"JethroUK©" <reply@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:7RKAi.75$F77.54@xxxxxx-win.ntli.net...
Quote:
> i'm not sure you'll benefit as much as you expect - i read you backup each
> night but it's normal practice to backup personal 'data' (which could get
> lost forever) and not the system/programs (which can always be
> reinstalled)
As far as I'm concerned, there's no such thing as "normal practice" here.
Both practices--backing up data only, and imaging the entire drive--are
common, and what's works best for one person may not be best for the next.
For example, many people have invested siubstantial time and effort in
customizing Windows and their applications to work the way they are most
comfortable with.Yes, if you just backup data, you can always reinstall the
operating system and the applications, but it can take substalial time and
effort to reset all those customiaztions back the way they were. For such
people, an image is a much better choice than a data-only backup.
Quote:
>- i personally have C: for system files & programs & D: for data and since
>upgrading to Vista I have had to relocate all users (data folders) from C:
>to D:
>
> i think it's reasonable to make a ghost back of the system at certain
> points so it would be easier to reinstall - but every night?
Here too, how often to do any kind of backup, whether just data or an image,
depends on the individual, his personal preferences, what his work habits
are, what on his computer changes, how often, and how much. I know some
indiduals who don't turn on their computers more often than once every two
weeks; such a person clearly doesn't need daily backup of any kind. Other's
computers are much more volatile.
--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup
Quote:
> "Barrie" <Barrie@xxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:97F1F1CC-53E3-469B-B4B1-794F197B4295@xxxxxx Quote:
>> Thank you, Ken. Yes, I know that I will probably have to uninstall and
>> then
>> reinstall everything (I have been there many times before - since Windows
>> 3.0
>> was it? I have upgraded my Windows OS at least four times as each new
>> version appears - and was using MS DOS before that.) My question was
>> stimulated more by the Program Data folder that is unique to Vista? I do
>> not
>> remember that before although it may have had another name.
>>
>> The problem is that I use Acronis True Image to back up every night but
>> the
>> image is getting too big. I need to separate out the program files,
>> which I
>> do not need to back up, from the boot information and the data files (the
>> latter are on another drive). The 'obvious' thing to do is to split my
>> 300GB
>> SATA c: drive into two partitions.
>>
>> Thank you again for your comments.
>>
>> "Ken Blake" wrote:
>> Quote:
>>> Barrie wrote:
>>>
>>> > I am going to repartition my C: drive and want to move my program
>>> > files to a new location. I know all about the path-related headache
>>> > that this will cause but want to know what problems may arise with
>>> > Vista Home Premium.
>>>
>>>
>>> It's got nothing to do with Vista Home Premium. It's the same with every
>>> version of Windows since Windows 95. The problems that *will* (not may)
>>> arise is that the programs will no longer run (except perhaps for a very
>>> occasional small self-contained program).
>>>
>>> There is software that purports to address this issue and fix the
>>> problems
>>> (such as COA2.exe), but my experience with these has been that they miss
>>> many things that need fixing.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
>>> Please reply to the newsgroup
>>> I notice that it will not let me move the
>>> > Program Files and Program Data folders to a new partition. Can
>>> > someone please give me advice/information on this?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>