Main Area and Open Discussion > General Software Discussion
HowTo EASILY create image backup?
Curt:
..... DriveXML which doesnt do incremental images -tomos (April 14, 2008, 03:57 AM)
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- just as I had decided to stay with DriveXML, I read this! What a deal-breaker!
Oh, wait, no deal to break; it is gratis!
Well, if I start using a backup program, I might as well use one that I can keep on using every day, meaning incremental backups are a must-have. DriveXML: off you go!
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I went out today and bought a stationary 500 GB USB hard drive, 7200rpm, a new stand-alone CD/DVD burner, and a 2 GB USB stick. What? Curt, on your budget?! Huhumm... The tax office made a deposit on my bank account yesterday! Yes!! Unfortunately the deposit was not big enough to purchase the ultimate answer to my problems: a new computer. But I spend $150 (inflation: now $200) on these devices, so tomorrow I will take my Paragon 8 Special Edition to a new test, and this time I will follow Grorgy's recommendation and tell it to create a full image.
- tomorrow! :)
MerleOne:
One last one word of advice : your external USB HDD will probably come with a partition formatted in "FAT32" format, which is much more sensitive to any brutal halt (power failure, computer crash, ...). You should really convert the partition in NTFS format. But only if this HDD is for use with XP, 2K, NT, Vista, etc. If you have a Mac or a Win98 computer, you should leave as it is.
How to convert the partition : no need to reformat anything, you can perform a non destructive conversion like this : Open a command window : Start/Execute/ type cmd + return
type the following command :
> Dir Y: (Y: is the letter under which your new HDD is recognized)
Note Y: Label
> convert Y: /FS:NTFS /X (Y: is the letter under which your new HDD is recognized)
You will be asked a confirmation by entering the Y: Label
Convert will then make a quick check of the current file system, then convert the drive in a few minutes. Et voilà !
One more thing : with your new drive will probably be packaged a backup program (file backup at least). If not, check the drive manufacturer website, for example Western Digital. In most cases, these manufacturer allow end-users to download an OEM imaging software, which they have rebranded. So you might get a free imaging software quicker than you thought.
f0dder:
With a brand new disk without data on, I'd rather use format than convert... also, a full format, even though it takes a lot of time, since that serves as a rather comprehensive disk check as well :)
And I agree totally about doing NTFS instead of FAT, it's more robust... and also supports individual files larger than 4GB.
MerleOne:
With a brand new disk without data on, I'd rather use format than convert... also, a full format, even though it takes a lot of time, since that serves as a rather comprehensive disk check as well :)
And I agree totally about doing NTFS instead of FAT, it's more robust... and also supports individual files larger than 4GB.
-f0dder (April 16, 2008, 06:24 AM)
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If the HDD is empty, format is certainly a good solution, but there might be some included software already on the HDD. With "convert" you don't have to move the files elsewhere before turning the partition into NTFS. And its pretty quick too.
Curt:
[almost off topic] What is in general the benefit of FAT32, since some people swear to it? [/almost off topic]
PS!
It really is a lot easier to format:
right-click the drive > "Format..." > Okay
-5 seconds later: end of story.
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