Is there one of the back up programs which is best for back up and restore
of operating systems?

Thank you

JT Cook

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

All backup programs will backup ALL files.

The most popular backup programs for desktop computers are likely:

Acronis True Image 9: If you get this on CD, do NOT install the CD version,
instead register at the Acronis web site and download the latest build
(3567). Provides for "image" and "files and directories" backup. A web
support forum is provided at
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=64.

Symantec's Ghost 10: If you get this, use ONLY the "Independent Recovery
Set" option. Do NOT use the "Recovery Point Set" option. Provides for
"image" backup, but not "files and directories" backup. Symantec does not
have any web support forum.

EMC's Retrospect Professional: Provides for "files and directories" backup,
not for "image" backup. A web support forum is provided at
http://forums.dantz.com/ubbthreads/...eads.php?Cat=0.

Symantec's Norton Save and Restore: This is a new product that appears, from
what I have read, to be a Ghost 10 enhanced to do a "Files and directories"
backup, as well as an image backup, i.e., it is going after the True Image
customers. I do not have this product. so I cannot be certain, but the
advice about using "Independent Recovery Sets" may apply here too.  Symantec
does not have any web support forum.

You can download trial versions of the products.
Most importantly, read the, not so good, user guides.

--
http://www.standards.com/; See Howard Kaikow's web site.
"John & Mary Cook" <jmrcook@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:93S8g.824$uB5.148@fe03.lga...
> Is there one of the back up programs which is best for back up and restore
> of operating systems?
>
> Thank you
>
> JT Cook
>
>

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

On Thu, 11 May 2006 22:50:13 -0400, "Howard Kaikow"
<kaikow@standards.com> wrote:

>All backup programs will backup ALL files.

No :-)
Virtually no backup program writes ALL files.

Imaging programs, like Ghost and True Image generally exclude
swapfiles, recycle bin contents, suspend to ram files, etc.

File backup programs -- at least, the most usable ones --- allow
you to define an exclude list.
(You can then instruct it, e.g. to skip *.bak files.)

If you really need to backup ALL files you should look for a
forensic backup toolkit. Or enable the forensic options in a
normal backup program (if available).

--
Kind regards,
Gerard Bok

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

"Gerard Bok" <bok118@zonnet.nl> wrote in message
news:44646e26.6360010@News.Individual.NET...
> On Thu, 11 May 2006 22:50:13 -0400, "Howard Kaikow"
> <kaikow@standards.com> wrote:
>
>
> No :-)
> Virtually no backup program writes ALL files.

Make that "ALL files that you need"

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

you should try Ghost 2003 0r 2004 v9.0, as v10 wants to put backup points to
the hard drives, as I use the Ghost V9.0 quite a lot with no problems, I
would sugest you try for the Install/Recovery CD !!.
Or there is of course Acronis Imager also which is good too, have you a
spare drive to take the Image ??, or Partiotion ?, if you have not too much
O/S setup then you could as a last resort use CD/DVD's

Best of Luck.

Chuckie
"John & Mary Cook" <jmrcook@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:93S8g.824$uB5.148@fe03.lga...
> Is there one of the back up programs which is best for back up and restore
> of operating systems?
>
> Thank you
>
> JT Cook
>

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

"chuckie" <cyril.docker@homecall.co.uk> wrote in message
news:44667238$1_4@mk-nntp-2.news.uk.tiscali.com...
> you should try Ghost 2003 0r 2004 v9.0, as v10 wants to put backup points
to
> the hard drives, as I use the Ghost V9.0 quite a lot with no problems, I
> would sugest you try for the Install/Recovery CD !!.
> Or there is of course Acronis Imager also which is good too, have you a
> spare drive to take the Image ??, or Partiotion ?, if you have not too
much
> O/S setup then you could as a last resort use CD/DVD's

Incorrect.

Ghost 10 has two types of backup: Independent REcovery Sets, and Recovery
Point Sets.

It is the latter that uses the poorly designed incremental backup mechanism
that creates those vsnap.idx files.

Independent Recovery Sets do not use vsnap.idx.

I use both Independent Recovery Sets in Ghost 10 and Acronis True Image 9.
If both work on your system, and you do NOT use the Acronis Secure Zone, I
believe that TI 9 is better than Ghost 10.
See http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=130535.

Of course, there's also the new Norton Save and Restore, but I use windoze
2000 so I cannot try the product.

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

Acronis True Image 9
does the above Burn directly to DVD. if so does it use it's own burning
software or will it use the Nero 6 program I have

ken

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

In message <448a26a6$1@news01.wxnz.net>, kountry ken
<ken-sharon@xnet.co.nz> writes
>Acronis True Image 9
>does the above Burn directly to DVD. if so does it use it's own burning
>software or will it use the Nero 6 program I have

The latest update does, according to them. I've not tried it yet.
--
Huss

They come together like the Coroner's Inquest, to sit upon the murdered
reputations of the week.

William Congreve

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]

I use Paragon Drive Backup 8.0 (www.drive-backup.com) and it does this
job very well.
Its user interface is easy to understand. Highly recommend!

Hope I could help.

Best,
Tom

[ Post a follow-up to this message ]