Backups to CD?

I think it was jamps who, the other day (last week some time?)
was asking about "What is the most efficient way to make CD Backups?"
(& prolly other people may have also wondered about that sort of
thing)?

jamps...

Yes it was me asking! I hoped that there was a better way than putting
individual files onto CD/DVD

pmj...

I think it really depends on what you mean by "better"?

Yes, putting the individual Files (Saving/Copying/Moving them)
onto CD (or DVD) *Individually* is definitely very inefficient
& wasteful (of both Space (on the CD) & your time & effort.

A far better idea is to keep the Files (as you Create/Edit/Update
them) in a sensible, logically laid out Directory Folder structure...

& then (periodically, how often depends on things like what they are
& how much they have changed & how important they are) Copy them to
a CD (or DVD).

You don't need any fancy "Backup" Software to do that - just use
windoze own Built-in CD Burning Facility (for CD) or something like
Nero Burning ROM (for CD &/or DVD)

Well, do you have Nero on your PC?
I know that a lot of PCs come with the OEM Version of Nero
Burning ROM, which can Burn CDs & DVDs

jamps...

Yes I use that for burning CD/DVD's

& I *think* you've got a Medion PC, haven't you?

jamps...

Yes.

They come with Nero Burning ROM.

I wonder if you've tried the Backup Program/Utility that comes
with Nero?

It's called Nero BackItUp

jamps...

No - I haven't found that - it sounds useful though.

pmj...

It may be.
That depends on what you want & how you want to do it.
With *any* form of Backup Utility (or even when you do it Copying
"by hand") you still need to decide *what* to Backup.

andon...

Please can you clarify one point.
Does this prog produce files with the same extension as the original?

pmj...

I dunno, sorry.
I haven't used it.

ie. the back-up is a mirror of the original folder(s) at the time of
writing them.
TIA

pmj...

I would expect that probably (though I could be wrong?) that it
Saves the separate Files all together (like most Backup Utilities do?)
in an (Optionally Compressed) File.

There's a Utility in the Ahead\Nero Folder (in the Program Files)
Folder called NBR.exe (Nero BackItUp Restore) to Restore them, but
I gather that's Run as an Option/Choice from within the main BackItUp
Application, accessible from the Start Menu.

There should be a Shortcut to it in your Start Menu - if not,
have a look in the Program Files Folder (in the "Ahead" Folder)

jamps...

Will do a search now!

pmj...

& did you find it?
:-)

That can also be Set to do *Scheduled* (UnAttended) Backups as well.

Also, the Medion PCs come with the WinXP (Seagate/Veritas) Backup
Utility already Installed - most WinXP Home Installations don't

Rabbit...

Gizza hint where to find it please. I can't find anything called WinXP

pmj...

Did you try a Search for it on your System, using words such
as "backup"?...

Rabbit...

Yes but got lots of files and folders with *backup* in the name.

pmj...

Exactly.
:-)

But it won't take long to see which one is the one you want, will it?
& along the way, you might also come across some *other* Utilities
that might be useful.

& did you try looking in the WinXP Help Files?

Rabbit...

Nope 'cos I couldn't find the utility so hadn't got as far as help.

pmj...

& that's where (in my opinion) a lot of people often go wrong!!!
:-(

The WinXP Help Files are actually quite good!!!
They should be one of the *first* places to look, when you have any
Qs about anything to do with windoze & what you can do with it & how
to do stuff wiith it.

Look there *first* for Info about stuff & it will often point you
in the right direction...
& then look again, once you have found a particular utility, for
specific Info about how to use it.

Rabbit...

But if we all RTFM and STFW and read the help files you'd be redundant and
wouldn't get to pla...research on our pooters ;-)

Or on the Web (such as the M$ Site etc,) for Info?

Rabbit...

Nope I don't speak MS lingo and I'd still have been ploughing through it all
:-)

Backup either on my Medion or on the disks.

pmj...

It's called NTBackup

Rabbit...

Ta, that's in my system 32 folder. However C:\Documents and Settings\All

pmj...

Yep, I thought it would be.
:-)

Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows NT\NTBackup is an empty folder

pmj...

