I want to be able to back up a few directories almost always (let's
call them A-1, A-2, and A-3), and a few others sometimes (call them
S-1 and S-2). I want to back up generally to an internal hard drive.
And occasionally to an external CD.
So I'd like a utility that lets me enter the above options as default
choices to use, with a minimum of fuss. And lets me modify them, of
course.
I'd run the program and it would say something like: "Going to copy
A-1, A-2, and A-3 to your 2nd hard drive, boss." And then I could add
S-1 and/or S-2, or modify the target to an external CD, before
entering.
This seems fairly simple and universal. I don't want to
click-and-drag, obviously, since that's much more complicated than
what I've just described-- (just one of the multitude of ways that
click/drag is much much worse, for many functions). In fact, what I
want is a very simple, modifiable screen-based program (a glorified
batch file, really; but of course they've "improved" those out of
existence too, and I don't want to learn a whole programming language
to program these functions, which must be out there in a good utility.
(Ideally the utility would let me schedule the usual backup for a
certain time, and even more ideally it would then send me a screen
message saying it had been completed, but I'm asking for the world
here, I know.)
Incidentally, I've "priced" this at $10, which isnt' a whole lot,
because I'm hoping simply to find a recommended and proven (i.e.,
recommended by ZDNet or the equivalent) utility that does this. So I
just need the name of such a utility, really. If you know such a
utility and works, that won't take you long to type... But if the
answer is more complex than that, then it may be the only solution
available -- I hope not! -- and so it would be worth the $10, but
still in effect it's not really the answer I'm hoping for...) ....! |
Hello bbb,
And thanks for your question.
I backup my entire drive every two weeks to tape. Each evening I
backup files that have been added or changed. This is called an
incremental backup. It all happens automatically once it is set-up
with no intervention on my part at all. The Windows Task Scheduler
launches the program at my choice of times.
If I had a second hard drive I could backup to that just as easily. I
would suggest never backing up to the same hard drive that holds your
data as if that drive were to fail, you lose your data as well as your
backup. Most backup programs also allow backing up to CD-RW, but if
the quantity of data you are selecting exceeds the 650MB limit of the
CD (after compression applied by the backup program), you will have to
eject the written disc and insert another requiring some monitoring of
the program.
All that being said, I use BackupExec which has since changed hands
and is now available from Veritas Software under the name Backup MyPC.
They also have a version for Windows NT and 2000, so choose
accordingly for your operating system.
http://www.veritas.com/products/category/ProductDetail.jhtml?productId=bedeskmypc
"VERITAS Backup MyPC - formerly Backup Exec Desktop family of products
Formerly VERITAS Backup Exec MyPC
VERITAS Backup MyPC provides automated, easy-to-use data protection
and disaster recovery for single computers or small home networks
running Windows 95 OSR2, 98 SE, Millennium, or NT Workstation 4.0
SP4/2000 Professional. Backup MyPC provides automated protection with
point-and-click scheduling. Complete backups and restores can be
launched with the touch of a single button. This product is sold and
supported only through VERITAS authorized software partners.
Automated data protection
Easy management
User flexibility
Expert Opinion
PC Magazine gives Backup MyPC Editor's Choice Award"
You can purchase this program online and
http://software.bizrate.com/GLOBAL-MARKETING-PARTNERS-FREE-BUY-BACKUP-MYPC-and-GET-CLICK-N-DESIGN-3D-FREE-BY-STOMP,mss__cat_id--320,prod_id--6601432,rf--wgg.html
offers several vendors with price ranging from $54.
One other highly regarded backup program is Genie Backup Manager. This
is $49.95 and you can read all abpout it at WebAttack -
http://www.webattack.com/geniebackup.html .
As a matter of fact, Web Atack will show a selection of other choices
and user ratings for them, which I have come to trust:
http://www.webattack.com/downloadfind.php
There are a half dozen programs here with 5 star ratings including:
Handy Backup - $30
http://www.webattack.com/features/premiere.php?id=104081&r=r
"Handy Backup is an easy-to-use program designed for an automatic
backup of your critical data virtually to any type of storage media
including CD-RW devices and remote FTP servers. In addition, it offers
strong file encryption and multichoice zip compression on the fly as
well as many other useful features to protect your valuable data. All
backup activities are logged in detail. The program can backup your
files to CDRW without the need for additional burner software. Special
plugins are provided to facilitate the backup of ICQ, system registry
and MS Outlook data."
