Home Networking Questions

bugeyed

I personally wouldn't make a backup of the system because I prefer to do a fresh install when things go wrong (not for a while now fortunately), so in your situation I would probably go for making a USB stick into an installation stick, then another stick to back up the important documents, pictures, music,etc. Keep a word or notepad file with all the serial numbers for the software and in the unfortunate event of having to reinstal, download the latest updates for the software so you get fewer problems than reinstalling an old version. Maybe keep a copy of the last update install file for each software program on a stick or external drive. Not updated the software for a while, nows a good time to do just that and save those downloaded updates.

mamazaac

bugeyed wrote: »

Use goodsync to backup all valuable documents and folders onto an external drive.
Usb external drives are cheap. £10 for an 8gb one here http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flash-Memory-8GB-USB-DRIVE/dp/B001AEBYO6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1267736574&sr=8-1
just search amazon for 8gb usb drive

Thank you for all your replies. What is the minimum gb size I would need to back up the system please?

Linbox

bugeyed wrote: »

I personally wouldn't make a backup of the system because I prefer to do a fresh install when things go wrong .

EEK !

Format drive, reinstall winblowz, setup all software required, search for lost pass words, no passwords, problems with setting up system to your liking, etc Min 3 Hours/days/weeks.

Solution
OS dies or slows to a crawl, reinstall via ghost (or other) image, full working system including internet access, 20 mins, update existing progs as required 30 mins.

Due to numerous lost up to date web passwords I also back my browser profile to a portable version every 2 days with SyncBack Freeware - always have a working up to date browser.

mamazaac

DOH!! Have just realised that my pc doesn't have wireless! Good news is that I have found out all I need to do is buy a wireless usb network adapter, so will do this asap. Am sure that then, thanks to the help above, will be able to access files and printer from the netbook.

However, still would prefer to create a recovery disk for the netbook on a dvd, at least ftb, using the dvd writer built into the home pc. Have found details of a download called "netdvd" as described here - http://www.bluelionsoftware.co.uk/netdvd.html which seems to me to provide the answer - is this what I need? This is a paid for advert but the same product is available from download.com.

If this isn't what I need, can anyone please either give me step by step instructions on how to use the dvd writer built into our home pc to make the recovery disk or point me in the right direction to find out how to do it - maybe by telling me the best words to use in Google's search box?

Many thanks in advance for any advice.

bugeyed

The problem with any software allowing you access to a DVD on another pc is that if you have a problem with windows where you need to use a disk image, you will be deleting that software when re-imaging your windows installation.

Thanks for your input Linbox, as I said it was 'my' personal preference to do a reinstall. The main reason being the removal of previously installed but redundant software, the lower chance of replicating the problem that has caused you to go back to square one in the first place and most importantly, the complete removal of any viruses or malware that a young lad may accidently pick up whilst surfing the net. Worth the few hours in my experience.


Have you considered upgrading to Windows 7 ? You can pick up really cheap copies here http://www.software4students.co.uk/Windows_7-software.aspx (ignore the students bit as they dont check anyway)

Windows 7 makes a system image via system backup and having tried this out on a spare machine, have found it does everything you ask. Without the need for any external source. It can be installed by either an external dvd player or you can copy the install files onto your hard drive ( http://www.blogsdna.com/2016/how-to-install-windows-7-from-usb-drive-without-windows-7-iso-dvd.htm ) or any from here ( http://video.google.co.uk/videosearch?q=install+windows+7+without+disk&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=WsiSS7W_DYz-0gTS_a3qDA&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&ct=title&resnum=11&ved=0CCwQqwQwCg# )

See about windows 7 system image and how to use it here http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/675-system-image-recovery.html

I think this may be your better long term solution because apart from the simplicity of using the system image tool in windows 7 , are you aware that microsoft no longer officially support windows xp, which means that they don't provide updates any longer (except for ultra critical patches that save the infected systems doing major damage )

Hope some of that advice helps.

If you really must go down the complex route of trying to use a networked dvd drive to make a system image of a networked netbook with the aim of using the image at a later date to reinstall, when chances are the netbook will not be able to see the network, then you are a brave man/woman indeed. If nothing else, buy a cheap external usb DVD writer and plug that into the netbook and off you go.

mamazaac

Thank you for all your help bugeyed. I think on balance, as it looks as though I am going to have to spend out anyway, the best thing is to go with your advice on buying a usb stick or sd card. I was advised by my work's it department to save to dvd as it is complicated to make an sd card ready to receive the backup, and your link as to how to do it does look quite tricky, but I will give it a go and maybe will have to come back with a couple more questions at that time.

Please can you just advise me on how many gb the sd card needs to have. Would it fit on a 4gb one?

Many thanks again

bugeyed

Having not tried myself, the recommendation from some other techie sites is an 8gb card - which as I posted above can be pretty cheap from that amazon source. If you have a 4gb card handy and spare then you could try putting the files on it, if it fits all well and good, but if you are planning on buying a card, and thinking about a 4gb one for cheaper reason, 8 gb seems to be the market buster for value per gb which is why i have 5 myself - Good luck - will check in on this post occassionally, so if you don't get a reply please be patient

mamazaac

bugeyed wrote: »

Having not tried myself, the recommendation from some other techie sites is an 8gb card - which as I posted above can be pretty cheap from that amazon source. If you have a 4gb card handy and spare then you could try putting the files on it, if it fits all well and good, but if you are planning on buying a card, and thinking about a 4gb one for cheaper reason, 8 gb seems to be the market buster for value per gb which is why i have 5 myself - Good luck - will check in on this post occassionally, so if you don't get a reply please be patient

Right, back again now with my 8gb usb stick which I have formatted in xp by right clicking on it in my computer and selecting format. As yet, however, have not installed usb_multiboot_10.zip. Am not entirely sure whether I need this as I just want to make a backup from the netbook to a usb stick and this is going on about copying installation files too and I am not sure whether they are in this usb_multiboot_10.zip download or not. I just need to make the stick ready to receive a backup.

Problem is, my it department at work gave me a step by step guide to creating a recovery disk for XP using the backup utility. This tells me to open the backup icon from system tools. However, whilst this is clearly shown on my home pc, the backup facility does not seem to be on the netbook menu. They are both running XP, so why would this be? I have done a 'search' on the netbook, but not found anything with the same path as the one on my home pc.

Not finding this utility, I went to microsoft website to see if I could download it. However, they don't seem to offer it now, only something which can restore backups you made in xp into vista. I then looked at download.com, but this only comes up with other programs that will backup and I'm not sure whether any of these are suitable to make a recovery disk.

I then searched in microsoft "make recovery disk" and one of the suggestions is to install the recovery console. However, this does say this is recommended for advance users only who can use basic commands to identify and locate problem drivers and files. Would it be sufficient to install this and then, if I had a problem, take it into the IT dept at work who would presumably know what to do with it?

This is turning out to be a terribly long process. All I want to do is make some sort of recovery media in case it crashes. We had to send one of these netbooks back because it crashed and we didn't have a windows authentication number (due to not having a recovery disk). I am, therefore, very worried about that happening again and want to have something in place in case it does.

Maybe I am just going about it all the wrong way - please, does anyone have any alternative suggestions that isn't going to involve spending a lot of money on a backup program?

Many, many thanks in advance to anyone who can come up with a solution.