Back-up Questions

[Stephan28]

I would like to get a system to back-up my computer so I need some expert advice. Basically what I would like is the ability to have a backup of my "C" drive in case mine goes south.

Right now my system entails an ABIT NF7 running XP Pro with 2 IDE hard dives partitioned into several smaller blocks.

I am thinking that the best option would be an external hard drive but I'm not sure how that would work if my operating system drive (C) went south.

Any and all insight/help would be appreciated!

I just remembered that I have a home network set up....Is there a way to copy my entire hard drive to another computer. Lets say I install another hard drive in the other computer just for this purpose to make a identical copy of the "c" drive?

 

[Jiggz]

Backing the system into another system is not quite the most prudent way since you can never tell when the hdd is hit south. What I do for back up is another hdd. It's connected as a third hdd but then after ghosting the C hdd, I disconnect the back hdd and make sure it doesn't get powered. It's not fool proof but it has yet to let me down. I back up every month so I don't mind the connecting and disconnecting as long as I know I have an instant ready to go hdd. Sure it may be a week older than the one that went south but still it's instant and only take minutes to go back online. As for the important data, I put them on rewritable DVD.

 

[Vegito]

ghost (enterprise) supports command line.. i written scipts to boot from disk and dump the image. of course it was OS only so the parition was small.. if you have data on it.. copy to another drive using software would do...

 

[OdiN]

RAID would be the easiest way if you want to have continuing backups. Otherwise an external USB drive and some backup software.