how to backup w2k

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anders
  • Start date Start date
A

Anders

Still no problems, but how to perform a system backup in w2k that really
works when/if I need it?

I only have a 60G HD and no tape or CD to put the backup on.

Should I keeep seperate registry backups?

How much space is required for a total system backup (roughly)?

/Regards, Anders
 
The only ironclad backup is a full image of the system partition and
boot volume. You can get away w/ System State backups (ntbackup.exe),
but that will not protect application files.

Traditional file by file backups of the boot volume are usually execises
in futility since so many OS files are held open and can't be backed up.

An full image will result in an image file roughly 30-40% of the imaged
data.

An alternate to imaging is a full traditional file by file backup of the
system partition and boot volume supplemented by a System State backup.

I use full volume images and System State backups.

You will need a media other than your HD to save your backups. You can
by a second hard drive cheap and use that to save your backups.
Ideally, you should also burn them to CD, DVD, or tape, but at the very
least, save them on a second hard drive.

hth
 
I use this for servers, so it may be a little overkill for a
workstation. The only thing I backup on workstations is the
SystemState, then copy that up to a shared folder on the network. I
will focus on the server backup since I have found it to be the best
solution for me to get a machine back up fully functional in the least
amount of time and w/ the least amount of effort. This assumes that the
restore will happen to identical hardware. We would be restoring either
from OS corruption (i.e. - bad SP), or catastrophic hardware failure (HD
failure).

1) 3 partitions
a) 2GB partition for W2K Pro (system)
b) 10GB partition for W2KS (boot)
c) remaining space for data/undelete folder/images
2) I use PowerQuest's DeployCenter 5.01 to fully image the first 2
partitions to E:\Images on the 3rd partition
3) Once a week, a scheduled AT job copies these image files to a
fileserver
4) Once a week (after the AT job), ARCserve backs up the images on the
fileserver to tape.

Since this means downing the server, I try to do my images only once a
quarter. I also maintain an Access database to track any hardware and
OS changes. If I need to restore to a point in time, I restore the most
recent image and then reapply all changes for that server that are
recorded in my Access db (except for what might have caused the problem,
of course).
How do you do ( or what do you use to do ) your image backup?
Click to expand...
 
Bob Stringer, adding a second HD is very simple, especially if it's
IDE. SCSI can be more tricky, but not much.

The only thing you want to make sure of is that Windows is *NOT*
installed to a logical volume in an extended partition because adding a
HD to that sort of configuration *could* cause problems.

Whatever you do, create/update your Emergency Repair Disk using
ntbackup.exe before adding a second HD.

You can tell how your hard drive is partitioned by using Disk
Management. If you know if you have a IDE or SCSI HD, I can tell you
how to add a second HD.
Click to expand...

Great!

Looking just now, it is in fact an IDE.

Looking forward to hearing how to do it.

Thanks.

Bob Stringer
 
All IDE drives have jumpers that allow you to configure the drive as a
master or slave (unfortunate terminology, I agree). The newer the
drive, the better the documentation, but it should be marked somewhere
on the drive. A good place to look, is also the HD manufacturer's web
site.

One jumper should be marked (M)aster or (S)tandalone, another should be
marked (S)lave and a third might be marked CS (cable select). With the
jumper in the CS position, the drive could be used as a master or
slave. It determines its "role" based on which connector on the cable
it is attached to. Obviously, w/ the jumper on the master or standalone
position, the drive can only function as a master and in the slave
position, only as a slave.

An IDE cable will have 2 connectors on it. The one *farthest* away from
the mother board is the master position and the other is the slave
position. If the IDE controller has only 1 drive attached to it, it
must be on the master connector.

Just a small note, while in theory any 2 IDE drives should work just
fine, there is some anecdotal evidence that you are best off making sure
the 2 drives are from the same manufacturer. Many of us have seen or
read of obscure problems w/ mixing drive manufacturers.

OK, so once you determine that your existing drive only has one primary
partitions and you have updated your ERD, just install the second drive
as described above (note, you should not have to touch the jumpers or
anything else on the existing drive).

When you boot back into W2K, make sure your original drive letters have
not changed, then partition and format your new HD. Some people prefer
using an extended partition because that allows you to create as many
logical volumes as there are drive letters left, but I prefer primary
partitions. I have run into some obscure problems using extended
partitions, so I don't use them anymore.

Once you formatted your new drive, update your ERD again.

GL!
 
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