Backup Plus 7.06 - $39.95
http://www.webattack.com/get/backupplus.shtml
"Backup Plus enables you to define sets of files and folders to zip to
disk. Features include a handy setup wizard, multidisk zip file
support, variable compression, a built-in scheduler to automate your
backups, and a backup task manager that keeps track of the last time
each backup was performed. Other features include registry backup,
easy backup restores, and error logging. "
And EaseBackup 4.25 - $49.95
http://www.webattack.com/get/easebackup.shtml
"EaseBackup is the professional backup solution that lets you protect
your information everywhere, anytime - at home, at work, or on the
road-and it keeps files and folders secure by storing them on your
hard disk, floppies, SuperDisks, network drives, ZIP drives, JAZ,
e-mail and FTP servers, Online File storages and most other removable
media. It features incremental Patch backup mode reducing time
requirements and size of archive files on 80-90%! Easebackup comes
with a dual interface for novice (wizard supported) and advanced
users, supports FTP and web backup as well as the backup of locked (in
use) files. "
Most of these come with free trail periods so that you can select the
one that is most comfortable for the way you work.
I trust this will offer you several quality options. If anything
requires additional information, or if a link above should fail,
please request clarification.
Regards,
-=clouseau=- |
Clarification of Answer by
clouseau-ga
on
25 Nov 2002 10:55 PST
Hello again bbb,
You should note that neither the researcher working on your question
nor another researcher that has commented on a question is notified
when a comment is placed. Only the researcher answering your question
will be alerted when a Request for Clarification is entered. I just
happened to note your last comment when I was checking my answered
questions.
I checked with my roommate's computer which has a fresh installation
of Windows XP and there is no backup program installed, nor any
mention in the help file as you note! This is very odd. Even a search
of the hard drive did not turn up any executable that looked like it
might be the backup program.
And yet, this page from Microsoft:
Back Up and Recover Your Information
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/gettingstarted/guide/backup.asp
"To start Backup or to access Restore and Automated System Recovery
Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, click System
Tools, and then click Backup. "
Obviously assumes that it is there in a default installation.
It seems very odd.
I can tell you that historically Microsoft has watered down the
accessory programs included with an operating system. A good example
of this is Defrag, which does not work as well nor have the option set
that Norton Speed Disk does, and yet is built on the same engine. It
is the same with their Backup utilities and mention has been made in
groups and forums that the XP Backup Utility is rudimentary at best. I
have always found that for something this mission critical, third
party utilities provided me with much better functionality.
Should I hear more about the missing XP utility, I will post again.
Regards,
-=clouseau=-
|
Clarification of Answer by
clouseau-ga
on
25 Nov 2002 12:52 PST
Another researcher (thanks tlspiegel) has offered the following and
this should clarify the built-in backup question:
"The Backup utility is not included in the default installation of
Windows XP Home Edition. The Backup icon is not present on the Start
menu in Windows XP Home Edition, and Backup is not listed in the Add
or Remove Programs tool in Windows XP Home Edition. The Backup utility
is included on the Windows XP Home Edition CD-ROM in the ValueAdd
folder. To use Backup, you must install the utility manually. "
Regards,
-=clouseau=-
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
bbb-ga
on
27 Nov 2002 00:07 PST
to clouseau-ga....
Well, from your message, I tried to follow this: "The Backup utility
is included on the Windows XP Home Edition CD-ROM in the ValueAdd
folder. To use Backup, you must install the utility manually."
OK, I have Windows XP the Home Edition, Version 2002. So I put in the
CR-ROM. I can't see any ValueAdd folder. There are folders for:
Accessories and Utilities, Fax, Indexing, Explorer, Managing and
Monitoring, MSN, networking, other networking, Outlook Express, Update
Root Certificates, Windows Media Player, Windows Messenger.....No
ValueAdd. I did look inside those existing folders, wondering if
"ValueAdd" is a subfolder, but didn't see it. Did I miss something?
