Backup Software?

I use robocopy from Microsoft, it just mirrors files and folders on one drive to another drive. It's command line based. Takes a few minutes to set up if you know anything about computers. I have 3 external backup drives, I have a seperate script for each one (I have enough data that I put photos onto one drive, old photos onto another, and other data onto a third).

00silvergt wrote in post #3884497
Why don't you tell me the difference between Incremental and differential? huh?

Hold on...let me go find a link so that you can read up on it a bit.

Anyway, fine dude...you can win if you need. If anyone wants to know about Ghost, they can read your post and then go read the link I provided and compare the differences...no skin off my back. Sure there's freeware out there...to each their own.

I wouldn't use ghost as its more useful for drive imaging. Windows comes with a built in backup utility which does full, incremental and differential backups and its more than adequate.

00silvergt wrote in post #3884516
Not a flame war, I was just answering your assumption. But hey, I forget very easily that's why I archive. I'll end this here. OP: Sorry for taking his bait and sidetracking this thread. JaertX, sorry that I got a bit excited, but this is my bread and butter you have transgressed.

fair enough man...just go read what Ghost is (currently) I appologize for being snippy.

tim wrote in post #3884524
I use robocopy from Microsoft, it just mirrors files and folders on one drive to another drive. It's command line based. Takes a few minutes to set up if you know anything about computers. I have 3 external backup drives, I have a seperate script for each one (I have enough data that I put photos onto one drive, old photos onto another, and other data onto a third).

Robocopy is excellent in that you can write a small batch file and have it run when the OS boots up. Since the client end is difficult to backup we run it as part of the login script to backup local data to a SAN via Gigabit network and turn off the overwrite. Robocopy is much like Xcopy, but miles ahead with options and features.

JaertX wrote in post #3884554
fair enough man...just go read what Ghost is (currently) I appologize for being snippy.

no problem. I did read about it but read the post from the poster above your post he seems to agree with me. The built-in software is more than adequate, OP can use the $70 on something more camera related? BTW, its not about winning or losing.

mellowd wrote in post #3884539
I wouldn't use ghost as its more useful for drive imaging. Windows comes with a built in backup utility which does full, incremental and differential backups and its more than adequate.

Holy Cow...no one can click a link. Here you go:

Ghost does (pasted from their site):

Schedules automatic backups
Full system backup of everything on a hard drive or partition
File and folder backup of only the files you choose
Backs up files by the type you choose (such as photos or financial documents
Makes incremental backups to save storage space and save time
Backs up on key events, such as new application installation or sudden increases in data storage (this is very handy to me)
At-a-glance display of all scheduled backups and status of backup protection on each drive

and much more. sheesh.

Sorry Toogy...it's just irritating that someone would flatly misinform others.

Jaertx, we are not giving misinformation, we are just trying to save him $70. Again, I've read what the new Ghost does, and yes it backups and restores, but the WD or the XP solution would be just as useful for what the OP needs without spending the $70. It does more than the XP, not too sure if it is better than the WD, but he does not need that. OP wants to b/u a Hdd everyday at a scheduled time, that's it.

BTW, you don't happen to work for Symmantec, do you? LOL I'm actually certified in many of their products, admittedly Ghost is not one of them.

This is what I need too. I have a pc which is only used for games. I want to be able to load everything back up in case of a crash. The patches and configs for a game is enough to drive me crazy.

00silvergt wrote in post #3884623
BTW, you don't happen to work for Symmantec, do you? LOL

and I thought I was being sneaky...

LOL (j/k)

cheers fellas

JaertX wrote in post #3884584
Holy Cow...no one can click a link. Here you go:

and much more. sheesh.

Sorry Toogy...it's just irritating that someone would flatly misinform others.

You'll note I said 'more useful'

Why spend £££ when your OS already has what you want to do built in?

Ok...let me clarify. If you want to backup your computer so that if it crashes, you can have it the way you had it before, then Ghost would be an ideal way to do it. But it is not as easy when the OS is dead. e.g. Registry Hash gets hosed. Which happens often, especially when users do not properly logout of their computers. Usually while a scheduled HDD program is running like a defragmenter and the user shuts down, because the computer crash or simply because the computer was turned off prematurely. Anyway, if there is an image that can be accessible outside the OS, i.e. boot from a bootdisk and then access the drive, then you can store an image of your HDD on it. Problem is you have to have created the image outside of the OS since XP would prevent the image from including system files from XP. So you can not create the image on a scheduled basis unless you do it pre OS boot. Anyway, if you can boot and have a accessible image, then you can use Ghost to write the image over your existing data on your hard drive and in 15 minutes you can get your computer running as it did when the image was created. The problem with this is that you can not have up to the minute restoration of your computer unless you have made the image within that timeframe.

00silvergt wrote in post #3884730
Ok...let me clarify. If you want to backup your computer so that if it crashes, you can have it the way you had it before, then Ghost would be an ideal way to do it. But it is not as easy when the OS is dead. e.g. Registry Hash gets hosed. Which happens often, especially when users do not properly logout of their computers. Usually while a scheduled HDD program is running like a defragmenter and the user shuts down, because the computer crash or simply because the computer was turned off prematurely. Anyway, if there is an image that can be accessible outside the OS, i.e. boot from a bootdisk and then access the drive, then you can store an image of your HDD on it. Problem is you have to have created the image outside of the OS since XP would prevent the image from including system files from XP. So you can not create the image on a scheduled basis unless you do it pre OS boot. Anyway, if you can boot and have a accessible image, then you can use Ghost to write the image over your existing data on your hard drive and in 15 minutes you can get your computer running as it did when the image was created. The problem with this is that you can not have up to the minute restoration of your computer unless you have made the image within that timeframe.

That's true and ghost is very useful for loading images on a new and old pc's. A longer way to do it would be to use backup to backup your data and system state. In this way if you need to reload your OS your reinstall windows from scratch and then use backup to restore your data and system state (or use ASR, up to you)

I think thats out of scope of the original question though. If you just want to backup files on your PC then windows backup is more than good enough

mellowd wrote in post #3884748
That's true and ghost is very useful for loading images on a new and old pc's. A longer way to do it would be to use backup to backup your data and system state. In this way if you need to reload your OS your reinstall windows from scratch and then use backup to restore your data and system state (or use ASR, up to you)

I think thats out of scope of the original question though. If you just want to backup files on your PC then windows backup is more than good enough

Exactly. That post was meant for the PC gamer! LOL

have you dudes seen drobo?

http://www.drobo.com/

i know it's not exactly what you're looking for, but a compelling solution nonetheless. worth looking into at least.