why backup?

On Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:50:59 -0400, Rick Merrill
wrote:

Backups are worthless if your computer is stolen/lost because you cannot
just restore the backup to a new computer's disk drive. You have to have
all the !@#$ installation disks to make the registry correct. - true or
false?


False.

Assuming that you have the program that created the backup, you can
restore the backup on any computer that can run that program.

However note that I'm talking about backups of data. Backups of
programs *are* largely worthless. However it's not an issue of making
the registry correct, but simply an issue of almost all programs
having many references within \Windows, in the registry and elsewhere.

If you don't have the computer they were installed on with the same
installation of Windows, backups of almost all programs are worthless.
There is a occasional small program that is complete by itself with
all those references within \Windows, but very few.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

On Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:50:59 -0400, Rick Merrill
wrote:

Backups are worthless if your computer is stolen/lost because you cannot
just restore the backup to a new computer's disk drive. You have to have
all the !@#$ installation disks to make the registry correct. - true or
false?


False.

Assuming that you have the program that created the backup, you can
restore the backup on any computer that can run that program.

However note that I'm talking about backups of data. Backups of
programs *are* largely worthless. However it's not an issue of making
the registry correct, but simply an issue of almost all programs
having many references within \Windows, in the registry and elsewhere.

If you don't have the computer they were installed on with the same
installation of Windows, backups of almost all programs are worthless.
There is a occasional small program that is complete by itself with
all those references within \Windows, but very few.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:50:59 -0400, Rick Merrill
wrote:

Backups are worthless if your computer is stolen/lost because you cannot
just restore the backup to a new computer's disk drive. You have to have
all the !@#$ installation disks to make the registry correct. - true or
false?


False.

Assuming that you have the program that created the backup, you can
restore the backup on any computer that can run that program.

However note that I'm talking about backups of data. Backups of
programs *are* largely worthless. However it's not an issue of making
the registry correct, but simply an issue of almost all programs
having many references within \Windows, in the registry and elsewhere.
...

This would be my strategy. Use an imaging program
such as Acronis True Image. Make sure you burn a
backup CD so you can run TI on any computer with
a system that recognizes it. Adopt a long-term stategy,
as I have, of keeping all software you download on-line in a
folder in My Documents.

Try to restore the image in toto. If it works, or works
after a repair install of the operating system, great.

Otherwise, install your operating system (you _did_
keep the original CD or DVD for that in a safe place,
right?). Instead of restoring the whole image, restore
My Documents from your backup (if you didn't know
TI can do that, now you do).

Using either their disks, or the downloaded source
you kept in My Documents, which you just restored,
install all your applications.

All done, but for niggling, frustrating little details
which may make you keep the bourbon bottle on
your desk for a while.

(Such as reconstructing your Desktop just the
way you like it.)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the way, backups don't work too well if the thief
takes, or the fire or earthquake destroys, your backup
media, and you _didn't_have_an_offsite_backup_as
_well_. The removable USB-driven drives I use now
are no bigger than cigarette cases used to be when
there were still people who thought it smart and
fashionable to carry cigarette cases, and can be
stored in small places.

Rick Merrill wrote:
Backups are worthless if your computer is stolen/lost because you
cannot just restore the backup to a new computer's disk drive. You
have to have all the !@#$ installation disks to make the registry
correct. - true or false?

Backups are not normally for the system files - but for *your* files.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Rick Merrill wrote:
Backups are worthless if your computer is stolen/lost because you
cannot just restore the backup to a new computer's disk drive. You
have to have all the !@#$ installation disks to make the registry
correct. - true or false?

Backups are not normally for the system files - but for *your* files.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

On Fri, 9 Oct 2009 13:57:41 -0700, "Anthony Buckland"
wrote:


"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:50:59 -0400, Rick Merrill
wrote:

Backups are worthless if your computer is stolen/lost because you cannot
just restore the backup to a new computer's disk drive. You have to have
all the !@#$ installation disks to make the registry correct. - true or
false?


