DrvImagerXP to create a
set of back up images on another partition, which needs to be almost
as large as the partition you're backing up.
Click to expand...
There are other freeware tools from step 2 you can use to clear up
your boot drive, like AntiVir AV. Some folders are system protected,
which makes a great place for malware to hide. Booting from the CD
allows the scanning of every file.
Click to expand...
I have used DrvImagerXP to create a backup without a boot CD. I still
have it, but I've not yet had to restore. I made another set of images
with the Boot CD and that's what I'll use if (when) the time comes, as
I know there were no file locking problems.
Click to expand...
Here is a link if you want to try the easier route first. It reboots
into safe mode before creating the backup. I cannot guarantee that
this method will be successful though. I suggest investing the time to
create the bootable CD.
Click to expand...

## Is there a less complicated way to make a simple bootable CD than this
BartPE disk? All I want to do is make one of these "system backups."
http://www.woundedmoon.org/win32/drvimagerxpsetup_2.2.html
Click to expand...
SavePart, if I'm not mistaken, does not work with XP.
Click to expand...

## Well I completely understand burning files to CD-RWs/Rs/DVDs but I can't
grasp this extremely complicated copying of the "system files."

Thanks....

Karen.....
 
## Yes, that's what I was told. But learning how that is done is not so
easy. WXP helpfiles and my XP book doesn't say....
Click to expand...

It is complicated, as you've seen.
## My boot drive? You mean C: drive?
Click to expand...

That's right. C: is the normal boot drive, but it's possible to also
boot off other drive letters, or partitions too.

If XP is installed on your C:, then that is what you need to backup in
entirety to have a 'system backup.'

Above is the main obstacle. The boot CD end runs this problem.
## This isn't the basic one. It's pretty complicated and goes into a lot
more than making a simple boot disk, or system backup disk. A BartPE? I
think he wrote this for computer technicians, not the average Jane or Joe.
I'm sorry but I don't know any techie types to help me with something this
complicated. Isn't there anything easier and less complcated to do this
"system backup?"
Click to expand...

You'll need an empty partition to place the backup on also. If you
have the empty partition remove the caps in my email address and email
me.

I tried writing my system backup to CD's. I ran out of CD's (20) and
gave up on that option. Even unused space is included in the backup
with DrvImagerXP. It can be zipped, but the backup is still going to
be large.

If you don't have an empty partition of the same size as your C:, you
might add another drive. If that's not in the cards, partition
resizing is necessary to clear room to make a new partition. In this
case the safest bet is to pay to have the new partition created and a
system backup done.
EXAMPLE:
What is the difference between BartPE and Microsofts WinPE?
Click to expand...

BartPE is a tool built off of WinPE. He saw the capabilities MS
evidently does not want the consumer to possess and provided them to
us.
Target - Microsoft sees Windows PE as an installation platform. Bart sees
Windows PE as the next generation rescue platform. Start-menu - Bart's
builder gives you a simple, dynamic and powerful start-menu (Nu2Menu, see
screenshots). Microsoft's builder does not give you a start-menu, it uses a
command prompt.
Click to expand...

It is an impressive project!
Build from - Bart's builder can also build from Windows XP Home Edition or
from a preinstalled Windows XP version (without CD).
Plugins - With PE Builder you can easily add applications, drivers or tools
using plugins. This makes PE Builder extremely powerful. The end user can
even combine plugins from different software vendors into one CD image.
ditto!

## Is there a less complicated way to make a simple bootable CD than this
BartPE disk? All I want to do is make one of these "system backups."
Click to expand...

The file above did reboot into safe mode and created backup image
files. I have not used them to recover though. I suspect it might not
work due to the file locking problems, since I was booting off the
same drive I was backing up.
## Well I completely understand burning files to CD-RWs/Rs/DVDs but I can't
grasp this extremely complicated copying of the "system files."
Click to expand...

I was pretty confused the first time or two I read the pages too. Do
you have an empty partition?
 
REM said:
It is complicated, as you've seen.



That's right. C: is the normal boot drive, but it's possible to also
boot off other drive letters, or partitions too.

If XP is installed on your C:, then that is what you need to backup in
entirety to have a 'system backup.'


Above is the main obstacle. The boot CD end runs this problem.



You'll need an empty partition to place the backup on also. If you
have the empty partition remove the caps in my email address and email
me.

I tried writing my system backup to CD's. I ran out of CD's (20) and
gave up on that option. Even unused space is included in the backup
with DrvImagerXP. It can be zipped, but the backup is still going to
be large.

If you don't have an empty partition of the same size as your C:, you
might add another drive. If that's not in the cards, partition
resizing is necessary to clear room to make a new partition. In this
case the safest bet is to pay to have the new partition created and a
system backup done.


