My backup routine isn’t the greatest, but it’s better than nothing. It creates a folder with a series of numbered zip files.
So what do I do the day my computer fails? What would the failure look like (I mean, what are the common failure scenarios)?
If my computer completely fails, or is stolen, how do I put things right on my new computer? Would I still just navigate to Backups–>Restore? Does that still work if the old computer ran Windows 7 but the new computer is Windows 8?
Sometimes I do separate backups that are just data, since I understand that; I can just replace the files. But if I choose settings to backup the system, I don’t really understand what I’ll be getting.
(As you can guess, I’ve been very lucky, and have never had a hard drive failure. The current laptop is five years old, and basically never gets turned off completely. My 2006 Dell Inspiron survived a cup of coffee in its vitals and still plays video for eight hours a day . I assume I’ll be running out of this flavor of luck sooner or later.)
You might want to invest in a real-time off-site backup service. Carbonite or Backblaze or one of those. It isn’t too awfully expensive, and appears (?) to be fairly secure.
Terabyte USB external hard drives are also affordable, and you can certainly keep a backup of your most vital stuff there.
But when the hard drive fails, and you don’t have a recent backup? Well, the word is “screwed.” Everything since the last backup is…gone. Dreadful sorry, Clementine.
As far as the mechanics of starting over, I wouldn’t try to restore the OS, but would re-build the system. Put in a new HD, format it, and install the OS de novo.
Re-installing the software is going to be a pain: it took me two months (on a new computer) to get all my apps up and running again. Some, I had to buy new licenses for. Others, I had to contact the vendors to get new installation files, but didn’t have to pay anything.
(One of the single most important files to keep a safe and secure copy of is your list of registration ID codes for all your software vendors! Also account names and passwords. If you lose these, you’re really messed up, big time!)
My data files were all backed up externally, and re-populating all my directories was nothing more than a Windows “Copy” session. Took several hours, but, really, that was the easiest part of the whole show.
(Apologies if I haven’t said anything that isn’t obvious.)
Too late to add: backing up the “system” creates a copy of the registry and of pointers to the current status of the OS. It is not an actual backup of the OS files. Frankly, it is of next to zero value whatever in the case of a HD failure. You can’t re-install Windows on a new machine from a system backup/checkpoint.
The system backup point is only of use if you’re making changes, like installing an OS patch, and discover that it didn’t work. It lets you undo a change. It’s a little like an “incremental backup” and not like a “full backup.”
Also, Windows is proprietary and protected and licensed and tricky, so you can’t really “reinstall” Windows on a new HD, even if you have all of your files saved. There are hidden files, and locked files, and other things MS have put in place to keep people from pirating. Even a pure “image” copy of the HD won’t be guaranteed to give you a running OS. It might…but it might not.
Are you talking about a “system image” back up? According to MS,“You can use a system image to restore the contents of your computer if your hard disk or computer ever stops working. When you restore your computer from a system image, it’s a complete restoration. . .”
I wouldn’t trust any third party to secure my data. I use my own NAS server to do backups.
I have successfully cloned the hard drives of all my home computers (four). For me the key is using identical hard drives for each computer and a quality cloning tool. I’ve been using Paragon HD tools for years.
I do a regular system image back-up, but I’ve always suspected that it could have problems if I try to do it on a different machine. Is it a question of the hardware?
Well, yes, and no. At that point, I wasn’t speaking of a disk image backup, but of the Windows utility to create a system checkpoint.
There is another kind of utility, to create a system image or a system restore disk. That would work. I was wrong in not noting this.
But I have been told by others that a “disk image” – a bit-by-bit image – of a hard disk can not be used to re-create an OS installation, and that it won’t work. (Why? I do not know. Could it be that some physical disk information is embedded in a file somewhere? The disk serial number wouldn’t match?) I’m quoting from a number of repair techs in various service labs.
They also said that this wouldn’t work for installed software. You can’t just copy – or even “bit copy” – files from C:\Programs. You must go through an installation process from install files.
Again, I don’t know for sure this is true; it’s what I’ve heard from sources whom I thought I could trust.
(I’m tempted to go out and buy a used “beater” 'puter and give it an actual try!)
I’ll defer to those more knowledgeable and drop out now lest I do more harm than good!