I'm still puzzled. Is there a different release of the CD-ROM, or is
the ValueAdd inside some other folder? Help!
|
Clarification of Answer by
clouseau-ga
on
27 Nov 2002 00:34 PST
Hello again bbb,
First, thanks for the kind rating and the tip!
I am at this moment looking at a Windows XP Home Edition Installation
CD. The program is indeed there: ValueADD / Msft / NTBackup. It is
also mentioned that it can be found here at the Microsoft
Knowledgebase article that the previous quote was extracted from.
As you say, this is very odd. Even more so since none of the folders
you describe are on this disk that I am viewing. The top level folders
are:
Docs
i386
Support
ValueAdd
Are you sure the disk you are trying is the actual XP Installation
disk?? If so, there must be different versions, but I would be very
surprised that they would vary that widely.
Please double check to see what exactly you are viewing. Are you
browsing the disk from Windows Explorer or My Computer(Not through the
splash screen menu )? And if the folder is not found here, perhaps
contact Microsoft to see why your install disk appears to be so
different than standard.
-=clouseau=-
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
bbb-ga
on
27 Nov 2002 00:54 PST
Still trying. Now instead of installing, I tried Browsing the CD-ROM
disk, and sure enough I did eventually find a folder called ValueAdd,
with a subfolder called MSFT, then NTBACKUP, with a backup program
NTBACKUP.msi and also a readme.txt file. I'd copy the NTBACKUP.msi
file, except that the readme-txt file has a very puzzling warning,
which of course is not explained. I've included it below, with my
questions in brackets.
NTBackup Backup/Restore and ASR release notes
Backup/Restore
ASR
1. ASR is not supported on home edition. [What the hell is ASR? Is
everyone supposed to be born knowing? ]
IF you install NtBackup from the CD to the Home Edition, ASR
functionality will appear to work fine during the backup session.
[This wording suggests that in reality it will NOT work, though.... ??
] Since the setup does not support ASR in the home edition [what
setup? and if ASR--what IS that?--does not work in the home edition,
why is it on the damn disk--the same disk telling me it doesn't
work?????], there is no way to initiate the ASR restore in case of a
disaster. [So this disk is saying: Here's a backup which doesn't
work. Be careful! ] If you need to restore from this session, [What's
"THIS" session? This is now completely insane.] install Windows XP
manually and then restore from the ASR media. [What are they talking
about? "Install Widows XP manually" means WHAT, in this context? And
what's the ASR media?? Of course "media" is a plural, but insane
people might as well be illiterate too. And "restore"? Restore what?
Do they mean restore the PROGRAM Windows XP? Or restore some data?
What data? Nothing here makes any sense at all. ]
This seems funny, right? But these irresponsible bastards are getting
rich at our expense, and wasting our time and risking our data. This
is immoral, and foul, and not funny at all. How can anyone with an
ounce of self-respect send this out? The most irresponsible
elementary-school student should be flunked for turning in such
gibberish. And this is from America's premier software company? It's
enough to make you throw up.
Can anyone make ANY sense out of this? I'm so tired of working to make
sense of this useless garbage. Meanwhile, my data is still at risk.
2. Backup to CDRW
|
Clarification of Answer by
clouseau-ga
on
27 Nov 2002 01:12 PST
bbb,
I 'm glad you finally found the folder. I was beginning to wonder what
could possibly be so amiss.
I think you are beginning to see why I cautioned that Microsoft's
included third party utilities are "watered down". Unfortunately, I
can only guess at the interpretation of that message:'
ASR "might" be Automated System Restore. There is some logic to that
guess as they mention that in case of catastrophic failure, first
reinstall the OS then data from the backup.
I would tend to think that this is only one way the app is crippled,
but not having used it, it is only an educated guess. You can try it
to see, and particualary for your original stated purpose of backing
up selected data files, it may be all you need. It should install by
double clicking the .msi file.
I do think you will be much happier with a highly rated third party
application, however.
-=clouseau=-
|
,
3 Comments
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