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Making external HD a bootable backup

Discussion in 'PC Hardware' started by dennisneff, 2009/06/03.

  1. 2009/06/03
    dennisneff

    dennisneff Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    I'd like to make my Verbatum external USB hard drive a bootable backup.
    To do this I am planning to disconnect my current hard drive and boot off the XP-Home installation CD, reformat the external hard drive and install XP on it. At this point, can I reboot off my origional internal hard drive and use a program like Symatec or Casper (which trashed my OS six months ago) to make my external hard drive identical to the current internal one. Or do I have to do all the upgrades (Ser. Pac. 3 for example), software installations, etc., first, than use a program to periodically make my external drive current with the internal drive?

    I would also like any suggestions on backup software that will not trash my OS. TIA

    Dennis
     
    dennisneff,
    #1
  2. 2009/06/03
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Assuming that your BIOS will boot from a USB device I am not sure if your idea will work.

    A far more workable solution would be to use Acronis True Image to image the OS drive to the external and make the Acronis Boot CD. Re-image on a weekly basis using the incremental feature - I mirror to another internal drive on a schedule automatically and then copy the images to 2 external drives manually so I always have 3 independent images of the OS partition.

    To recover the OS drive it is only a matter of booting from the Acronis CD and restoring the mirror from your external drive.

    For data backup I recommend SynchbackSE which I have used for many years without issue - Acronis does the same I believe.
     
    PeteC,
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  4. 2009/06/04
    mattman

    mattman Inactive Alumni

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    No, Windows won't run from a USB drive. An e-SATA external drive, yes, because it is an extension of the SATA connectors on the motherboard.

    You can keep a backup image on a USB external drive. I just keep a copy of my data on one. If I need to reformat, I prefer to load a fresh new installation, new installations of programs, not just a "back-in-time" version of the installation that was no longer suitable.

    I reinstalled an image ONCE, it brought with it anything that was "not quite right ". I like a fresh install and see if things turn out differently :) Data is more important to me than "how it was ".

    Matt
     
    mattman,
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  5. 2009/06/04
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Each to his own, of course, but if incremental images are made the restored image is as good as the date chosen to restore. I image incrementally on a weekly basis - automatically as I posted above - works for me :)
     
    PeteC,
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  6. 2009/06/04
    mattman

    mattman Inactive Alumni

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    Hi Pete,

    As I said, I did it once. but I think if it came to re-maging because the system is (or was) headed for disaster, those elements are still present in the image.

    Each to his own, as you say. I am not meaning to denigrate your opinion.

    Actually...I would like to make an image of this present installation of Vista, it's running like magic, but no, if I need to re-image/reformat, I would like to try a new system. If the HDD breaks down I will have to take the consequences anyway, I won't get the current system back again. I would like to try to take some similar steps (or try remembering) how I made a nice system.

    Using the "time machine ", it will be same as it was. Could it be any better is what I try :)

    Matt
     
    mattman,
    #5
  7. 2009/06/04
    dennisneff

    dennisneff Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    If I use the external USB hard-disk for backup of data only, what is the best software, or XP-Home tool, to have a weekly, scheduled, automatic update of the internal to the external hard disk. TIA

    Dennis
     
    dennisneff,
    #6
  8. 2009/06/04
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Remember that the external will need to be connected and powered up at the scheduled time.
     
    PeteC,
    #7
  9. 2009/06/04
    dennisneff

    dennisneff Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    I downloaded a 30-day trial version of Synchback.SE and getting started, establishing a profile was a little hit and miss. For Source I put C: and for folder C:/ and for the destination E: and for folder E:/. This was a guess, but seemed to convey that I wanted to copy all folders and files on C: drive to E: drive. When I checked E:, after the program finished, everything was there as should be. I only hope that My Documents, which are listed as Desktop, above C: got updated too. Thanks for all your help.

    Dennis
     
    dennisneff,
    #8
  10. 2009/06/08
    roll

    roll Inactive

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    Well, i agree with Petec
    Acronis will do this job with no problem
    I use this software for many years without issues
    Download from their site user guide , it will help you to do everything that you want
     
    roll,
    #9

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