Well yes!!!
That's the "Application Data" Folder for it!!!
& if you haven't yet used it, then it won't have anything stored
in there, will it?
:-)

Rabbit...

Since I didn't know this NTbackup existed I wouldn't know that :-)

pmj...

But that Folder *doesn't* exist, until the Program has been Run.

& it's Empty until something is Saved in it.

So, had you Run it then? (when you found that "NTBackup" Folder,
in the "Application Data" Folder in the "All Users" Profile Folder)?
If not, I wonder how it got there.
Cos (as far as I can see), the NTBackup Utility isn't actually *Run*
in the Medion Factory Install Image that is on the PC when you get it,
it's just Installed.

Rabbit...

I did run the exe when I knew which one it was of the many in the search. It

pmj...

Ah!
So that's what Created the Folder you mentioned then.

started the wizard and I cancelled out 'cos I wasn't going to do any back

pmj...

Yep, but it didn't know you were going to cancel out, did it?
So, (when it's first Run) it makes the relevant Folders (& also Registry
Entries), in just the same way as many things do.

As you are finding out, wit ha lot of things to do with windoze etc,
just *looking* at things does actually, very often, do various things
which you wouldn't know about. Until later, when you happen to notice
something odd.

ups at that time.

But there should also be a Shortcut to it in the *Start Menu* Folder
(in the "All Users" Profile), as well.

So if you use a word like "backup" (either on your Hard Disk or
on the Installation CD) when doing a search it should show up OK.

On the Hard Disk you should find both the Executable File
(in the System32 Folder) & also the Shortcut to it in the
Start Menu, in the Folder...

All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories

Rabbit...

It's there now under system tools but I didn't see it earlier.

pmj...

Yep.
I gathered that!

I think you prolly need (or could do with) Finding out how to learn
a bit about how to Find things on your PC!
:-)

Rabbit...

OK but as it's been since I first got a pooter there are many things I know
nuffink about till somebody mentions it. For example I can remember when
that was the case with a firewall. I had no idea what it was, I didn't have
one and didn't even know if I wanted one. It was only reading about it in
forums which brought it to my notice.

pmj...

Yep I can see that & I can understand that.

& that's one of the major differences between us!
:-)

I like to find out about things, so I go looking around on the PC,
to see what's what & why & how etc...

Rabbit...

So what's the saying ? Why keep a dog and bark yourself :-)

If you want to get to find things out about it all, have a look around
at various things, both on your PC & on the Internet/Web.

& also, finding out a bit about the way windoze Sets up & uses the
Folder Structure for the various things that are on it?

The Installation File for it (NTBACKUP.MSI), along with a
README.TXT File, is in the Folder (on the WinXP Installation CD),
called...

CDRomDriveLetter:\VALUEADD\MSFT\NTBACKUP

Rabbit...

Got it now thanks since I know the name. The read me doc isn't much help

pmj...

Yep, But I already said the name &/or Description of it,
several times, previously.
& the "NT" bit in it is just cos WinXP is based on the (previous)
Win NT (New Technology) Operating System

pmj...

Oh?
It gives specific Info about it.
& it also refers to where you can find out more Inffo, about it.

Rabbit...

Not a lot of info IMHO. My complete read me doc says

pmj...

Yep.
That seems to be the same as is on all the WinXP Home CDs that have
the NTBackup.msi File on them.

NTBackup Backup/Restore and ASR release notes
Backup/Restore
ASR
1. ASR is not supported on home edition.
IF you install NtBackup from the CD to the Home Edition, ASR functionality
will appear to work fine during
the backup session. Since the setup does not support ASR in the home
edition, there is no way to initiate
the ASR restore in case of a disaster. If you need to restore from this
session, install Windows XP manually
and then restore from the ASR media.
2. Backup to CDRW
If you decide to backup to a CDRW, you cannot target that device directly.
You must create a backup set of
650MB or less and backup to a file. After the file is complete, copy the
file to the CDRW.
Please refer to the readme for XP home edition for additional notes.

Yes it says I can refer to the read me doc for XPHome but rightly or wrongly
I bet I'm one of the 99.9% of pooter owners who have never even looked at

pmj...

Yep.

Which is why so many people always seem to have so much trouble with
all that sort of thing?

