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General discussion

Backup and Restore

Oct 7, 2010 5:45AM PDT

Hi,
First time running the 'recommended' backup of 'libraries and personal files for all users'. I did it on the DVD RW Drive and it took three CD-RW disks. Each disk was 'formatted'.
It actually backed up a lot more than just 'libraries and personal files . . .' So, what happens next time (Sunday 7pm)? Can I reuse the same disks and let it re-write over or will it require three new unformatted disks? and this will happen every week (as setup now)?
I personally save my important documents and such to CD as I do them or change them. Is there really a need to save everything that is 'recommended'? I know - - the one time you don't - - you will wish you had.
What are your suggestions?
Thanks

Discussion is locked

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Yes...backing up is a good thing only as good as
Oct 7, 2010 9:11AM PDT

the ability and ease of the restore process. I can't recommend CDs or DVDs as the best choice of media for incremental and differential backup media. Personally, I don't and won't use Windows Backup/Restore as my primary archiving utility either. These and other such utilities rely too much on their being functional in order for a person to get their data back. It's all well and good for some things but not so good if complete disaster strikes. I want my personal data available without it needing to be unpacked by some restore process. For this reason, I prefer to just copy and paste files and folders manually to a location of my choice. Mostly this is other internal or external hard drives. Some data I keep on flash drives as well. Automating the process sounds nice but I'd be the first to suggest to anyone who does this to actually test the restore function to make sure it works and they know how to use it. As for the DVD backup that needs 3 disks, I don't know if Windows will overwrite entire rewritables or not but I wouldn't use that method for a couple of reasons. It's going to be painstakingly slow and you really don't want to keep just one backup. You'd need to keep several sets of disks just to be safe. You could do better saving the same to hard drive space. CDs and DVDs are great to archive pictures and videos though as portability is a nice feature of this media. Boring friends and family with ones own photos and movies is a great American pastime and CD/DVDs are a good choice for these.

Anyway, since you asked for suggestions and you already need to supply the labor for the DVD method, I'd try to live with manual copy and paste if just personally created data files are what needs to be archived. I also make complete images of my primary hard drive at interval to assist with the unexpected but that's another topic altogether. Hope that helps more than it confuses.

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Windows backup?
Oct 8, 2010 12:58AM PDT

As per the help file.

If using optical media it seems to be set up to add to your existing backup.

It will add what is new or changed.

If you want a full backup....start over....there is an option for that.

A backup is a method....there are more than a few....pick a method that fits your needs.

What ever method you choose.....test it......don't assume the restore function works or you know how to use it.

When choosing a method give some thought to the various reasons that will cause you to reach for those backups and how well those backups will apply to that situation.