Backing-up question

[WolfGang]

I use BackupPDF to make a comprehensive backup of my XP Home folders to an
external HDD. The application runs fine, takes a good while, and tells me
when the backup is complete. It seems to do the incremental backups fine as
well., and also zip-archives a copy.

I checked to see what the backup looks like. On the one hand it looks OK on
the external HDD. The Backup Folder is several GBs large, some sub-folders
are MBs large. But when I open the folders, the ones I can get to look way
incomplete. There are plenty of folders that I assume I can only open with
Restore in the application, but why can I open the ones I do?-- they are a
few unimportant My Documents folders.
Since I have a lot of space I also backed up using another application for
insurance but I don't want to have to continue doing that.

What would be a good way to test if the backup is good?

Also, where might I find a good description of what I should/shoud not be
backing up? I think I have it covered but would like something to compare it
to for assurance.

Thanks,
Jesse

[BAR]

Why bother with a 'backup' for which the passwords or encrypted access codes
will change if your rebuild or move to another PC.

Simply 'COPY' your files across to the external disk: simpler, safer and you
can 'eyeball' the accuracy of the copies.

If you want an automated process, go and get Ghost and image or clone the
whole disk drive across.

"WolfGang" wrote:

> I use BackupPDF to make a comprehensive backup of my XP Home folders to an
> external HDD. The application runs fine, takes a good while, and tells me
> when the backup is complete. It seems to do the incremental backups fine as
> well., and also zip-archives a copy.
>
> I checked to see what the backup looks like. On the one hand it looks OK on
> the external HDD. The Backup Folder is several GBs large, some sub-folders
> are MBs large. But when I open the folders, the ones I can get to look way
> incomplete. There are plenty of folders that I assume I can only open with
> Restore in the application, but why can I open the ones I do?-- they are a
> few unimportant My Documents folders.
> Since I have a lot of space I also backed up using another application for
> insurance but I don't want to have to continue doing that.
>
> What would be a good way to test if the backup is good?
>
> Also, where might I find a good description of what I should/shoud not be
> backing up? I think I have it covered but would like something to compare it
> to for assurance.
>
> Thanks,
> Jesse
>
>
>

[Galen]

In ,
WolfGang > had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

> I use BackupPDF to make a comprehensive backup of my XP Home folders
> to an external HDD. The application runs fine, takes a good while,
> and tells me when the backup is complete. It seems to do the
> incremental backups fine as well., and also zip-archives a copy.
>
> I checked to see what the backup looks like. On the one hand it looks
> OK on the external HDD. The Backup Folder is several GBs large, some
> sub-folders are MBs large. But when I open the folders, the ones I
> can get to look way incomplete. There are plenty of folders that I
> assume I can only open with Restore in the application, but why can I
> open the ones I do?-- they are a few unimportant My Documents folders.
> Since I have a lot of space I also backed up using another
> application for insurance but I don't want to have to continue doing
> that.
>
> What would be a good way to test if the backup is good?
>
> Also, where might I find a good description of what I should/shoud
> not be backing up? I think I have it covered but would like something
> to compare it to for assurance.
>
> Thanks,
> Jesse

I'm going to go out on a limb here and risk a flame or two but don't bother
backing up your system like that at all. Get a second hard drive and ghost
the entire drive to a partion on the slaved drive. When my OSes crash my
repair is complete (no need to re-install Windows) in under 10 minutes to
the exact same state that it was when I made the last backup. I partition
the slave into multiple partitions and then back my drive up every couple of
days in a rotation to avoid making a bad backup. This is the ONLY Norton
product I recommend anyone buy but Ghost is the way to fly with this one. If
you want one without the frills (it will ONLY backup the drive itself to
another drive and doesn't allow partitions to be backed up on their own,
there's this for an option:

http://www.pcinspector.de/clone-maxx/uk/welcome.htm

Galen
--
Signature changed for a moment of silence.
Rest well Alex and we'll see you on the other side.