www.aiscl.co.uk

If I were to create a backup of my registry, plus all the files contained in the Program Files folders, would I be able to restore my complete system from scratch by 1) re-installing the operating system and 2) restoring all the files saved by the Ais Backup described above? If not, what would be the easiest and quickest way to get back to the original computer setup following a major disaster? One final question: does saving the registry also save the desktop icons or would you need to include the desktop folder(s) as an extra item?

By the way, I'm running Windows XP Home Edition.

Hi

On most system’s the Windows Operating system is on the ‘C’ drive. The best way to backup Windows and the Programs for disaster recovery is to check the ‘C’ drive. Checking (or as we say in the UK, Ticking) the ‘C’ drive will ensure that all files and dependencies are backed up together (including the registry and other files some backup programs call the ‘system state’). The first backup may take a long time, but subsequent backups will be quicker because only changed and new files are backed up.

The restore procedure would be to install Windows and AISBackup along with any necessary drivers required to read the backup media. Using the Tools / Open Job From Backup Media menu option re-instate the backup job containing the ‘C’ drive backup. Simply restore the backup over the top of the current Windows system., i.e. back to the ‘C’ drive.

There is a slight complication with Windows 2000 & XP as it is likely that the backup is a lot newer than the fresh install of Windows in terms of Service Packs and Patches which means that AISBackup will require that the restore is completed using the Microsoft Recovery Console, which can be found on the Windows installation CD. Users of PC’s that come pre-installed with Windows will usually have an install procedure that re-sets the PC back to as it was delivered. These systems will normally have the set-up files for the recovery console installed on the PC. AISBackup will help you install the recovery console using the Tools / Install Microsoft Recovery Console option.

An alternate way to re-install Windows 2000 & XP is to create a dual boot system, one quite small (2GB) and the other the rest of the drive. The standard Windows set-up procedure enables you to split the disk into two or more partitions. Using this method create a large NTFS active partition at disk capacity minus 2GB, and then create a second NTFS partition using the remaining space. Install Windows, AISBackup and required drivers to the small partition and then restore the original backup to the larger partition. It does not matter during the restore phase if the drive you are restoring t is not the ‘C’ drive because AISBackup takes care of this, the drive will be the C: drive when the original Windows is booted. Prior to re-booting into the newly restored ‘C’ drive the boot menu will need updating as it would have just been restored, do this using the Tools / Edit Windows Boot Menu option.

If you can acquire a new (or old) hard drive to try these options out prior to a real disaster then ‘the panicky feeling’ will not be so bad if a real disaster strikes.

Also see http://www.aiscl.co.uk/DisasterRecovery1.htm

Barry

Thanks for the detailed reply Barry. It looks like I shall have to order quite a few more CD-RW's if I'm going to back up my entire C: Drive (I currently have about 28Gb used up on my hard drive). Any idea approximately how many discs I would need for such a backup?

AISBackup compression ratio is about 60% of the original. You may choose not to delete some large avi, wav data files etc.

There are other backup options, which cost money of course.

USB / FireWire hard drives 40GB from about 61 UKP from www.ebuyer.com

Multi format DVD Writer from about 44 UKP blank DVD media can be bought from around 1.20 UKP for RW media and less that 20 UK pennies for write once media if you buy in bulk. The media prices are from www.bigpockets.co.uk - usually a lot cheaper than from the high street.

AISBackup from release 1.10 fully supports backup to DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD+RW and DVD-RW under Windows XP.

DVD writers also write CD’s, but I expect you already knew that.

A 28GB backup of mixed files will take about:

28 CD’s
3-4 DVD’s
42% of the 40GB USB drive.

A recent backup of 45 GB of 301,760 files used 6.5 DVD’s, this backup contained 12 GB of files that could not be compressed.

Do not forget that subsequent backups only add new and changed files, but if the change file is a 2GB movie then the backup can still grow quite large.

AISBackup supports pruning when the backup is to re-writable media, e.g. DVD+RW, DVD-RW (only when using a packet writing system) and USB / FireWire drive.

Another advantage of going the DVD route is that there are free products that allow the backup of movie DVD’s (for which you own the copyright) , e.g. DVDShrink. This is not the forum to debate the legality of copying of copyright material for backup purposes.

Barry