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Resolved Question

Backup

Dec 14, 2011 1:48AM PST

I am at an impasse. I don't know what to do.
This is a two year old HP Pavilion deskside 6 gig 2.7 ghz Intel dual core that runs good.
After rebuilding this system from scratch in preparation for going wireless, everything works once again, IE9, new printer driver, 93 MS updates to a two year old system image.
Now I want to back it up. I've done all of my stuff to 2- DVD -R disks (data, pix, non MS programs).
I want to back up my operating system, the system image on D: and HP C:
I entered the backup routine from the "action" center and followed it's instructions and 5 hours later, it was stuck at 40% done with no messages. I aborted this, there has to be a better way.
I've been reading reviews of Seagate and Western Digital external hard drives and both of the are getting horrible reviews.
I think I have to go to an external hard drive, but I don't know which one to get.
Any ideas?

Discussion is locked

oldermanmike has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer

Best Answer

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Backup
Dec 14, 2011 4:31AM PST

Folks have their favorite methods.....it's whatever fits your needs.

I have two spare hd's.
I alternate the units.
Once a month I run a clone......gets everything.
It's fast......10 mins or so.
That fits my needs.
Yes.....I could lose 30 days of data but I can live with that.

The clone util is free......visit the hd maker's site.

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Two spare hard drives
Dec 14, 2011 11:46AM PST

Mr Bob B, is that two spare hard drives internal or external? Does "running a clone" mean they both have a bootable, runnable, mirror image of each other on them?

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Cloning versus imaging
Dec 14, 2011 8:59PM PST

By definition, a clone is an exact duplicate of a drive partition. If the source drive is bootable, the target drive should be as well. My personal experience with cloning has found it better to have both the source and target drives connected to the same motherboard. I have had some issues when using an external...especially with laptop drives...but your experience could be different. Some software can expand or shrink the partition on the target drive of the clone and function just fine. I know Acronis will do this. If you clone a drive, you will want to physically remove it from your system, however. An partition image is usually a single compressed file unless you are spanning across such as CD/DVD media. It is not bootable. It occupies roughly 1/2 the hard drive of a cloned partition. Images store well to internal or external media and can be restored from these as well.

I will only use the cloning method if I am replacing a hard drive but even a HD replacement can easily be have an image restored from another drive. I haven't found that keeping a clone of my HD to be an efficient backup method. This is because it can tie up an entire hard drive, needs to be removed from the system and will probably need considerable updating if the time comes for one to need to use it. Imaging a hard drive at some regular interval as part of a backup scheme is something I've found to be easy and nearly idiot proof.

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Clone
Dec 14, 2011 11:43PM PST

is that two spare hard drives internal or external?
External.

Does "running a clone" mean they both have a bootable, runnable, mirror image of each other on them?
Yes.

A clone is a method.
An image is a method.
Each method has pro's and con's.
Pick a method that fits your needs.
I find a clone to be faster and it fits "my" needs.
Others may find an image fits "their" needs.
Your call.

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Seagate
Dec 15, 2011 3:03AM PST

I bought a 500MB 7200RPM Seagate off EBAY new for 75. I'll try that awhile and see how it goes. Thanks Bob B and Mr Profitt for your time and excellent information. Appreciate it. Mike Consider this thread closed.

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Answer
For this I suggest ACRONIS.
Dec 14, 2011 1:55AM PST

After too many failures of the Windows Backup app, I no longer try them. Maybe it works for some but I found it unreliable. So I use Acronis and if I don't have that, look again at CLONEZILLA.
Bob

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Acronis
Dec 14, 2011 2:54AM PST

Ok Mr Profitt, I've seen you before and you know what you're doing. I went to the Acronis website and I'm sold on their product ($40) I haven't bought it yet, but I probably will. So Acronis is the method to use.
So now the questions are, DVD -R or external? If external, what's a decent brand?

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Funny you should ask.
Dec 14, 2011 3:06AM PST