The suppliers put the ReadMe Files there, (actually *called* things
like "readme"!) in an effort to get people to Read them, so that some of
the common Queries that people usually ask can be answered (& also
so that they can include Info which wasn't available when the main
Application Help Files were Compiled can be included.

that.

pmj...

Have you tried the WinXP HELP?
:-)

Or looking on the Web?
:-)

If I just trot out the Definition of each & every Acronym &
Abbreviation, I don't think it will really help all that much?
You need to Read up & find out what they are.

Rabbit...

But if you or anybody else does it in a public newsgroup it means others can

pmj...

Yep, but if I say *where* (& how) to Find out the Info, isn't that
even more Helpful & useful?

Don't they say...

Give a man a Fish & you feed him for a day...
Give him a Fishing Rod & you feed him for life...
But only if you also help him learn how to *use* the Fishing Rod.

Rabbit...

Or you can lead a camel to water but you can't make it drink ;-)

see it. See my comment re a firewall.I'd stake my life on the fact that most
regular posters ( and probably lurkers or even Googlers) in this newsgroup
would know a lot less if they had individually RTFM instead of having it

pmj...

Yes!
But we're just talking about the Definition of things here,
such as "ASR", aren't we?
& they can be easily looked up by anybody anywhere (as Boo pointed
out).

Rabbit...

Not really. I was only using the ASR thing as a pointer to the fact that I
didn't find the read me file very informative.

What is *more* useful to discuss than just finding out what the
Initials "ASR" stands for (I reckon) is what ASR actually *does*
& whether or not it matters that it isn't usable in WinXP Home
& what can be used instead, as alternatives, which is what *has*
been discussed (at length, lots of times) in here.

It's *that* sort of thing (I think) that is far more useful than
simply repeating the Definition of Abbreviations, to people who
haven't looked them up.

I think you can see what I'm getting at here?...

Rabbit...

Yes but.......

To be able to make any sense out of what's discussed & what you hear
& learn about you *also* need to be able (& willing!) to Look some stuff
up.

Rabbit...

..... quite often there is conflicting advice on the web so even if I look
something up I'd prefer to get it verified by people I know and trust.

pmj...

Yep, I can understand that!
:-)

But you didn't ask "I wasn't sure what the Initials ASR stood for,
so I looked them up - & can you please Confirm/Verify that ASR really
does stand for Automated System Recovery?", did you?
:-)

discussed in here.

though. What's ASR ?

1. ASR is not supported on home edition.

pmj...

Well, no, it's not.
Which is why they mention it in the README File.
Just in case anybody (who p'raps uses it (ASR) at work) wanted to
use it at home.

When you look up & see what ASR is, you can then soon decide for
yourself whether or not it matters that you can't use ASR with
WinXP Home Edition.

Tickettyboo...

psst lol..Google is your friend !

Rabbit...

Yes but I was on my way to bed :-)

Automated system restore
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;320820

pmj...

& that's also *exactly* (one of) the Results that the WinXP Help
thingy shows you, amongst the other Entries, when you ask it about ASR

Or it would do if you (or Sandra) had the Help & Support thingy
allowed to Access the Net, in your Firewall.

Not entirely sure what it is, its 4.30 am and I can't sleep, but I aint up
to reading through techy stuff LOL.

pmj...

Suffice to say that ASR is one of those things that most normal
people (using WinXP Home) use.
(which is one of the reasons why ASR isn't supported in WinXP Home)

pmj...

LOL!!!
Sorry I missed out a word - "don't" - there!
:-(

Tickettyboo...

I did wonder about that :-)

That bit was s'posed to read...

Suffice to say that ASR is one of those things that most normal
people (using WinXP Home) *don't* use.
(which is one of the reasons why ASR isn't supported in WinXP Home)

Sorry for the Typo.

Tickettyboo...

Maybe it was God zapping you for pinching daffodils and thereby depriving
people of cheerfullness?

pmj...

Yes I do!!!

But I may not always notice them, for myself...
So I like to have it pointed out, when I make them, so they can
be corrected, just the same as I think it's helpful to (& which
is why I usually), Point out any mistakes that I come across.

