[ozziebeanie]

I have two disc's per computer, I put an operating system on both, then install ghost, (yeah I have two other programs that do back ups buy why change when it has done it great since I got the program around 2002).

Then on the bigger drive I continue to install all the programs I want, and change all the settings to how I want them make sure all the service packs are on and all updates, when I have it exactly how I like it (this is when you FIRST make an image on a new computer) I install the second drive, then close down and I boot to the second drive (which only has operating system on it and Ghost) and then make my image.

Then I take the drive off the computer, as a second drive is always running in the background, I regularly make a copy and always keep the at least two images saved, and make sure the computer is clean before I made either image.

No boot disc required if the hard drive craps out, get another drive, connect the second drive and boot to it and lay image on new drive. or if like me in the past, you have picked up a nasty in your computer that wont let you do anything then shut down add other disc on boot to second drive and lay another image on infected drive.

Because I do this, I turn off system restore as it does use resources, not that it really matters on my computer, as it does not really affect the speed but it can do on slower models like you would find in government departments.

Beanie

[Compiler]

Macrium Free version, after using it on a few computers.... works extremely well, very easy to use. The price is excellent for home users... $0. Its not full-blown of course, but its does a great job. Even GHOST would only backup whole partitions.

It took about 5 mins to make a 14GB partition into a 10GB backup file.

[midders]

Slightly off-topic, but still on the theme of backups, I've just started using http://www.adrive.com to store important data offsite. They offer 50gb free which is more than enough for most user docs etc. and if you compress and encrypt your data with 7zip (AES-256) using a strong password (KeePass generates excellent ones) then it's as secure as you're going to get.

Sláinte

midders

[Compiler]

In the days of 10~15 megapixel consumer cameras (Folks, 4~5mp is more than enough for 5x8), 50GB over the internet is not usable for heavy users. But there are many people who can use that since they only have 1~2GB of data.

[M@C]

If I set up an external HD to store some files (mp3 & PS), with a second partition for writing back-up images. Should it be formatted?
In the past I've used drives for storage with out doing any partitioning or formatting.

[Compiler]

If a drive isn't formatted, it cannot store any data.

You can save an image file anywhere it'll fit.
You should create the partitions before using the external drive to store data.

[udhai1]

well you can try copying all of The Sims 3 files and burn them to a CD. But you wouldn't be able to play the burned disk because it doesnt have the flash/simulation in the files. Those files are probably scattered or placed somewhere in your hardrive(s) and named differently. So i dont really think you can play Sims 3 on a burned disk or any other disks. Just the Sims 3 disk only

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naruto games
ds lite nintendo

[Compiler]

Why backups are important.

I found out a whole folder was missing, maybe accidentally deleted - don't know. But 8GB of data / 3000+ files which I needed for a work project... was gone. It could have disappeared 6 months ago for all I know.

I wasn't worried about it too much as I had a copy on an external (not attached) storage.

Backup drives shouldn't be constantly attached to your computer. Do your back ups and disconnect.

If I didn't have those files, I would have lost everything... forever.

With todays digital cameras and camcorders which makes life very easy - YOU must have an external backup... or you can easily lose everything for any number of reasons.

A $100 backup drive (1TB) can be bought anywhere.