[fcolley]

Does XP home edition have a back-up utility? If not, where can i find one?

 

[Squashman]

On XP Pro, the ntbackup utility gets installed by default, but on XP Home you need to manually install it from the CD.

Hidden deep in the recesses of the Windows XP Home Edition CD lies the actual installation program that you need to put the Backup Utility on your computer. Simply insert the XP CD, and run NTBACKUP.MSI (it might look like just "Ntbackup") program from the folder D:\Valueadd\msft\ntbackup where D: is the letter of your CD drive. This will launch the Windows Backup Utility Installation Wizard, which will install the utility automatically. When it is finished, click "Finish." It's that easy!

 

[Lori 1]

Lwd, what about the people that have WinXP Home Edition, all ready installed, on there computer when they got it, and don't have an XP CD?

 

[Squashman]

They should have put all the files from the cd on the hard drive then. Not sure why some manufacturers dont give you a cd. Makes no sense to me. What kind of computer do you have so I know never to buy one from that manufacturer.

 

[Lori 1]

Compaq Presario Win XP Home Edition, I got it for Christmas, and yeah it bummed me out, there were no CD's that came with it.

 

[Squashman]

I would send an email to their support and ask them how you are suppose to do it then.

 

[mike5532g]

NTBACKUP

 

[Squashman]

Does this help at all. Read the whole document. Has a couple of solutions depending on which Presario you have.

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=c00001657

 

[Lori 1]

I have online chat tech support for as long as I have the computer, I was talking to a tech this morning about it, somehow, system recover, has something to do with it, I'm still confused about it all, I'm learning how to use XP, from Win98. It is a little frustrating for me, New computer, and scanner, camera etc, are not compatable with it. Just taking one day at a time, with it all.

 

[Lori 1]

wow Thanks ,Lwd,and Mike, I will check these links out, they look like some, good pages.

 

[fcolley]

LWD, Thanks for the help. Worked like a charm.

 

[aussie girl]

Hi all,
Have been following this thread with interest. I have a new computer that was factory installed with windows XP home. It came with a product recovery cd-rom plus many others.

I tried to locate the installation program for the back-up utility that LwdSquashman mentioned, but with no luck. My question is, are we talking about the same cd-rom? The print on the cd is as follows; Omega Technology, product recovery cd-rom. Support for these products is provided by Omega technology. Windows XP home edition SP1. Is this the right one?

I also have a cd-rom titled' DIGITAL ez LG (brand of monitor). It has a users guide and driver install file. I assume this has nothing to do with the former.

Sorry for asking such basic questions, but I have wanted to know about Back-ups, and cant seem to get a straight answer from anyone. I asked a friend about this subject some time ago, she said not to worry about it, only business do back ups. I have also researched through google and come up with a 15 page printout of the process from start to finish. Should it be this complex??

Thanks for your time and advice in advance.

 

[Cosmic]

You don't actually need the built in back up utility to XP. There are many shareware and other programs available to do the job. Part of it depends on what sort of back up scheme you want. Usually the super important is your data. Something like this.

http://top100programs.ezthemes.com/software/details.php?catid=s_32&id=6101

For all data, I never have any of it on Drive C anyway and just do bulk copies to other hard drives. For the Registry, you can do it via one of the Shareware type programs or just do it via:

Start > Run > Regedit > Registry > Export ..... Name the file, etc. etc.....
To restore, you just do the same keystrokes, only using Import and select the file you saved before.

Many of these Shareware programs are designed to save in a Backup mode your Favorites, Registry, E-Mail etc to something like a CD-ROM. You need to think out the entire Backup scheme. Usually you do want to back up the entire OS system as well. The included Utility in XP has a size limit and if you are like most people and have your data on Drive C, usually can't do everything as one back up anyway using the built in Utility.

The best schemes include making the backups on a totally separate hard drive, some people Ghost copy the entire drive. Many ways to do the same thing. Plus XP system Restore also provides some protection but for hardware related problems under XP you want good OS backups for sure.

So having the XP backup Utility is not super important. Best to think out your backup scheme from both a hardware and software viewpoint and then decide how it will be done. Personally I do not like back ups of data that change the data format, compression, ZIP's, special files, etc. I like all data saved in its native form.

There are a lot of things about XP to not totally trust. That back up Utility is probably one of them. Nice to have a number of ways to make backups so one flaw doesn't catch you with the pants down.

 

[aussie girl]

thanks Cosmic, I've installed 'Save-it'. Will give this a try. I'm still not sure what exactly what I'm doing, but I guess I'll learn as I go - as with most beginners

 

[Lori 1]

I wish you luck aussie girl, last night I clicked on a program on my system to make a one time back up, of my registry, Well... I was assuming this was my WIN XP system registry, when I finally got to the point of burning the CD, it told me I would need 6 CD's to do this, when I only had 1 CD to do this on, so I backed out of it, so don't feel alone,lol I am new at XP also. And very confused.

 

[Cosmic]

I wish you luck aussie girl, last night I clicked on a program on my system to make a one time back up, of my registry, Well... I was assuming this was my WIN XP system registry, when I finally got to the point of burning the CD, it told me I would need 6 CD's to do this, when I only had 1 CD to do this on, so I backed out of it, so don't feel alone,lol I am new at XP also. And very confused.

