Hay There,
I'd really like to know the best procedures for properly backing up system files for a Dual Boot VISTAx64/XP Pro x86 PC. I've had more then my fair share of fatal disasters in the last year. Consequently I finally forked out some change for a selection of backup software and devices and I need a little advice on what to do with them! ...How best to backup my "entire" PC to prepare for another inevitable failure. Before I ask though I should say that I had to edit my XP registry to prevent XP from deleting Vista's "System Restore" Points at every boot. Consequently I no longer have accsess to the Vista drive from XP but I do have access to the XP drive ('s) from Vista. (XP resides on a NVIDIA RAID 0/strip array of two 74GB WD Raptors while Vista resides on a part. of another drive. A Seagate of 1.5 TB capacity with two partitions on it.) I run dual because of game compatibility by the way. That said, I have recently purchased a 2TB CMS external drive with automated on-board clone/backup software that is said to be able to back up and clone multiple PC's and or drives. So I assume that would include multiple operating systems as in "dual boot"? as well. I've also purchased Genie-Soft's GMC Pro v8 and for good measure I'm evaluating Genie-Soft's new freebie "Timeline" software. It's runs in the background 24/7 looking for changes in files, folders and program version's only recording what I designate but only recording the changes to files over 50MB (to save space). The GMC Pro v8 software I bought is a full feature backup solution that supports about everything and the kitchen sink including RW Blueray disk and online backups. My secondary backup external drive is only a USB 200 GB drive and I intend to assign it to Timeline. (I may need yet another large cap drive, yeah think?.)
Anyways, I'm not sure how best to proceed. Can I simply use "Timeline" to back up both the XP windows directory AND the VISTA system directory? Or is it unadvisable to backup the XP system directory FROM and using software based on Vista? I do have full access to the XP drive so?. This seems the best choice for real time backups hay? While then using the GMC prov8 for ISO disaster prevention images, data and media backup or any online stuff. And finaly, the 2TB CMS clone drive for system backup and redundancy. The question is will all this stuff play nice "together" ? I'm still reading up on this but I'm hopeful.
Maybe I have gone overboard but I refuse to get caught with my pants down again!
I'm scared to death of another data loss and yet another clean install of two operating systems and all that in between. Any advice or foreseeable problems in my thinking that come to mind please be so kind? I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed but I try to keep an edge on it.
Thanks,
Bman
I'd really like to know the best procedures for properly backing up system files for a Dual Boot VISTAx64/XP Pro x86 PC. I've had more then my fair share of fatal disasters in the last year. Consequently I finally forked out some change for a selection of backup software and devices and I need a little advice on what to do with them! ...How best to backup my "entire" PC to prepare for another inevitable failure. Before I ask though I should say that I had to edit my XP registry to prevent XP from deleting Vista's "System Restore" Points at every boot. Consequently I no longer have accsess to the Vista drive from XP but I do have access to the XP drive ('s) from Vista. (XP resides on a NVIDIA RAID 0/strip array of two 74GB WD Raptors while Vista resides on a part. of another drive. A Seagate of 1.5 TB capacity with two partitions on it.) I run dual because of game compatibility by the way. That said, I have recently purchased a 2TB CMS external drive with automated on-board clone/backup software that is said to be able to back up and clone multiple PC's and or drives. So I assume that would include multiple operating systems as in "dual boot"? as well. I've also purchased Genie-Soft's GMC Pro v8 and for good measure I'm evaluating Genie-Soft's new freebie "Timeline" software. It's runs in the background 24/7 looking for changes in files, folders and program version's only recording what I designate but only recording the changes to files over 50MB (to save space). The GMC Pro v8 software I bought is a full feature backup solution that supports about everything and the kitchen sink including RW Blueray disk and online backups. My secondary backup external drive is only a USB 200 GB drive and I intend to assign it to Timeline. (I may need yet another large cap drive, yeah think?.)
Anyways, I'm not sure how best to proceed. Can I simply use "Timeline" to back up both the XP windows directory AND the VISTA system directory? Or is it unadvisable to backup the XP system directory FROM and using software based on Vista? I do have full access to the XP drive so?. This seems the best choice for real time backups hay? While then using the GMC prov8 for ISO disaster prevention images, data and media backup or any online stuff. And finaly, the 2TB CMS clone drive for system backup and redundancy. The question is will all this stuff play nice "together" ? I'm still reading up on this but I'm hopeful.
Maybe I have gone overboard but I refuse to get caught with my pants down again!
I'm scared to death of another data loss and yet another clean install of two operating systems and all that in between. Any advice or foreseeable problems in my thinking that come to mind please be so kind? I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed but I try to keep an edge on it.
Thanks,
Bman