BartPE is a tool built off of WinPE. He saw the capabilities MS
evidently does not want the consumer to possess and provided them to
us.


It is an impressive project!


The file above did reboot into safe mode and created backup image
files. I have not used them to recover though. I suspect it might not
work due to the file locking problems, since I was booting off the
same drive I was backing up.


I was pretty confused the first time or two I read the pages too. Do
you have an empty partition?
Click to expand...
=============================
I have no idea what a "partition" is or how to make one. This HP PC came
with a C: and a D: where a copy of XP is stored I believe (on D:). HP
gives little information with their PCs beyond plugging it in and adding the
mouse and keyboard. Actually just really basic stuff. Although there is
only one HD it has a C: and D: on it. Are those partitions? Most of the
120 Gigs are free (about 80%).

If it's this complicated to make a "system backup" and will take untold
hours to learn from scratch - it would be faster to just reinstall programs
etc. from regular back-up CDs I would think - should a reformat and
reinstall become necessary.

Whenever I download a free program I SAVE it and burn it to a CD so have
them all except SP2. Everything is backed up but these "system files."

Karen...
 
"Karen" <[email protected]> wrote:
Click to expand...
I have no idea what a "partition" is or how to make one. This HP PC came
with a C: and a D: where a copy of XP is stored I believe (on D:). HP
gives little information with their PCs beyond plugging it in and adding the
mouse and keyboard. Actually just really basic stuff. Although there is
only one HD it has a C: and D: on it. Are those partitions? Most of the
120 Gigs are free (about 80%).
Click to expand...

If you have a HP I think you might already have a system restore disk.
I bought one several years ago and the drivers, XP, and several
programs were on a rescue CD.
Whenever I download a free program I SAVE it and burn it to a CD so have
them all except SP2. Everything is backed up but these "system files."
Click to expand...

I think you might be in good shape then. SP2 and your freeware is all
that is not on your HP system restore CD.
 
news:[email protected]...
Click to expand...
I have no idea what a "partition" is or how to make one.

This HP PC came with a C: and a D: where a copy of XP is stored
I believe (on D:).
....
Click to expand...

Karen ....

Following is what the dictionary
has to say about partitions ....

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:

Partition \Par*ti"tion\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Partitioned}; p.
pr. & vb. n. {Partitioning}.]
1. To divide into parts or shares;

to divide and distribute;
as, to partition an estate among various heirs.

2. To divide into distinct parts by lines, walls, etc.;

as, to partition a house.

So you now have a house, your disk drive,
with two rooms C: & D: ....

Partitioning software can create more walls
inside the house thus creating more rooms
of various sizes into which things can be separated,
although the *total* amount of space in the house
will be the same ....
 
This HP PC came
with a C: and a D: where a copy of XP is stored I believe (on D:). HP
gives little information with their PCs beyond plugging it in and adding the
mouse and keyboard.
Click to expand...

I got one. You can ship it to them direct for service or find a local HP
Authorized repair facility.

XP has a System Restore feature that is of some value. It also has a built
in Backup program but I imagine what you have is a single disk that has
been divided or partitioned into C: and D:.

A simple and inexpensive fix would be to buy another hard drive and install
it then do a complete backup of the entire existing drive using XPs backup
program. Then you could set XP's Task Scheduler (which you will be prompted
to use when you use XPs Backup program) to do an incremental backup (only
new files or old files that have been changed) on a frequency that you
determine (daily, weekly not any later than monthly).

This is what we do with our HP adding AMPWinOff http://www.ampsoft.net to
force a shutdown after the virus program runs, the backup runs and its
nighty nite time.
 
If you don't have an empty partition of the same size as your C:, you
might add another drive. If that's not in the cards, partition
resizing is necessary to clear room to make a new partition. In this
case the safest bet is to pay to have the new partition created and a
system backup done.
Click to expand...

"I have WXP-Home/Sp2. I backup my Mp3s, pictures and
other files ... I have Nero, MMJ, CDBurnerXP Pro3"

I believe her D: drive is a CD.
 
_Dewey Edwards_, giovedì 30/dic/2004:
I believe her D: drive is a CD.
Click to expand...

Hi Dewey,
I don't think so, because this Karen's description:

could be the description of my HP PC.
There is one HD with two partitions, C: is NTFS and D: is FAT.
Then there is E: (CD) and F: (CD-RW)

Ciao,
 
_Dewey Edwards_, giovedì 30/dic/2004:


Hi Dewey,
I don't think so, because this Karen's description:


could be the description of my HP PC.
There is one HD with two partitions, C: is NTFS and D: is FAT.
Then there is E: (CD) and F: (CD-RW)
Click to expand...

Point taken. Karen?
 
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