Backup confusion - I need TWO full backups? :-S

  • Thread starter Thread starter CJSnet
  • Start date Start date
C

CJSnet

Okay, on XP backup was simple. I create a full backup of my whole PC
including system settings, then add to it incrementally. If I want to
restore an individual file from that backup, I can. If I need to restore
the entire PC inc. Windows, I can.

But in Vista am I right in thinking that if I still want a full backup, I
need to create a Complete PC Backup, but that this will NOT allow me to
restore individual files?

So if I want to restore individual files too, I need to create a standard
backup, but this will NOT allow me to do a full restore of the PC?

So if I want to be able to A) restore the entire PC in case of failure,
and/or B) restore individual files, then I need to create TWO complete
backups, which are virtually the same, thus requiring TWICE as much free
disk space on my backup drive as is really needed, thus meaning I have to
buy a bigger drive? :(

Surely it can't be this illogical - someone tell me it ain't so!?
--
Thanks,
CJSnet

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CJSnet said:
Okay, on XP backup was simple. I create a full backup of my whole PC
including system settings, then add to it incrementally. If I want to
restore an individual file from that backup, I can. If I need to restore
the entire PC inc. Windows, I can.

But in Vista am I right in thinking that if I still want a full backup, I
need to create a Complete PC Backup, but that this will NOT allow me to
restore individual files?

So if I want to restore individual files too, I need to create a standard
backup, but this will NOT allow me to do a full restore of the PC?

So if I want to be able to A) restore the entire PC in case of failure,
and/or B) restore individual files, then I need to create TWO complete
backups, which are virtually the same, thus requiring TWICE as much free
disk space on my backup drive as is really needed, thus meaning I have to
buy a bigger drive? :(

Surely it can't be this illogical - someone tell me it ain't so!?
Click to expand...

I assume on the XP box you were using NTBackup??

You can still use NTBackup from XP in Vista.

http://www.petri.co.il/installing_windows_xp_ntbackup_on_windows_vista.htm
 
Check "Complete PC Backup" via "Help and Support". Two complete backups not
required - subsequent file backups only "do" changed files.

The "Complete PC Backup" is an image (VHD) backup and when mounted as a
vitural drive all files are available - however its main function is for
restoring an inoperative computer vai the Vista DVD repair function.

NT backup cannot be used with Vista - however there is an utility available
from Microsoft to premit accessing NT Backup files in Vista - again check
out "Help and...."
 
CJSnet said:
Okay, on XP backup was simple. I create a full backup of my whole PC
including system settings, then add to it incrementally. If I want to
restore an individual file from that backup, I can. If I need to restore
the entire PC inc. Windows, I can.

But in Vista am I right in thinking that if I still want a full backup, I
need to create a Complete PC Backup, but that this will NOT allow me to
restore individual files?
Click to expand...

Correct, you cannot restore individual files from a Complete PC Backup file
set. You can restore individual files using file shadow copies, if they are
present for those files, which should be the case.
So if I want to restore individual files too, I need to create a standard
backup, but this will NOT allow me to do a full restore of the PC?
Click to expand...
So if I want to be able to A) restore the entire PC in case of failure,
and/or B) restore individual files, then I need to create TWO complete
backups, which are virtually the same, thus requiring TWICE as much free
disk space on my backup drive as is really needed, thus meaning I have to
buy a bigger drive? :(

Surely it can't be this illogical - someone tell me it ain't so!?
Click to expand...

Personally I haven't used the file backup in Vista. For redundancy in
backups use Complete PC Backup and Acronis True Image version 10 which
allows for individual file and folder restores from the image, and it has a
separate file backup module as well.
 
Okay a few coments : Complete PC Backup is an image file (VHD -Virtual Hard
Drive). The backup and files can be accessed via 'VhdMount", a command-line
tool, which "mounts" the backup and provides for browsing and restoration of
individual files.

However keep in mind that Complete PC Backup cannot be performed
automatically but manually therefore the indiviaula files will only be as
current as the last backup you performed. Vista can be "set" to notify when
a backup needs to be performed - again the actual backup must be done
manually.

XP Pro included two "separate" means of backup by defatult- complete and
file. Home Edition, be default, only provided file backup - however full
backup could be installed from the XP CD. Full PC backup in XP involved
doing the backup and then creating n "ASR" (Automated Recovery System)
floppy disk with system files to access the backup or use of an ISO image to
create a bottable CD

If at anytime you were not asked to create the ASR disk, you were not doing
a complete system backup.

Vista Complete PC Backup (not available in Basic version) provides for
"complete" system recovery in case of a disaster and as such can only be
copied to an external HD or removable media and is an option menu on Vista's
"Starup Repair" function. Both Complete PC Backup and File Backup, after
the inital backup, utilize incremental backups to update files.

Complete PC Backup only maintains one backup copy, however File Backup
creates multiple backup versions in a Zipped format which allows restoring
indiviudual files to a computer other than the one from which backups were
created. An important feature of file backup is, as mentioned previously,
"Previous Versions" (Shadow copies) which provide the option of restoring
deleted or changed files by modifying the properties of files by providing a
previous version tab.

In addition, File Backup monitors the space it uses and deletes older
backups to keep within the space assigned.





