Resolved Computer backup

Once and for all I would like to understand what all of the different facets of the idea of "computer backup" means. You hear so many terms and I've never gotten a 100% clear grasp of it all. I ask it in XP but it obviously applies to every system.

When you get a new computer, laptop, etc you are told to run backup because no one gets Win disks anymore. Then there are recovery disks. Told to backup docs, pics, music, etc. Then you need to have an image of the hard drive in case cryptolocker hits or hd crashes, etc.

So I get a new comp, like I'm going to do to replace the current XP desktop (I already have a Win 7 laptop). Now I need to run backup on the new Win. And this will backup the entire hard drive or just what's necessary to get things back to the original setup?

Now I need recovery disks separately or is that what those are?
Then I need to burn an image of the whole hard drive...but I can't access docs, etc from this so I still need to backup all of my personal files to access them?

There are about 15 other friends/family that will be eagerly awaiting this clarification as well.

 

It never hurts to have several avenues or recovery. I have a set of recovery disks, a repair disk, and a external HDD with an image, data, photos, and my music for each of my laptops. Recovery disks restore you computer to it's original factory settings(like the day you took it out of the box). A backup is your folders, files, photos, music etc. A system image is a copy of all on the drive volume.

 

What's the diff between a recovery and repair disk?

 

Click on this link http://www.andyrathbone.com/2009/12...very-discs-and-windows-7s-system-repair-disc/

 

Ok, so recovery disk and repair disk are made from the computer itself. And in Win 7 or 8 is ability to make system image recovery disks.

1 Recovery disks...goes back to beginning of comp, losing data and added programs.

2 Repair disks...repairs comp and keeps data and programs.

3 System Image Recovery disks...restores comp to state when these disks made. No individual data can be accessed. (similar to system restore internal program, except SIR can't be reset once done.)

4 Backup disk....backup all individual data to disk -pics, emails, docs, music.

No other types of disks needed? All bases covered with these?

 

Say the hard drive dies and a new one would have to be added to the comp would System Image Rec disks return that comp to working order?

 

Hard drive duplicator, Remote backup, ...

Yes ... as long as you have something to boot the computer with and run the software to restore the image to the hard drive.



Wikipedia:

• Glossary of backup terms
  
• Backup software
  
• List of backup software

 

So you would use the recovery disk to boot it and then run the SRI disk?

 

Exactly how depends on the software.