& yes, that was a Typo that really does matter (it completely
changed the meaning of what was written) & thanks for picking
up on it & pointing it out, so it could be clarified.
:-)

If they *do* actually want something like what the ASR offers,
there are plenty of easier ways of doing it.

Rabbit...

I've just had a look at it and TBH like many MS support pages IMHO it makes
it sound a lot more difficult and complicated than it probably is.

To be honest, I have been reading all this stuff about backups and I think
people get sorta hung up thinking it has to be something dead techy.
I don't think it is. Yes, I do backups of the stuff I have on this poota

pmj...

Well, I reckon it *ought* to be something dead simple & easy!!!

Otherwise most people won't/don't bother!

Backing stuff up (i.e. Copying/Saving stuff that you don't want
to lose, from your PC, to somewhwere safe, which is actually all
that "Backing up" is) is something *very* important, so it needs
to be something which can be done frequently, regularly & easily,
with the minimum of Fuss & hassle.

In other words, it's an ideal candidate for a Computer to do,
so it can be Set to be done Automatically (as well as manually).

pmj...

Well, yes, you really would have to, cos you're always messing around
with it!
:-)

But even ordinary people, who don't do stuff like that really do need
to make sure to keep proper Backups...

& that's the prob, like jamps found, first, you need to know
(& decide) *what* to Back up (Save/Copy elsewhere)...

Then you need to (know how to) find the stuff that you want to
Back up,

& then you need to know actually *how* to Back it up...
(as well as how to Restore it, if/when you ever need to).

& it's all that sort of stuff that many people get confuzzled about.
As jamps found, (& I presume why she asked?) - trying to continually
keep (individual) Copies of stuff Saved/Copied (Backed up) onto CD is
not only tedious - it's also inefficient & wasteful.

jamps...

Yep - that is why I asked! I knew that there must be a more efficient way
of backing up than continually using CD/DVD's.

pmj...

See my other (Recently made) Post/Reply about that...

but the KISS principle applies for me. I keep all the stuff I want to back

Rabbit...

I'm with you there, KISS is the best way. ATM I regularly back up the
contents of My Docs to DVD R/W ( CDs aren't big enough). Anything I can't
bear to lose like piccies are burned to their own CDs, Sensitive passwords
etc are stored in a password protected folder in My Docs, the backup DVD,
the laptop and a flash drive. It's jbexed for me so far and I cannot see me
using the NTBackup thingy TBH but like a lot of things mentioned I was
curious whether I meant to use it or not.

up in My Docs. I have it nicely sorted into folders and I keep them tidy,
regularly deleteing stuff that I no longer need. That includes my store
root folder for my mail and my address book also my favourites.

Keeping it all in the one place helps to make sure I don't forget
anything when I back up. I back up onto cds, yep I have heard that they

pmj...

But *how* do you do that?
& what do you use to do it?...

& Do you do it every single time you Create (or Modify) any File?
Or every Hour?
Or every Day?
or every Week?
Or when?

can 'perish' but I have heard of more hard drives going west than I have

pmj...

LOL!!!
Yep!!!

CDs don't often just sort of "crumble" or "fade away", do they?
:-)

When they do fail (which is luckily pretty rarely, they tend to go
with a *Bang* & explode into loads of tiny, sharp little fragments.

It's only after *Years* that a CD becomes (or might become)
"UnReadable"

& *Archiving* stuff is different from Backing stuff up.
That's when Long term Storage matters.
A Backup is (usually) done (reasonably) frequently, so the long term
storage aspect is less important?

cds.
I also have it all on a separate drive, in the hope that it is safer. If

pmj...

if it's a separate *Partition* (on the same Physical Hard Disk)
like yours are, then yes, it's saf(er) from things like probs with
the Operating System, but not from major probs with the Hard Disk
itself...

my OS goes jelly tots up, I can happily reinstall without losing any of my
own stuff, again I have heard of more OS installations going seriously
brokted than I have hard drives dying. For me, its a case of giving it my

pmj...

Yep!!!
But it's because Hard Disks *can* fail, that it's also a good idea
to (periodically) Back up (Copy/Save) the stuff onto something else
(such as a CD/DVD) isn't it?
& you do that, don't you?

best shot and then not going into overdrive worrying about it :-)

pmj...

