Best way to back up files/running Windows XP

[shmoore]

Once again I come to my best source of information....dear ole Tuggers.

I am running Windows XP and want to back up my files on a regular basis. What your favorite program for backing up?

Thanks guys.

 

[LUVourMarriotts]

I use Mozy (www.mozy.com) to backup my home machine. It is an online backup that you can schedule however you'd like. The initial backup takes some time, but after that, the sync is pretty quick.

 

[TUGBrian]

what are you backing up to? lots of external drives come with backup software these days.

windows also has a built in backup software as well if you want to try that.

as for me...I have a quick batch file that copies everything to my thumb drive. cant believe these things are up to 16 and 32gb for less than 50 bucks. who needs dvds anymore.

 

[Icarus]

It really depends on what you want to do.

I use a combination of methods. For online backups, accessible from anywhere, I use sugarsync, which is subscription based. It's a very good product. You basically pick specific directories and it will back up everything in them over the network automatically whenever a file is added, removed or changed in those directories. It also has features to let you keep certain files in sync between multiple computers. Backed up files are accessible from any computer anywhere, using your web browser (and your username and password). Your subscription is based on the amount of storage you need.

For local backups, I use acronis and an external hard drive. I have it set up to do a full monthly backup and weekly incremental backups. It's similar to ghost, but most people seem to like acronis better. I had to use a trick to get it to work with multiple monthly full backups. Ghost was a little better in that area, but there's an interface that lets you run any command before or after the backup, and I had to use that to get it to keep the multiple monthlies and weeklies in separate directories at the beginning of each month.

Anyway, that's what I do and that's what works for me. It's not better or worse than anything anybody else here does. I suppose one thing is better in that all my critical data is backed up offsite, plus I have the full and incremental backups local in case I need to do a full system restore. But even if my local backups fail, I still have access to all my critical data offsite.

-David

 

[shmoore]

Brian, I am backing up to an external harddrive. It has 500 gb. It came with a trial copy, but I want a permanent one. It has trial copies of Memeo Auto Backup and Memeo Auto Sync. I would like to automatically back up every night the changes that I have made that day.
Thanks.

Sandy

 

[TUGBrian]

what all are you backing up and how frequently?

 

[Kal]

...For local backups, I use acronis and an external hard drive. I have it set up to do a full monthly backup and weekly incremental backups. It's similar to ghost, but most people seem to like acronis better. I had to use a trick to get it to work with multiple monthly full backups....-David

I've been using Acronis for a long time and have it set up to do weekly incremental backups. What was the problem in doing multiple monthly full backups? Couldn't you just set a schedule to do those?

 

[Makai Guy]

I use a freebie from Karen's Power Tools:
Karen's Replicator

I back up my Application Data and My Documents folders.

I have it set to do a full monthly backup on the first of every month. Then a daily incremental backup of new and changed files in those folders. Both are scheduled for the wee small hours. I keep the current and previous month's backup files, and delete the ones earlier than that.

I also back up the full Program Files directory every once in a while, but I do this manually.

 

[Icarus]

I've been using Acronis for a long time and have it set up to do weekly incremental backups. What was the problem in doing multiple monthly full backups? Couldn't you just set a schedule to do those?

The problem that I had, IIRC, is that the full backup overwrites the current full backup making the incremental backup files useless, so you can't go back to a file on a certain date once you take a new monthly backup. Ghost seemed to handle this much better, by auto-naming the backup files.

I wrote a script that copies the full backup and it's dependent incremental backups into a subdir named for the month/year, and set up acronis to run it prior to the full monthly backup. That solved the problem I was having.

-David

 

[Emily]

For online backups, accessible from anywhere, I use sugarsync, which is subscription based. It's a very good product. You basically pick specific directories and it will back up everything in them over the network automatically whenever a file is added, removed or changed in those directories. It also has features to let you keep certain files in sync between multiple computers. Backed up files are accessible from any computer anywhere, using your web browser (and your username and password). Your subscription is based on the amount of storage you need.

David - I took a look at this and I think it may be what I am looking for. I start my new school year in a few days. I do work for nursing classes on my mac but I am doing work for my IT classes on my Dell. I take an Ibook to class with me and download the files I need to a thumb drive. If I forget a file - its a hassle.

If I use sugarsync - I should be able to skip the thumbdrive and down load files from sugarsync to my classroom dell at college? at to my Ibook at college? The a copy of the cummulative files are being stored on the sugarsync server - is that correct? The backup is automatic?

Thanks
Emily

 

[Icarus]

If I use sugarsync - I should be able to skip the thumbdrive and down load files from sugarsync to my classroom dell at college? at to my Ibook at college? The a copy of the cummulative files are being stored on the sugarsync server - is that correct? The backup is automatic?

Thanks
Emily

Yes, the backup is automatic for any computer you install the software on, and set it up to backup those directories. Depending on how much you select for backup, it takes a day or more to get all the files uploaded to the server the first time. After that, everything is kept in sync with the server whenever you create, rename or delete a file in the directories you choose to keep backed up on the server.

You can download the files to any other computer using a web browser.

If you have it installed on multiple computers, there's something called the magic briefcase that you can use to keep files in sync between all the computers you have it installed on. (eg, for bookmarks, etc.)

All this information should be on their web site.

-David

 

[BocaBum99]

I have an HP Media Smart Server. I think it cost about the same amount as 2 large external hard drives. I absolutely love it. I have 3 laptops and 2 desk tops that it backs up on a daily basis. It has shared disk space for file sharing. And, it has a mirrored back up. I don't even need to think about it anymore. Easy to completely restore a system even if the hard drive crashes.

 

[Emily]

Yes, the backup is automatic for any computer you install the software on, and set it up to backup those directories. Depending on how much you select for backup, it takes a day or more to get all the files uploaded to the server the first time. After that, everything is kept in sync with the server whenever you create, rename or delete a file in the directories you choose to keep backed up on the server.

You can download the files to any other computer using a web browser.

If you have it installed on multiple computers, there's something called the magic briefcase that you can use to keep files in sync between all the computers you have it installed on. (eg, for bookmarks, etc.)

All this information should be on their web site.

-David

Thank you - I think this will provide a perfect solution for my scenerio

 

[RLG]

I use Mozy (www.mozy.com) to backup my home machine. It is an online backup that you can schedule however you'd like. The initial backup takes some time, but after that, the sync is pretty quick.

I use this as well.

Anyone who doesn't subscribe to a paid service should use this since the price (for up to 2gb of files) is definitely right: FREE.

The paid service is a pretty good deal too, at $5 per month for unlimited storage.


BTW, if you know someone who uses the free service, they get some extra free storage space if you use their referral link to sign up. If not, consider using mine:

https://mozy.com/?code=44532I

(Mods: if my link isn't allowed, please delete it).