Here is the strategy I use to backup my computer:

On a fairly new Windows setup I use Acronis True Image to do a one off
backup the hard disk image containing Windows, programs and registry etc.

I then use AJC Directory Synchronizer on a daily basis to synchronize to a
USB hard disk and another computer.  This is a very user friendly, powerful
program letting you review and change the list of files to be synchronized
before the job is done.  It now also optionally lets you archive files that
will get deleted or overwritten during the sync to a built in revision
control system letting you undo if you sync over a file by mistake.
http://www.ajcsoft.com/ProductsAJCDirSync.php

While I am working I always have AJC Active Backup running which
automatically archives off a copy of a file every time I save it into a very
compact revision control system.  This means if ever I make a mistake,
corrupt a file or just wonder what I have changed all I need to do is right
click on the status bar icon do extract an earlier version of the file or
see a diff of what has been changed.
http://www.ajcsoft.com/AJCActBk.php

AJC Active Backup is completely automatic and requires no regular attention
once the initial setup wizard has been filled in.  It operates in the
background via a subtle indicator in the Windows status bar with hardly any
noticeable change to the computer's performance.

The backup archives created are very compact because compression is used and
only the changes to each file are stored each time a new revision is added.
An automatic purge feature is included to stop the archives from growing too
large.

--
Andrew Cutforth - AJC Software - www.ajcsoft.com
The best folder synchronize and directory compare tool available.
AJC Active Backup instantly archives every file you edit giving you
unlimited undo and automatic revision control.  Never lose your data again.

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

"Andrew" <someone@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:d6vaj2$hg4$1$8302bc10@news.demon.co.uk...
> Here is the strategy I use to backup my computer:
>
> On a fairly new Windows setup I use Acronis True Image to do a one off
> backup the hard disk image containing Windows, programs and registry etc.
>
> I then use AJC Directory Synchronizer on a daily basis to synchronize to a
> USB hard disk and another computer.  This is a very user friendly,
powerful
> program letting you review and change the list of files to be synchronized
> before the job is done.  It now also optionally lets you archive files
that
> will get deleted or overwritten during the sync to a built in revision
> control system letting you undo if you sync over a file by mistake.
> http://www.ajcsoft.com/ProductsAJCDirSync.php


I would like a method such as you described but use 2 hard drives (probably
removable drive trays) to give me some protection in case of disaster. I
would swap the drives every week and keep the drive that was just removed in
a different place.  Can your program handle something like that or similar?
Would it break the revision control system?  Also is it able to backup an
open Outlook pst file?


>
> While I am working I always have AJC Active Backup running which
> automatically archives off a copy of a file every time I save it into a
very
> compact revision control system.  This means if ever I make a mistake,
> corrupt a file or just wonder what I have changed all I need to do is
right
> click on the status bar icon do extract an earlier version of the file or
> see a diff of what has been changed.
> http://www.ajcsoft.com/AJCActBk.php
>
> AJC Active Backup is completely automatic and requires no regular
attention
> once the initial setup wizard has been filled in.  It operates in the
> background via a subtle indicator in the Windows status bar with hardly
any
> noticeable change to the computer's performance.
>
> The backup archives created are very compact because compression is used
and
> only the changes to each file are stored each time a new revision is
added.
> An automatic purge feature is included to stop the archives from growing
too
> large.
>
> --
> Andrew Cutforth - AJC Software - www.ajcsoft.com
> The best folder synchronize and directory compare tool available.
> AJC Active Backup instantly archives every file you edit giving you
> unlimited undo and automatic revision control.  Never lose your data
again.
>
>
>

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

> I would like a method such as you described but use 2 hard drives
> (probably
> removable drive trays) to give me some protection in case of disaster. I
> would swap the drives every week and keep the drive that was just removed
> in
> a different place.  Can your program handle something like that or
> similar?
> Would it break the revision control system?  Also is it able to backup an
> open Outlook pst file?

It all depends on where you store the revision control archive, this is a
user definable location.

It does not currently backup open files but AJC Active Backup now has the
option to specify certain file patterns as "safe" to backup when open.  This
option may well be added into AJC Directory Synchronizer also.  I don't know
if it is safe to backup .pst files while they are open, it may be a case of
try it and see.

If you would like to discuss your situation further please visit the web
site and send an email to support.

--
Andrew Cutforth - AJC Software - www.ajcsoft.com
The best folder synchronize and directory compare tool available.
AJC Active Backup instantly archives every file you edit giving you
unlimited undo and automatic revision control.  Never lose your data again.

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

Per George:
>I would like a method such as you described but use 2 hard drives (probably
>removable drive trays) to give me some protection in case of disaster. I
>would swap the drives every week and keep the drive that was just removed i
n
>a different place.

I  go one further and have 4 drives: one always online for convenience, the
other two offline when not being written to and - as stated - one of them
offsite.   The fourth drive, not particularly up-to-date and just because I
happened to have one laying around...

Reason for the offline thing:  you can have a USB or 1394 card go bad on you
 and
start frying drives before you catch on to what's happening.   If your data
drive is also connected to one of those cards and fails, exercise some cauti
on
before just plugging in a backup drive.....and if you do plug one in and it
fails, understand that now you need to copy the contents of the offsite driv
e to
someplace else - maybe 2-3 or four other places...  before even thinking abo
ut
plugging it into your PC at home.

Been there....
--
PeteCresswell

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]