CJSnet said:
Okay, on XP backup was simple. I create a full backup of my whole PC
including system settings, then add to it incrementally. If I want to
restore an individual file from that backup, I can. If I need to restore
the entire PC inc. Windows, I can.

But in Vista am I right in thinking that if I still want a full backup, I
need to create a Complete PC Backup, but that this will NOT allow me to
restore individual files?

So if I want to restore individual files too, I need to create a standard
backup, but this will NOT allow me to do a full restore of the PC?

So if I want to be able to A) restore the entire PC in case of failure,
and/or B) restore individual files, then I need to create TWO complete
backups, which are virtually the same, thus requiring TWICE as much free
disk space on my backup drive as is really needed, thus meaning I have to
buy a bigger drive? :(

Surely it can't be this illogical - someone tell me it ain't so!?
--
Thanks,
CJSnet

Recommended:
* http://search.superhighstreet.com - Finds anything or they pay!
* http://www.superhighstreet.com & http://www.oxfordstreet.com - Beat the
crowds with Virtual Streetscapes

[remove 'teeth' to e-mail me]
Click to expand...
 
AJR said:
Check "Complete PC Backup" via "Help and Support". Two complete backups not
required - subsequent file backups only "do" changed files.

The "Complete PC Backup" is an image (VHD) backup and when mounted as a
vitural drive all files are available - however its main function is for
restoring an inoperative computer vai the Vista DVD repair function.

NT backup cannot be used with Vista - however there is an utility available
from Microsoft to premit accessing NT Backup files in Vista - again check
out "Help and...."
Click to expand...

NTBackup can be used under Vista -- I just used it and then used the
NTBackup Restore Utility to restore to a different location. Volume
Shadow Copy has to be disabled within NTBackup but it works okay.
 
AJR said:
Okay a few coments : Complete PC Backup is an image file (VHD -Virtual
Hard Drive). The backup and files can be accessed via 'VhdMount", a
command-line tool, which "mounts" the backup and provides for browsing and
restoration of individual files.
Click to expand...

<snip>

I didn't know about VHDmount. Thanks for posting that.
 
Vista seems to be storing shadow copies of my files on the local hard disk.
E.g. I can restore previous versions with my backup drive disconnected and
in the other room! How is it working this voodoo magic? :-Z
--
Thanks,
CJSnet

Recommended:
* http://search.superhighstreet.com - Finds anything or they pay!
* http://www.superhighstreet.com & http://www.oxfordstreet.com - Beat the
crowds with Virtual Streetscapes

[remove 'teeth' to e-mail me]

AJR said:
Okay a few coments : Complete PC Backup is an image file (VHD -Virtual
Hard Drive). The backup and files can be accessed via 'VhdMount", a
command-line tool, which "mounts" the backup and provides for browsing and
restoration of individual files.

However keep in mind that Complete PC Backup cannot be performed
automatically but manually therefore the indiviaula files will only be as
current as the last backup you performed. Vista can be "set" to notify
when a backup needs to be performed - again the actual backup must be done
manually.

XP Pro included two "separate" means of backup by defatult- complete and
file. Home Edition, be default, only provided file backup - however full
backup could be installed from the XP CD. Full PC backup in XP involved
doing the backup and then creating n "ASR" (Automated Recovery System)
floppy disk with system files to access the backup or use of an ISO image
to create a bottable CD

If at anytime you were not asked to create the ASR disk, you were not
doing a complete system backup.

Vista Complete PC Backup (not available in Basic version) provides for
"complete" system recovery in case of a disaster and as such can only be
copied to an external HD or removable media and is an option menu on
Vista's "Starup Repair" function. Both Complete PC Backup and File
Backup, after the inital backup, utilize incremental backups to update
files.

Complete PC Backup only maintains one backup copy, however File Backup
creates multiple backup versions in a Zipped format which allows restoring
indiviudual files to a computer other than the one from which backups were
created. An important feature of file backup is, as mentioned previously,
"Previous Versions" (Shadow copies) which provide the option of restoring
deleted or changed files by modifying the properties of files by providing
a previous version tab.

In addition, File Backup monitors the space it uses and deletes older
backups to keep within the space assigned.





CJSnet said:
Okay, on XP backup was simple. I create a full backup of my whole PC
including system settings, then add to it incrementally. If I want to
restore an individual file from that backup, I can. If I need to restore
the entire PC inc. Windows, I can.

But in Vista am I right in thinking that if I still want a full backup, I
need to create a Complete PC Backup, but that this will NOT allow me to
restore individual files?

So if I want to restore individual files too, I need to create a standard
backup, but this will NOT allow me to do a full restore of the PC?

So if I want to be able to A) restore the entire PC in case of failure,
and/or B) restore individual files, then I need to create TWO complete
backups, which are virtually the same, thus requiring TWICE as much free
disk space on my backup drive as is really needed, thus meaning I have to
buy a bigger drive? :(

Surely it can't be this illogical - someone tell me it ain't so!?
--
Thanks,
CJSnet

Recommended:
* http://search.superhighstreet.com - Finds anything or they pay!
* http://www.superhighstreet.com & http://www.oxfordstreet.com - Beat
the crowds with Virtual Streetscapes

[remove 'teeth' to e-mail me]
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