automatic backups

  • Thread starter Thread starter chuck
  • Start date Start date
C

chuck

I have just started doing a "data and system state"
backup to an extra hard disk on my computer. I have
named the first backup as a code number for the
day/date/year of the back up and have the schedule set to
overwrite each day at the same time. Is there a way to
(A) have the date code change automatically and (B)
should I have a second back up to overwrite and have the
backup schedule overwrite the oldest each time.

I am running WinXP Pro with 2-160G hard drives using only
XP's back up utility (no RAID or third party software).

Thanks
 
chuck said:
I have just started doing a "data and system state"
backup to an extra hard disk on my computer. I have
named the first backup as a code number for the
day/date/year of the back up and have the schedule set to
overwrite each day at the same time. Is there a way to
(A) have the date code change automatically and (B)
should I have a second back up to overwrite and have the
backup schedule overwrite the oldest each time.

I am running WinXP Pro with 2-160G hard drives using only
XP's back up utility (no RAID or third party software).

Thanks
Click to expand...

I haven't used the XP backup program but you might find that it keeps adding
backups to a catalog; the backup job name is the same but the catalog
contains references to the files backed up each time it runs. Why not do a
full backup then do either an incremental or differential for a while. This
would use a lot less space. After a week or two then do another full and
start doing differential or incrementals again. Doing a full every couple of
weeks or so reduces the number of incremental or differential backups you
have to recover to get back to normal. Again, I haven't used the XP backup
program so check it out carefully. I recommend you sit down and create some
backups manually and then use the tools to see what you are getting and how
it all works. Real backup utilties, and the XP one looks close, aren't as
obvious as dragging a bunch of files to a floppy.

I use BackUpMyPC on a W98 simple file server box using the above technique
to backup my data files, usually pictures, drawings and some downloaded
executable files. It has the advantage (maybe XP does too??) that it will
burn the files directly to CD. I schedule this to run in the middle of the
night.

I find the easiest method for getting a complete
easy-to-recover-from-a-disaster disk backup is to use Drive Image (similar
to Symantec Ghost). I just make an image when I think I should and every now
and then I burn it to CD using a burning program like Roxio or Nero for
off-line storage. Drive Image while break the image into CD size chunks. It
is also fast. With a second physical drive you are fairly safe even without
burning to CD.
Billh
 
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