What is the best free software for windows XP home backups

nikos katsikanis · 07-31-2007, 05:27 PM

Hi I would like some advice What is the best free software for windows XP home backups?

PC eye · 07-31-2007, 10:34 PM

"Windows XP Backup Made Easy" is free from Mixrosoft as outlined at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u..._03july14.mspx

You can easily use XP's own backup tool by simply putting in the installation disk according to that article. You first have to decide where you plan to store the backups made. One method used here requires no software just time to create a main folder outside of any created by the Windows installer(Windows-Docs+Settings-Program Files) and then create sub folders inside that for driver updates, wav files, jpgs, system utilities and updates there plus one utiltty folder for things like Ad-Aware, SpeedFan, and other downloads for ready access.

If you have to reinstall Windows by deleting the current installation at some point the files saved in those folders are left intact on the drive. From there you can burn data disks for long term storage on removable media like data dvds. You save files to those as you go along until you have enough for a data disk.

tlarkin · 07-31-2007, 10:35 PM

keep all your user data on a network/external drive and then also burn DVDs of it as well. Then you can always wipe and reload and then just keep your data on a different drive all together.

terii · 07-31-2007, 11:51 PM

As specified above all backups should be made on external media. This could be an external hard drive, DVD or Flash drive. As far as the software you use get one that suits your needs. Some people like to make image files but need the capability of recovering individual files from it. The list goes on. Personally MS backup does not do the job for me. I would look further for software.

PC eye · 08-01-2007, 06:41 AM

I can tell you how that benefiicial having everything you can burned to disk from bailing someone out a second time. When a friend's son goofed the warranry on an older emachines with XP I ended giving away the SP1 disk for use there when first finding a buy on an SP2 OEM disk. The kid trashed the store bought 1yr. old case and stripped it down later.

With the original drive finally back in I got the system up and running again with a full format and having a large variety of bmps, wavs, and utilities on disk. For the new build here 3 out of 4 drives in use will used where two will be wiped clean for fresh installations of XP and Vista there. The one drive left in the case will have to wiped as well. That second sata reflecting of what tlarkin suggested along with the data dvds still to be burned will preserve a large amount of files.

nikos katsikanis · 08-01-2007, 09:40 AM

all helpful posts, thanks people.

07-31-2007, 05:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
nikos katsikanis Bronze Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: scotland Posts: 54	What is the best free software for windows XP home backups Hi I would like some advice What is the best free software for windows XP home backups?

07-31-2007, 10:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 19,279	"Windows XP Backup Made Easy" is free from Mixrosoft as outlined at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u..._03july14.mspx You can easily use XP's own backup tool by simply putting in the installation disk according to that article. You first have to decide where you plan to store the backups made. One method used here requires no software just time to create a main folder outside of any created by the Windows installer(Windows-Docs+Settings-Program Files) and then create sub folders inside that for driver updates, wav files, jpgs, system utilities and updates there plus one utiltty folder for things like Ad-Aware, SpeedFan, and other downloads for ready access. If you have to reinstall Windows by deleting the current installation at some point the files saved in those folders are left intact on the drive. From there you can burn data disks for long term storage on removable media like data dvds. You save files to those as you go along until you have enough for a data disk. __________________ Turning the Tongue into a Device Controller http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Sma...ory?id=5647175 Is EBay going out of the Auction Business? http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=5626840&page=1

08-01-2007, 06:41 AM	#5 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 19,279	I can tell you how that benefiicial having everything you can burned to disk from bailing someone out a second time. When a friend's son goofed the warranry on an older emachines with XP I ended giving away the SP1 disk for use there when first finding a buy on an SP2 OEM disk. The kid trashed the store bought 1yr. old case and stripped it down later. With the original drive finally back in I got the system up and running again with a full format and having a large variety of bmps, wavs, and utilities on disk. For the new build here 3 out of 4 drives in use will used where two will be wiped clean for fresh installations of XP and Vista there. The one drive left in the case will have to wiped as well. That second sata reflecting of what tlarkin suggested along with the data dvds still to be burned will preserve a large amount of files. __________________ Turning the Tongue into a Device Controller http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Sma...ory?id=5647175 Is EBay going out of the Auction Business? http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=5626840&page=1

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07-31-2007, 10:35 PM	#3 (permalink)
tlarkin VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 6,077	keep all your user data on a network/external drive and then also burn DVDs of it as well. Then you can always wipe and reload and then just keep your data on a different drive all together.

07-31-2007, 11:51 PM	#4 (permalink)
terii Gold Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 268	As specified above all backups should be made on external media. This could be an external hard drive, DVD or Flash drive. As far as the software you use get one that suits your needs. Some people like to make image files but need the capability of recovering individual files from it. The list goes on. Personally MS backup does not do the job for me. I would look further for software.

08-01-2007, 09:40 AM	#6 (permalink)
nikos katsikanis Bronze Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: scotland Posts: 54	all helpful posts, thanks people.