False.

Assuming that you have the program that created the backup, you can
restore the backup on any computer that can run that program.

However note that I'm talking about backups of data. Backups of
programs *are* largely worthless. However it's not an issue of making
the registry correct, but simply an issue of almost all programs
having many references within \Windows, in the registry and elsewhere.
...

This would be my strategy. Use an imaging program
such as Acronis True Image. Make sure you burn a
backup CD so you can run TI on any computer with
a system that recognizes it. Adopt a long-term stategy,
as I have, of keeping all software you download on-line in a
folder in My Documents.


That's fine, and I'm by no means against doing that. However, backup
strategy is really a very different issue from what the OP's question
was about.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

On Fri, 9 Oct 2009 13:57:41 -0700, "Anthony Buckland"
wrote:


"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:50:59 -0400, Rick Merrill
wrote:

Backups are worthless if your computer is stolen/lost because you cannot
just restore the backup to a new computer's disk drive. You have to have
all the !@#$ installation disks to make the registry correct. - true or
false?


False.

Assuming that you have the program that created the backup, you can
restore the backup on any computer that can run that program.

However note that I'm talking about backups of data. Backups of
programs *are* largely worthless. However it's not an issue of making
the registry correct, but simply an issue of almost all programs
having many references within \Windows, in the registry and elsewhere.
...

This would be my strategy. Use an imaging program
such as Acronis True Image. Make sure you burn a
backup CD so you can run TI on any computer with
a system that recognizes it. Adopt a long-term stategy,
as I have, of keeping all software you download on-line in a
folder in My Documents.


That's fine, and I'm by no means against doing that. However, backup
strategy is really a very different issue from what the OP's question
was about.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Rick Merrill wrote:
Backups are worthless if your computer is stolen/lost because you cannot
just restore the backup to a new computer's disk drive. You have to have
all the !@#$ installation disks to make the registry correct. - true or
false?



The OS is expendable

you can always re-load it or get a new computer


what's important is your data.


So it should ideally be backed up to an external drive or two...
one of which is kept separate from your computer...

and no backup program is needed if you just copy the data over directly


If you keep it simple your data can be retrieved from most any other
machine...even a Mac or Linux machine...
and no special software would be required

Rick Merrill wrote:
Backups are worthless if your computer is stolen/lost because you cannot
just restore the backup to a new computer's disk drive. You have to have
all the !@#$ installation disks to make the registry correct. - true or
false?



The OS is expendable

you can always re-load it or get a new computer


what's important is your data.


So it should ideally be backed up to an external drive or two...
one of which is kept separate from your computer...

and no backup program is needed if you just copy the data over directly


If you keep it simple your data can be retrieved from most any other
machine...even a Mac or Linux machine...
and no special software would be required

"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 9 Oct 2009 13:57:41 -0700, "Anthony Buckland"
wrote:
...
This would be my strategy. Use an imaging program
such as Acronis True Image. Make sure you burn a
backup CD so you can run TI on any computer with
a system that recognizes it. Adopt a long-term stategy,
as I have, of keeping all software you download on-line in a
folder in My Documents.


That's fine, and I'm by no means against doing that. However, backup
strategy is really a very different issue from what the OP's question
was about.
...

OK. So, why backup? Because one way or another, you are
likely in the long term to be screwed, nailed and riveted if you
don't. The effort to make backups, once and regularly, is dwarfed
by the cost, once doom occurs, of not having backed up.
The cost of backing up a couple of hundres gigabytes, including
hardware, software and learning time, could be nothing compared
to the cost of losing a half-completed novel. One that could be
sold, that is.

Or, on a more mundane note, the cost of losing the financial data
required for your startup's first tax return.

Remember the last tornado disaster on your favorite channel's
news? Again and again, people lament losing the family's
photos, or celebrate having saved them from the splintered
lumber that used to be their home. Some data is worth a
great deal, perhaps an unlimited deal, of saving.

