Best Way to Backup an Entire PC?

Trinitrotoluene

daniel_owen_uk wrote: »

But when you are backup up "an entire PC" it's really the sort of thing you are looking for.

Although obviously it would only backup against hardware failure and wouldn't backup against user error.

Yeah probably not the best idea thinking about it

All though it reduces the risk of hardware error it does not eliminate it. Plus we all know users break things anyway

mapleleaf1010

Thanks for your replies so far. Just to clarify a few things:

- I've done a backup using Microsoft (System and Maintenance > Back up and Restore Centre > Back up Computer) to 'create a windows PC backup and restore image of my entire computer, which can be used to recover from a hardware failure'.

- The back up on the hard disk consisted of about 10 XML documents and 2 VHD files, but I couldn't open them.

- Hard drive came with the instructions to install the hardware, nothing about backing up. The guy from Western Digital's helpline was very patronising and unhelpful and said that the above files are encrypted. He didn't know what to do and spent several minutes talking to one of his colleagues. Then he advised me to copy and paste the files to the hard drive.

- The guy also said I should delete the existing backup files from the hard disk and re-format it before copying and pasting. And that's all the 'support' I got.

How do I format the hard drive? Also, in case I have to re-install Vista or Office 2007 for whatever reason, can it be done with the XML documents and VHD files?

Any views?

Trinitrotoluene

What are you trying to achieve as you are not clear in any of your posts what you want the end result to any of this to be.

mapleleaf1010

Trinitrotoluene wrote: »

What are you trying to achieve as you are not clear in any of your posts what you want the end result to any of this to be.

To have a back up of all my documents, photos, etc as well as all the software, in case I delete something by mistake or there's a hardware failure. That includes OS and Office.

Lokolo

Why backup software? Most of it can be re downloaded or re installed?

closed

http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp?swid=119&type=download&wdc_lang=en

vhd's should be visible in virtualpc

http://www.windows7secret.com/2010/01/19/how-to-mount-vhd-virtual-hard-disk-in-windows-7/

Richie-from-the-Boro

#13

You are confused, and you are confusing me my friend. You are confusing an (1) image with (2) selected items only, an image is a complete photograph of every single tiny item that you call your computer and selective is just those few XML documents and VHD files.

(1)

- no, you have not created "" a restore image of my entire computer, which can be used to recover from a hardware failure ""
- - - if the back up on the hard disk consists of about 10 XML documents and 2 VHD files, it is not an image of your entire computer.
- - - - if you want to make an image of your entire computer, which can be used to recover from a hardware failure with Vista you can do so.

(2)

If you want only about 10 XML documents and 2 VHD files then indeed they can be copied & pasted to your [ I assume because you have not told us which / what type of ] new Western Digital external USB HD. That WD drive from what you are saying is encrypted / protected by software that WD put on it if they have recommended you format it. I'll come back to the formatting of your WD drive in a~n~other thread. For now just buy a 2GiG flash / pen / USB stick for your important XML docs and VHD files, flash sticks are about a quid a gig so two quid and your sorted.
______________

Now to your three part question ? - How do I format the hard drive? Also, in case I have to re-install Vista or Office 2007 for whatever reason, can it be done with the XML documents and VHD files -?

- why don't you just make a full image backup [ the photograph / image of everything remember ] on your USB caddy drive ?
- that way you will not have to reinstall Vista or Office or look for your 10 XML documents and 2 VHD files
- do this once a month as a general housekeeping task, as sure a god made little green apples it will go wrong one day
- hard drive space is cheap, make a full image of your drive and make it with Vista
- you must obey the instruction given in the Vista wizard to make an additional restore emergency disk CD to put the image back on with.

Exactly what is your WD hard drive ? / caddy / cabled / what / and what is the Model number so I can work out what software / protection is running on the drive.

closed

Microsoft backup uses vhd files nowadays, and shadow copy to create a live image.

googler

If you don't know HOW you will re-create your working system from the backup, you shouldn't create the backup in that format in the first place.

As an example,
I back up certain folders with my data.
Any programs that I download from websites, I keep the downloaded install program in a pre-determined folder and back that up.
Programs that came with the machine, or which I bought, can be re-installed from the discs that they came on.
I've got driver and install discs for peripherals such as printers.

If the worst comes to the worst, I'm confident that I can get a working system back with this method. I know what my method will be in the event of a hardware failure (most likely to be a disc failure).

If you don't know HOW you're going to restore from the backups you're creating, they'll be no use to you.

neilsedaka

I would recommend the freeware DriveImage XML which will create an image of the whole of of your hard disk on your external hard drive. The image can be used as a complete restore or you can pick and choose files and/or folders to restore. I have been using it for years. The only problem is that it will fail to make an image if there is a segment on your hard drive that cannot be read. The answer to that is to create new images frequently, and also automatically backup your most important data to the cloud using Dropbox.