But some people really would be upset, if they found they had lost
everything that was on their Hard Disk!
& it's usually only once that happens (which is too late), that many
people try to find a way round the prob.

It's always best to do Backing up (not *worrying* about it - just
*doing* it), so as to *avoid* the probs (& worry & hassle) associated
with losing stuff.

Certainly for jamps, who asked the original question about backing up, it
would be fairly simple to have another drive for her own stuff, cos she
has a Medion poota and I know that they come ready partitioned ( 3 drives)
. Like you did on your Medion, its just a matter of dragging what is on
the D and E drives into the C drive to 'park' them out of the way, then
use the computer management thing todlete those drives and create as many
as you need in the deleted space. Bung the stuff you parked back onto the
relevant drives and use the extra new one you created as a drive for the
My Docs.
It does sound scary and very involved, but I think you would vouch for the
fact that it is simple (if you have someone who has done it, to hand hold)
when you actually do it.
If you are reading this jamps, and consider doing it, I will happily
volunteer to do the hand holding :-)

jamps...

Oh Ta Boo. It sounds very complicated but I'm sure that, as with most
things, it is easier than it sounds when put into practice.

pmj...

Yes!
It is!
:-)

I'll give you a shout when I've sorted things out a bit more!

Tickettyboo...

Okay, but in the meantime..how big is your My Docs? To find out, right
click on the My Docs folder and select 'properties' . On mine, the
properties box has a 'general' tab and I click on that and it adds up all
the files and folders, tells me how many of each and how much space ( in
Gb or Mb) it takes up.

pmj...

All you need to do is to make sure you know *what* you want to
Back Up (Save/Copy) & then *find* it!
:-)

Then, it really is a simple matter to then Copy it somewhere else.
It really doesn't matter (in the big scheme of things!) *where* you
Copy it (or even *how*.

Just remember that if you Copy the stuff to a different *Partition*
(Drive) on the same *Physical* Hard Disk, then you should really
*also* Copy it to something like a CD/DVD as well, every so often.

& *that* (I gather) is where this particular Thread all started?
:-)

Just don't Copy the stuff (to CD/DVD) bit by bit, as you go along.
Copy a Bundle of stuff, all in one go, periodically.

pmj...

Which she can keep stuff on *Temporarily* & then Copy it (Back it up)
to CD/DVD.

pmj...

Yep!!!

She's *already* got an extra Drive (Partition), with *loads* of Space,
sitting ready & waiting, to store stuff on, before putting it onto
CD/DVD.

jamps...

:-) I just knew that that extra drive (partition) was there for a reason.
I didn't know what to do with it!!

pmj...

Well, prolly the first (& easiest/most immediately useful) thing to
do with it, would be to *Move* your "My Documents" Folder onto it?

That way, if ever you have big probs with your Operating System, you
can happily Wipe it out & Re-Install it (or do a "Factory Recovery",
(which only takes less than 5 Minutes, with a Medion!)

& your own stuff (that you keep in the "My Documents" Folder) won't
be affected! - It will still be there!
:-)

RightClick the "My Documents" Icon on the Desktop (or in "My Computer")
& Choose "Properties"...

On the "Target" Tab, it will show you the Current Location (& Name)
of the actual Folder, which is Displayed as "My Documents".
Click [Move...]

That will Open up a "Browse for Folder..."
Navigate to the Drive where you want to Move your "My Documents"
Folder to. (You can either use a Folder that you have already Created,
in windoze Explorer, or Click [Make New Folder] to Create one there
& then).

Use any Drive *other* than the one that the Operating System is
Installed on (C: ?) & also, I would suggest not using the one that
the "Factory Recovery " stuff is stored on (E: ?)

Use the one (D: ?) that is about 50 or 100 GB (depending on how big
the Hard Disk in your Medion is)

Click [OK] & also say [Yes] when it asks if you do really want to
Delete/Move the various "Desktop.ini" Files.

Once you have the "My Documents" Folder safely stored on a
*different* Drive (Partition), then you can also start Moving the
various other Folders, such as the Favorites Folder & the OutLook
Express Store Root Folder & Address Book Folder etc.

pmj...