Backups is how, for people who don't live in a nuclear-war
shelter, you save such data. One document, of a few
hundred kilobytes, can make saving those couple of hundred
gigs worthwhile.

"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 9 Oct 2009 13:57:41 -0700, "Anthony Buckland"
wrote:
...
This would be my strategy. Use an imaging program
such as Acronis True Image. Make sure you burn a
backup CD so you can run TI on any computer with
a system that recognizes it. Adopt a long-term stategy,
as I have, of keeping all software you download on-line in a
folder in My Documents.


That's fine, and I'm by no means against doing that. However, backup
strategy is really a very different issue from what the OP's question
was about.
...

OK. So, why backup? Because one way or another, you are
likely in the long term to be screwed, nailed and riveted if you
don't. The effort to make backups, once and regularly, is dwarfed
by the cost, once doom occurs, of not having backed up.
The cost of backing up a couple of hundres gigabytes, including
hardware, software and learning time, could be nothing compared
to the cost of losing a half-completed novel. One that could be
sold, that is.

Or, on a more mundane note, the cost of losing the financial data
required for your startup's first tax return.

Remember the last tornado disaster on your favorite channel's
news? Again and again, people lament losing the family's
photos, or celebrate having saved them from the splintered
lumber that used to be their home. Some data is worth a
great deal, perhaps an unlimited deal, of saving.

Backups is how, for people who don't live in a nuclear-war
shelter, you save such data. One document, of a few
hundred kilobytes, can make saving those couple of hundred
gigs worthwhile.

In article ,
says...

Backups are worthless if your computer is stolen/lost because you cannot
just restore the backup to a new computer's disk drive. You have to have
all the !@#$ installation disks to make the registry correct. - true or
false?

False, backups are not actually for the OS, unless you have the same
computer, they are for all of the DATA you have on the computer - like
your Itunes, Documents, Pictures, and all the other things you have.



--
You can't trust your best friends, your five senses, only the little
voice inside you that most civilians don't even hear -- Listen to that.
Trust yourself.
(remove 999 for proper email address)

In article ,
says...

Backups are worthless if your computer is stolen/lost because you cannot
just restore the backup to a new computer's disk drive. You have to have
all the !@#$ installation disks to make the registry correct. - true or
false?

False, backups are not actually for the OS, unless you have the same
computer, they are for all of the DATA you have on the computer - like
your Itunes, Documents, Pictures, and all the other things you have.



--
You can't trust your best friends, your five senses, only the little
voice inside you that most civilians don't even hear -- Listen to that.
Trust yourself.
(remove 999 for proper email address)

Leythos wrote:
In article ,
says...
Backups are worthless if your computer is stolen/lost because you cannot
just restore the backup to a new computer's disk drive. You have to have
all the !@#$ installation disks to make the registry correct. - true or
false?

False, backups are not actually for the OS, unless you have the same
computer, they are for all of the DATA you have on the computer - like
your Itunes, Documents, Pictures, and all the other things you have.

With all the downloaded programs and "updates" a data only solution is
not very interesting nor useful for migrating.

There is a new solution that obsolesces what we used to know. Here's
what I have found: a full system backup including OS can be "run" on a
virtual OS (or even on a separate bootable drive) under another
operating system on another computer. e.g. WinXP under Win7.

Leythos wrote:
In article ,
says...
Backups are worthless if your computer is stolen/lost because you cannot
just restore the backup to a new computer's disk drive. You have to have
all the !@#$ installation disks to make the registry correct. - true or
false?

False, backups are not actually for the OS, unless you have the same
computer, they are for all of the DATA you have on the computer - like
your Itunes, Documents, Pictures, and all the other things you have.

With all the downloaded programs and "updates" a data only solution is
not very interesting nor useful for migrating.

There is a new solution that obsolesces what we used to know. Here's
what I have found: a full system backup including OS can be "run" on a
virtual OS (or even on a separate bootable drive) under another
operating system on another computer. e.g. WinXP under Win7.