A system image can probably be restored to a fully-working OS if the only problem is drive failure, and the rebuild takes place on the same machine with a new hard drive.
If the restore takes place on a different machine of identical hardware specification, it will work, but Windows (and possibly some applications) will complain and probably need their licensing re-authenticated.
If the restore is attempted on a different machine of different hardware spec, if it works at all, it usually results in a buggy, unstable system - at the start, it won’t have the right drivers for the hardware etc - and even if this is fixed/fixable, there will probably be a good deal of cruft, clutter and weirdness arising from remaining bits and pieces of the old drivers and config.
IMO:
Back up your data - including documents, photos, email folders(if local), bookmarks, etc.
Backup any downloaded software installers and their licence information
Preserve any physical installation media and licences
Document any important configuration settings.
Then if/when disaster strikes, start with a fresh OS install and rebuild from the above.
For the last 10+ years I have been using “HDClone” to copy my hard drive to an identical hard drive. Yes, I buy 2 identical hard drives. ( Cheap insurance IMO. ) Depending, I clone the HD once a week. I then unhook & remove completely the HD that I was using & run the newly cloned HD. I switch each time I clone.
A HD that is not only not connected but physically in the computer at all but in a drawer or safe or, depending on how much security you want, will not get zapped by a lighting strike etc…
I have done this with different brands & sizes of HD but don’t really like to do that.
If the computer it self fails totally, as in lets a LOT of the smoke out and falls to little bits, this will not reinstall on a different machine without some glitches as stated above.
Over kill?? Maybe.
I detest rebuilding or losing stuff. I clone my picture only HD’s also.
I trust no service. Just as anything on the net is vulnerable to hacking ( my stuff is not worth it but even the big guys & the US Government can be totally safe apparently, I do the best I can with my limited $$$.
Since you don’t say what you do to ‘backup’ to your numbered zip folders we can’t tell you how to restore from them.
Harddrives fail in multiple ways - clicking, refusal to boot, failure to spin, failure to read sections of it… But take heart in that they are constantly getting more durable.
I set up all the PCs I work on (I am PC support at the Co. I work at) with 2 harddrives or 2 HD partitions (shows as 2 drives in Windows).
Windows, drivers and programs on the boot drive. Data on the other.
Windows 7 backup does work, but it’s not the most friendly, so I don’t use it.
I backup my (personal) boot drive after I load windows and the drivers I need. I can re-load any programs from their CDs if needed. And I find my needs (wants) change over time.
Data is backed up to 2 HDs for: images, video & music and (other) data. I have 1 USB HD and 1 PC (Sata) HD and a USB adapter that works very well.
I zip the data and use a backup program for the other.
I do full backups every year between Xmas and NewYrs.
The proper way to make your system bulletproof encompasses 3 parts:
RAID 1/5: Use more than one hard drive to ensure that no single hard drive failure causes you to lose any data at all. Note that RAID is NOT a backup, if you delete it intentionally or get malware, RAID does nothing for you. But it does ensure that you hardly ever need your backups except in a theft or deletion scenario.
Onsite, Full backups: Use something like Acronis True image (or many other choices), to backup your complete system to an external hard drive/internal hard drive in hard drive dock. Buy at least 2 hard drives and rotate them into a fireproof safe or similar when not in use. Use these backups to restore your system if you get malware or delete/overwrite a file. Done properly there should be no need to reinstall windows or reinstall any programs when you restore.
Offsite, Partial Backup: Use Crashplan (or Carbonite, Mozy, Backblaze, which are more expensive, or even Skydrive or Dropbox, although those require more manual work). Back up only your most important files, generally pictures and documents, to the internet. If your house burns down or you get robbed, this is your last line of defense.
Addendum: At no point use the same password for any two services/websites, and especially make sure your online backup service password and your email password match absolutely nothing else.
You do those things and you have basically no chance of ever losing data. I believe the most common failures which could cause data loss are dealt with in order above, which would be:
Thanks everyone! I am taking to heart the constant recommendation from all sides to backup my computer - but realized that does me no good without knowing how to implement a restoration.
My backups to the external drive, insufficiently frequent as they are, do go in a fire safe. I do keep copies of software disks/codes and they will be stored in future fire safe #2.