It's a *veryu* good idea to use it for bunging stuff onto
(Backing Up to), as a *Temprary* sort of "staging area" - & then
you can Back the stuff up to something more Permanent (& external),
such as a CD or DVD, every so often.

Jeff Gaines...

While you're thinking this through just bear in mind that it is on the
same physical drive. It will protect you in some circumstances (e.g. a
corrupt file) but not in others (e.g. the whole drive going wotsits up).

I don't want to complicate the issue but a physically separate drive is
a better bet, whether it's fitted inside the PC or it's external.

Rabbit...

So there is a market for small external drives at a decent price ? There

pmj...

Yes!
There is...

& it's amply supplied by the Manufacturers of things like iPods
& all the other MP3 Players that have Hard Disk Drives in them.
(many of them have 20 GB (or 30, 40 or even 60 GB) Hard Disks now)

Rabbit...

But why would anybody pay the price of and iPod etc just for a HD back up ?
I'm talking cheap, surplus stock, even used HDs.

You just Bung them into a USB Port & Drag & Drop your stuff - Files,
which can be Music or any kind of Data Files - Pictures, Text Files,
Word Processor & SpreadSheets, Favorites, Address Books, eMails or
whatever - to them.

must be some small ( i.e. 20Gb or so) HDs still around which could be
utilised for this market, unless of course MS bought the lot to sell for an

pmj...

Yes, there are - see above.

But a Hard Disk (of the normal (Physical) Size as used in a PC)
of only about 20 GB really isn't an economic proposition these days.
The practical Minimum (from a cost-effective) point of view)
is about 80 GB. It costs (the Manufacturers) pretty much the same
(in the way of the actual Mechanical bits & the Circuitry) to make
a larger (capacity) Hard Disk as it does a smaller one.

Rabbit...

So what happened to all the surplus when HDs got bigger ? They couldn't all
have been sold.

The only Hard Disks that have as small a capacity as only 20 GB
these days are the little miniature ones, such as is fitted into
a typical Portable MP3 Player.

Rabbit...

MS still has a supplier. The HD on the XBox is only 20Gb, it's not small but
'cos it's a custom fit rather than a USB ( which BTW on the XBox is also a
custom size) it cost nearly �70.

over inflated price ( compared to bigger HDs) to add to the XBox :-)

Jeff Gaines...

Yes, my neighbour (the one who mows the lawn in return for PC
maintenance) bought a beautiful external USB HD, powers off the USB
port, really sleek and just *nice* :-)

I set up a batch file on his wife's laptop, when I last fixed it last
September, so when she clicked on an icon, it would back up her 'My
Documents' to this external drive then turn off the laptop. When she
spoke to me last week having lost some important work I asked about
this back up and she said she hadn't had time to speak to her husband
since then - must have been a great Christmas in their house :-)

Tickettyboo...

and what do we back that up to - in case it goes wrong? LOL

Ali...

You rent space on an internet connected Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks
somewhere in a high security building well away from you, and upload your
backup to that.

Most of us already do the first part for other reasons.

David C...

I reckon 2 (mirror-image) external B/Up drives are enough, just plug
em in, copy over your important files or run a back-up program as
detailed earlier on this thread.
My ext. drives are NOT connected to any PC or the mains power supply
until I need them, so they are unlikely to be damaged by power surges
etc.
AFAIK, H/D life is measured n operating hours so if they are switched
off, then their life should be extended more than somewhat?
I'm happy to back-up pix to CD / DVD, as they are unlikely to need to
be altered, once taken &/or edited, but I don't expect them to last
forever.
I suspect that we will all need to keep an "old" PC around the house
in future years, one that is capable of working with today's storage
media, just in case the next generations of computers are not
"backwards-compatible".

Ali...

What needs to be done, but probably won't be, is, when the new storage
medium is established and CDs are becoming obsolete, copy everything in your
archive of CDs to the new medium. With a bit of luck, it will all fit on one
disk/chip/whatever. Equally important is to ensure you have software to
access the restored data. WordStar docs, HAM pictures, DBaseII databases,
123 spreadsheets, even if you've got the data, have you a runnable program
that will understand them?

pmj...

