Category: Geeks r Us
hi all.
is there a accessible program that i can use to back up the intire HD to a secondary internal drive? something ta that will back up once, and maintain the backup (only change motified files , or registery entries, or new software install or ud updates.
this drive is getting older, however i have an extra 40 gig internal currently not being used.
what i'm looking to do is to back up the intire system to this drive, in event of a hard drive crash i can easily log onto the drive with my copy of the OS and continue as if the c drive didn't die.
to be very clear, i'm looking to back up the entire OS in tact, with all the software in tact.
I do not have a rade setup ware it is useing second drive as a copy, so i thought an system immge could be the next best step.
Thanks!
Hi,
I have a few questions, before I can help out.
What OS is this, windows XP or 7?
Do you use Jaws and do you have your auth disk because you'll need it after you restore. Thanks FS for screwing up an activation scheme. The only legal way I know of to avoid using an auth disk is to get a dongle which is a small usb key that has your license information. I'm unsure how easy it is for someone to get it from FS. I do know that its an additional $50.
I'll add some more information. You cannot just logon to another disk image. Its not a virtual copy of Windows. You can use the other drive to store and restore the image, as you stated above in one of your questions.
Most newer disk imaging tools should work with Jaws since you use a wizard to do the restore which takes 15-20 minutes depending on how big your disk image is. The tools do offer a recovery dvd burn option, but that's not accessible in the least.
Though Jaws or your screen reader of choice may be in the image, it will not load at all. You'll need sighted help if you need to restore the image outside of Windows. Even if you get something like BartPE with Drive Image XML to work, it will not autoload a screen reader on startup. Though I could be mistaken.
This is Windows XP Pro.
and okay the auth disk Jaws 13 here.
I'd have sited help.
Perhaps what i'm really looking for more is a cloneing option, including backing up the master boot files and that.
hopefully this program would be something that could run in the background makeing a clone copy as Windows runs.
would Togo backup free work ?
or CloneZilla
Clonezilla might work. You'll have to see how Jaws friendly it is during and after the install.
Hi,
I use drive image XML for this. Bare in mind though that there are a few good reasons why you shouldn't store a backup inside your computer; always best to use an external, or in your situation fit a hotswap type device to one of your drive bays and only insert the backup drive when its needed.
The only other issue is he can not boot in to his backup drive. This is for restoring not using unless it it a second internal and he switches it to C, but thanhe'll still need Windows reinstalled and Jaws.
Windows is a piece of cake, but you need sighted help. Just reload the OS.
I'd not worry mnuch about it if you have your OS disc otherise make a copy if $40 is to much to pay for XP. Lol
You can find instructions on the Microsoft site for that.
The rest is simply sending your files to your backup drive or copying them. Jaws also can always be regotten, and FS will give you a reinstall, so no problem there either.