Trinopus, no, for me, you are not reciting the obvious.
Fair enough. Part of the problem here is that I don’t have sufficient vocabulary to express what I need to here. Let’s see. . . I have Windows 7 on my computer, and I go the the Control Panel–>System and Security–>Backup and Restore, and the settings claim I am backing up “Files in libraries and personal folders and system image.”
It appears that guizot is in the same boat as I - thinking the backup is doing something that according to Duckster and Trinopus, it is not.
This makes sense, and sounds like something I could pull off. (If I only had the one problem)
GusNSpot, jacobsta811, I appreciate your suggestions . . . but telling me to clone my HD or use RAID is beyond my current level here. Although jacobsta811’s option 2 sound doable.
For my level of understanding, possibly my best bet is thorough data backups (and yes, possibly to Dropbox), with the expectation that I would be reinstalling all my software.
I use rsync to create a mirror of my data folder to a terrabyte hard drive. It’s open source and reasonably fast, as it doesn’t copy files that have already been copied. I usually complete a back up in a couple of minutes.
I don’t worry about backing up the OS and programs as I would rather transform the pain of a failed hard drive into an opportunity to reinstall everything from scratch onto a brand new drive.
Your data (work files, photos, music, books, etc.) are the only things that are irreplaceable.
However, re-installing and updating all my applications took me two months, and cost me some $$$, as I had to re-subscribe, or update, or re-register a few programs. It wasn’t hell-on-earth, but it was tedious. It would be nice if it had been as easy as just copying a bit-image from an external HD.
Oh, that’s different. My home box is 100% Linux so I can install the OS from a DVD in about half an hour and install the applications from the repositories via the Internet on an as-needed basis.
Huh, this reminded me, that although I have not technically had a failure, I certainly believed I was about to have one after the coffee+laptop keyboard incident. But I was able to retrieve my data - and yeah, reinstalling was pain, but kind of an opportunity, too. Like when you move to a new home and realize a lot of your stuff isn’t really worth packing.
I guess I thought I should be backing up everything because, well, more is better, right?
Since we’re all tossing in ideas, here’s what I do:
At work:
I store everything in the My Documents folder. Within that I have tons of other folders/sub folders so everything is still easy to find. Once every few months or so I back that up to a thumb drive. At the same time I also back up my Quickbooks files (I do that about once a month) and my Thunderbird Emails. Then I keep the thumbdrive in my car.
I know you said you have a firesafe, which is good. Make sure it’s waterproof though. If you have a fire, you’re going to have water as well. But my workstuff is VERY important as it has all my financial data on it as well as about 10 years of accumulated ‘stuff’ and I’d rather just keep it offsite. Also, about every 5 years I replace the thumbdrive since it corrupts.
At Home: I have a laptop which I keep nothing at all important on. Nothing whatsoever. This way I don’t have to worry about it. My desktop should get backed up once it a while to an external hard drive, but I haven’t done it in years.
So that’s the plan. As for backing everything up, I really like MS Sync Toys. It’s free and very easy to use.
I’d like to back up my work computer more often, the reason I don’t is mostly because between the time I think about doing it and the time I actually remember to bring the thumbdrive in from my car is usually about a week. I look at Carbonite once in a while, but I can’t see spending $60-$100 a year when I can just buy a thumbdrive for a few dollars. I’ve considered getting a Western Digital MyCloud that I can either keep at my house to back up my work stuff or keep at my parents house to back up my work and home stuff. No more having to remember to bring in the jump drive, I can back up whenever I want.
I wouldn’t have thought of it either. My house has never had enough water in it (an inch maybe) to make it up to the seal, but the box showed a fire fighter next to it and specifically mentioned that scenario. I have no idea how much extra I paid for it, but I’m quite sure it’s exactly the same as the one that’s not water proof. Mine just has a gasket that expands in the heat of a fire and seals off the opening (they said you’ll need to pry it open after a fire).
Nothing in there isn’t really irreplaceable. But I’d hate to have to, for example, wait an extra month for the insurance check because I lost the deed to my house in the fire and I’m waiting for a new one.
Now that I think about it, I wonder if it’s waterproof when it hasn’t been in a fire? I think it is, you have to push it and compress the gasket to lock it.