Bu tit's unlikely that *both* of them would fail at the same time,
isn't it?
That's the idea of a "back Up".
You have the Data stored in more than one place, so if you lose one,
you still have the other.

& anyway, there's nothing to stop anybody (such as jamps) *also*
storing stuff (Backing stuff up) onto CD/DVD as well as on a separate
Drive/Partition, Physical Disk/MP3 Player or whatever.

Jeff Gaines...

You must have been taking lessons from FN :-)

The belt is a 2nd HD in your PC.
The braces is an external HD/device of some sort.
The piece of string is a device you take off site.

That protects you against file corruption, HD Failure, fire and theft.

The off site location needs to be far enough away so that a nuclear
explosion at the home site won't affect it :-)

Rabbit...

How about we all send our wanted stuff in a zipped, password protected file
to the techies for safekeeping. You know a bit like a safety deposit box ;-)

pmj...

OK!!!
:-)

& why Send it to just "techies"?
Anybody - lots of people - these days has loads of spare Disk Space.

pmj...

Well, I've got umpteen Giga Bytes of Hard Disk Space, which I'm
unlikely to be able to fill up with my own stuff (though I'm trying
quite hard!)

Send me anything you want Stored & I'll happily Store it for you.

Obviously there can be no Guarantees as to how long it will be
stored for.
& whether or not it will be completely safe from being Deleted
&/or over-written, for some reason or another.

But it would be a sort of "2nd chance", "safety net" type thing?

pmj...

Yep, but that's only if you want even more, extra, Drives (Partitions).

For many people, (with PCs such as Medions, which alrewady have
3 Partitions) they can quite happily get by with the Drives
(Partitions) they already have.

But yep - it's always a good idea to get to find out a bit about
that sort of stuff...
& like you say, as you've found out - it's really very easy!
:-)

pmj...

Yep!!!
I'll also agree with that!
:-)

jamps...

When I've read (and tried to remember some of it) all the info in this
thread I'll attempt to copy all the stuff I want to save into a new folder
in My Docs and then probably shout for help as to what to do next! lol

pmj...

I don't think that there's really any need to make (yet another)
"New Folder" actually in your My Documents Folder? - Unless you
just want to do some general sorting out.

Treat the "My Documents" Folder as *the* Folder, which contains
everything that you want to keep.

That will now be on a different Drive (Partition) from the Operating
System, so you can wipe & Install no probs.
& then periodically, just Copy the stuff from the My Documents Folder,
onto a CD (or DVD) to Back it up.

& That will protect you against if the actual (Physical) Hard
Disk fails.

IF you install NtBackup from the CD to the Home Edition, ASR functionality
will appear to work fine during
the backup session. Since the setup does not support ASR in the home
edition, there is no way to initiate
the ASR restore in case of a disaster. If you need to restore from this
session, install Windows XP manually
and then restore from the ASR media.

pmj...

That's just explaining what you would have to do, if you *did*
expect to (or intend to, or try to) use ASR, with WinXP Home

But see my comments about it above.

But not all OEM Versions come with that Installation File.
As far as I know, the Medion PCs do though.

& the Medion PCs usually have it already Installed (see above)

include that, it normally has to be Installed separately, from the
WinXP Install CD.

That (WinXP) Backup Utility is OK, but it won't Write the Backups
*directly* to a CD (or DVD) - you have to Write them to a File
first (on the Hard Disk, somewhere) & then Save/Copy the File to
a CD (or DVD).

jamps...

Looks like Nero is the better option for me.

pmj...

I dunno?...

You can perfectly well just Save (Copy) the stuff you want to "Backup"
to CD yourself.

Just don't do it with each File, individually, as you Create/Modify
them.
Do it a bunch of Files at a time, periodically.

Thanks for your help pmj. I've saved the previous messages but got lost
with all the to-ing and fro-ing and needed to try and understand a lot of

pmj...

I tend to just Mark (Flag) the Messages (&/or Threads) that I want
to refer back to.

& I have a "View" Set up that doesn't show the Messages that have
been previously Read *unless* they are Marked (Flagged)
& I also often just Delete the other (Read) Messages, that I don't
want to keep.

That way I don't have to Scroll miles to find either the New Messages,
or the older (but still wanted) Messages so I can Read them.

it.