Physical backups

[corydoras]

True, though it is fairly common practice to restore the OS from a ghosted image of a clean machine, which is kind of the opposite; an OS backup with no data. I've never known anyone to attempt a mixed backup of OS and data, though. That's just mad.

 

In any case, a backup of system files is in many cases next to useless without the correct configuration in the registry (and the GAC for shared .NET assemblies) needed to make them work.

Agreed. Where I work we have images for all our different PCs, some are Win2K builds others are XP. A bit over the top for the average home user perhaps, but worth thinking about, especially if you are an experimenter constantly installing/removing different software all the time.

[corydoras]

I'm new to this DVD game, only having got the DVD writter last week so are there any discs that are particularly suitable for archiving data and any advantages/disadvantages to using the DVD+R/-R format - the machine does both ?

Ken

 

If your new DVD writer supports the DVD-RAM format I would suggest you give that a go. That is supposed to last 30 years and be re-usable 1,000,000 times.

[kempo]

True, though it is fairly common practice to restore the OS from a ghosted image of a clean machine, which is kind of the opposite; an OS backup with no data. I've never known anyone to attempt a mixed backup of OS and data, though. That's just mad.

 

In any case, a backup of system files is in many cases next to useless without the correct configuration in the registry (and the GAC for shared .NET assemblies) needed to make them work.

 

top point, backing up your system files can cause no end of grief, you only need to backup you software not system data as this can corrupt itself at the drop of a hat, always re format and renew the os.

 

unless you are using the same con-fig and system then just ghost it.

[Ken L]

If your new DVD writer supports the DVD-RAM format I would suggest you give that a go. That is supposed to last 30 years and be re-usable 1,000,000 times.

 

Will go check. The tape options simply arn't viable for a ormal home PC.

 

I might be tempted to look st a firesafe for the external HDD though. Cheap as chips and another layer of security.

[flibb]

How much data are you backing up? I dont bother doing my os, just documents and photos. Currently 2 dvds, burn a fresh set evey month and take them to my parents. I burn th entire catalogue each time, in the event of a problem with the previous months, I can get at the one before that (keep a couple of months). This way you get around having to worry about the life expectancy of the disks, and as new data storage types come out you get more storage. Obviously not workable with hudge amounts of data but works for smaller amounts <10gig.

[Ken L]

How much data are you backing up?

 

Music + video + photo's + documents = something like 125 Gig.

 

T'is why I was only planning on doing a physical backup every 6 - 12 months.

[kempo]

Music + video + photo's + documents = something like 125 Gig.

 

T'is why I was only planning on doing a physical backup every 6 - 12 months.

 

 

geee zus thats a lot of stuff m8.

[flibb]

Oo thats a lot, would take a while to do to dvd. I would probably go down the HD route for that amount.

[corydoras]

Music + video + photo's + documents = something like 125 Gig.

 

T'is why I was only planning on doing a physical backup every 6 - 12 months.

If you want to back up that much data then it would advise you that tape is the ONLY way to go. ANything else is madness in my professional opinion.