Create a restorable system backup with NTBACKUP?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bert Hyman
  • Start date Start date
B

Bert Hyman

Before I go any farther, is it even possible to use NTBACKUP to create a
system backup that can be used to completely restore a system back to
its state at the time of the backup?

If so, in addition to selecting "System State" for backup, what else
needs to be saved?

How much of "Documents and Settings"? How much of the "\windows"
directory? How about the files in the root directory of the system
drive? Other files or directories?

Again assuming it's possible, what's the proper restore procedure? I
know I have to re-install XP before a restore of the backup is possible,
but is there a shortcut form of install? Then, what state must the
machine be in order to tolerate having much of its guts overwritten
during the restore process?

Is there something on the MS Web site or elsewhere that addresses full
backup & restore using NTBACKUP? My initial searches returned far too
many hits that were only peripherally related.

I know that there are disk imaging products out there that supposedly
can do all this, but the reviews of most of them suggest that they're
something of a hit-or-miss proposition when it comes to restoration.
 
Before I go any farther, is it even possible to use NTBACKUP to create a
system backup that can be used to completely restore a system back to
its state at the time of the backup?

If so, in addition to selecting "System State" for backup, what else
needs to be saved?

How much of "Documents and Settings"? How much of the "\windows"
directory? How about the files in the root directory of the system
drive? Other files or directories?

Again assuming it's possible, what's the proper restore procedure? I
know I have to re-install XP before a restore of the backup is possible,
but is there a shortcut form of install? Then, what state must the
machine be in order to tolerate having much of its guts overwritten
during the restore process?

Is there something on the MS Web site or elsewhere that addresses full
backup & restore using NTBACKUP? My initial searches returned far too
many hits that were only peripherally related.

I know that there are disk imaging products out there that supposedly
can do all this, but the reviews of most of them suggest that they're
something of a hit-or-miss proposition when it comes to restoration.
Click to expand...

Simple answer: No. NTBackup will not create a complete restorable
system backup. It never did as with most "other" Microsoft's attempts
to make a backup software.
 
No. Ntbackup is not designed for that. You need disk imaging software.

A disk image is a sector-by-sector copy of an entire disk or disk
partition. A complete explanation of disk imaging - and how it differs
from a file backup - is beyond the scope of a news post. However, Google
is your friend: Just search for disk imaging.

Disk imaging is a valuable tool for any computer user. With a regularly
updated image, you can easily recover from any software disaster.
 
To recover a system using ntbackup you first need to install a barebones
copy of Windows, plus any drivers needed to access the storage media. In
principle you can then restore the changes made since installation from the
backup.

That said, the original NT4 ntbackup worked resonably well, but the
2000/XP/2003/SBS version has very poor reliability. I'd trust it about as far
as I could throw it.
 
Before I go any farther, is it even possible to use NTBACKUP to create a
system backup that can be used to completely restore a system back to
its state at the time of the backup?

If so, in addition to selecting "System State" for backup, what else
needs to be saved?

How much of "Documents and Settings"? How much of the "\windows"
directory? How about the files in the root directory of the system
drive? Other files or directories?

Again assuming it's possible, what's the proper restore procedure? I
know I have to re-install XP before a restore of the backup is possible,
but is there a shortcut form of install? Then, what state must the
machine be in order to tolerate having much of its guts overwritten
during the restore process?

Is there something on the MS Web site or elsewhere that addresses full
backup & restore using NTBACKUP? My initial searches returned far too
many hits that were only peripherally related.

I know that there are disk imaging products out there that supposedly
can do all this, but the reviews of most of them suggest that they're
something of a hit-or-miss proposition when it comes to restoration.

--
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN (e-mail address removed)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Bert,
Use a brand name imaging program such as Acronis. I have used it for several
years and have used it to restore an image many times and it has not let me
down yet. I do ask it to verify the image after it is made to be sure. If it
is corrupted in any way the program will warn you. It takes longer to do it
that way but you know the old cliche better safe than ....

YMMV
 
In "Touch Base"
Use a brand name imaging program such as Acronis.
Click to expand...

Funny you should mention that ...

I downloaded Acronis True Image Home 2009 and ran it in trial mode for
about a week and just dropped $39 to buy it :-)
 
In "Touch Base"
Use a brand name imaging program such as Acronis.
Click to expand...

Funny you should mention that ...

I downloaded Acronis True Image Home 2009 and ran it in trial mode for
about a week and just dropped $39 to buy it :-)

--
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN (e-mail address removed)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK

Well see how it goes and maybe report your findings with the program down
the track a bit.
 
Back
Top