Back up Images?

[Yezinki]

Hi there,

When installing an OS from scratch, at what STAGES  should one create Complete Back up Images using True image 11, just in case if some error occurs or a software isn't compatible or what ever.

Hoping to hear from you smart people,

Thanks.

[DavidR]

1. When you have any tweaks/settings that you normally apply (so that you don't have to apply them again) and any security updates/SP1, 2, 3 versions, etc.

2. Then another when you have installed your AV, firewall and other common applications/tools.

The reason for a second is that if you change AV/Firewall etc. do you want that on an image restore. I however failed that test as I would probably have done it after 2. above as my common application choice has remained the same for a number of years, avast and outpost pro firewall.

You don't want everything there as you are considering that as your bare bones to avoid having to start from scratch again. After that I do a weekly full image of my partitions you could with true image go for a monthly full image and incremental image weekly.

I still use an old version of Drive Image 7.1 which doesn't support incremental imaging hence the weekly full image backup, but I keep 5 copies so that I have a months worth of backup and not just the one file.

[Lisandro]

Done it regularly when the system is stable and running ok.
Install your Windows, antivirus, firewall (if you won't use Windows one), your main programs... than image.
After that, install what you need less, or requires less configurations and tweaks...

[Yezinki]

Thanks DavidR & Mr. Tech for sharing your imaging strategy plans.

[Yezinki]

Hi DavidR,

My first full back up which I call raw.......contains Vista, Office, SPs, updates & Perfect Disk, size 8.19 GB.

Now I have installed Avast & FF.

At what stages from now onwards do you think I should create complete back ups?

The reason for asking is that if I am not sure about some software etc I could restore the last complete back up.

Lastly should I keep deleting the previous backups?

Thanks.

[Lisandro]

At what stages from now onwards do you think I should create complete back ups?

Do you have more than one partition? Where is your data and documents? In the same partition of the programs?
I'll separate them and backup your personal data and settings more often than the system and programs backup.

Lastly should I keep deleting the previous backups?

If you have space for it... sure, keep as many as you can.

[Yezinki]

Thanks Mr. Tech,

2 primary partitions on 1 drive in my notebook. 1 for Vista & other for backups etc.

I am short of space just 100 GB free.

[DavidR]

Well I currently only have 1 hard disk on this system and three partitions, the last of which is for data file backups and image backups. This isn't ideal as if you have a hard disk crash then your valuable images are on the failed hard disk.

So it is better if you have a 2nd internal HDD and use that for your backups, whilst this isn't practical on a notebook (don't know any that can take a 2nd HDD. You can do what I do is use an external HDD (USB2 or Firewire, etc.), I still send my backup images to the third partition, but I also do a mirror copy to the external HDD of my third partition.

Or you can burn to a DVD which wouldn't be a bad idea for your first image, what you are calling raw ...

[Yezinki]

Thanks DavidR,

I too was thinking of burning the images to DVD media.

I only got 1 HD as I wanted a 72K rpm one & not a 54K.

[DavidR]

You're welcome, I have a 500GB external HDD that can connect via USB2 and eSATA, which is meant to be very quick.

Unfortunately eSATA support isn't native to my Motherboard, and even with an ePCIx1 card I can't get that to work, so I have to do the transfer via USB2 which isn't ideal it isn't horrendously slow.

[Lisandro]

Even with 100Gb, I'll follow David's advices: three partitions and using an external HDD for backup.