That Utility is very easy to get confused on. The Registry should fit on one CD very easy. You have to be exactly sure what files, functions you are telling it to back up. I don't totally trust the Utility because it also has this habit of getting confused on a Restore too and start claiming it can't find the files.

Many people with only a Drive C will make a partition for backups on that drive. Usually that can give a big enough space to do some decent back ups. The risk is failure of the hard drive. CD-ROM's can be a pain because either burning must be supported or maybe you can use a direct R-W format but the media does introduce some element of risk. I prefer hard drives and ZIP drives because of their reliability and ease of read-write. Back up hard drives have that advantage of as much room as desired in most cases.

So the consideration of where to put the back up is one of the major elements in any back up scheme. In my case I have two separate physical hard drives for every back up file that provide for a very secure method of never having all the eggs in one basket. The only thing ever on Drive C is the OS and the associated program files. One of those spots is a hard drive position where I can use hard drive swappable tray system. All data is backed up this way by a direct bulk copy. I also back up the OS system that way. In addition I have a USB 80G external hard drive that I use for backing up a number of systems.

I will make a OS backup for XP Pro using that built in Utility but don't totally depend on it. I save many backups over a time period, I like to do a bulk copy of the OS to that external drive about once a week. Part of the criterion is to be able to exactly label what is being saved. I use a folder system tagged by OS, then subfolders for what is being saved, Registry, OS, and be sure to time-date the back ups. Some of the big back ups can take ~ a hour so you don't do them every day, once a week or more. All data is treated totally separate. Most is organized by subject on both ZIP disks and swappable hard drives, all back ups are via bulk copy methods. Back up frequency is determined by use and how much data is changing.

For things like Favorites, Registry, Program files, I use a ZIP disk system to save the back ups also. The back up runs are very quick and I tend to do them based on any changes being made. The Registry is always backed up before any tweating at all, either manually, via HiJack or even optimizing runs by other software. I tend to trust that Run > Regedit method I gave before the most. Plus it is fast. So my back up scheme is designed around frequency of runs based on smaller chunks normally of what changes the most. Not every thing gets backed up with the same frequency.

That idea of using ZIP disks to hold the program files is a good one. I maintain one disk that has most of the program files. Is where I initially download. To maintain a number of systems this has an extra advantage in all the programs are in one central spot. If updates are required, only the ZIP disk gets another download and then many systems can be updated from there, serves as a form of back up too.

If you really think this subject thru it comes down to a number of discussions and arguments.

1. What do you consider secure in terms of hardware and how much redunancy do you want?? Which leads to a discussion of what is really secure and potential failure paths that can prevent the back up from being usable.

2. What do you trust as the copy method and storage format for back up files? I always prefer simple bulk copies in the native file format as the most reliable back up.

3. In what size and scope do you want to do back ups???? One large ghost copy of a particular drive is nice but the downside is you are screwed if that is flawed for some reason, plus you may also be depending on some independent software to Read-Write which can be another potential flaw. For this reason, I like both large total back ups of say the entire OS / Program files, Drive C but also recognize they will not get done that often. Also doing smaller back up runs on what is changing the most is another layer of protection.

4. What time frequency and how much work is to be devoted to making back ups. I would argue making smaller back ups of whatever changes the most is a critical feature. Maybe losing your E-Mails is what really scares you.

5. In the end it is what do you fear and what level of protection is desired to make those fears managable?? A bit of what is really important to you??? For me it is never ever having any data at risk and never having to reload the OS due to some minor glitch. A reload and complete setup of the desktop exactly the way I want it can be a major number of hours.

6. You can go with one of those schemes that says it can back up in real time to another drive. No matter, how you lash things up, there always will be a potential failure mode. Murphy never takes a Holiday. Can be a bit of mental walk thru, if this happens, how am I protected and how will I recover? The tricky part is always if multiple failures occur. Are you keen enough to have foreseen the sneak paths to failure and had all bases covered so you can get a total recovery to your liking with reasonable effort in a short enough time? Will vary, system to system, person to person, sure will never fail safe.

Can be a complicated subject from many angles, best when thought out and planned for, set up well in advance. You never are prepared enough when Murphy is on the loose.

 

[Lori 1]

lol, after I read all that, wheww I am impressed of your knowledge, I think I will leave the back up alone for a while, Getting a new computer with XP on it has, ummm got me way out there, I understood everything you wrote above, but, I think that is alittle out of my league for now. They say WINXP is idiot proof,lol, it's going to take me some time get use to XP after using Win 95 & 98 for 15 years. I guess what I was wanting to back up is my registry.

 

[aussie girl]

Thanks for your moral support Lori 1. Its nice to know I'm not the only one who finds this aspect of computing very confusing. I'm still trying to get a grasp of computer 'speak and terminology'

 

[Lori 1]

aussie girl, your quite welcome, all thought I'm not much help in this area, after finally getting Win 98 down after 10 to 15 years, I get a new computer with XP on it for Christmas, lol I don't know if I am happy, or not, XP seems to be very confusing for me. All though, I have come a little way since Christmas. But not far enough, to even speak of,lol just getting the how to's down. On XP.

 

[Lori 1]

Tech Support has been quite a blessing for me over the years, just hang in there, these people here on Tech support are quite remarkable people. And very kind and understanding. Keep posting threads and you will eventually get your answer.