I just reformatted my laptop computer, reinstalled windows, and got all the latest updates for a nice fresh start. That took a bit of work. So I was wondering how to back all this effort up. How could, if I needed to, I simply reformat the hard drive, and insert a backup disc, copy the files over, and be completely restorred.
I think NERO does this. But I only have a cd/dvd combo drive and cannot burn dvd's. I'm using about 8gb of the notebook's hard drive now, and would like to copy it to 2 dvds.
I have a large usb external hard drive, and a second computer that has a dvd burner.
Is it as simple as copying all the files from my notebook hard drive, over to the external usb hard drive, then burning to dvd? If I copied these files back to the blank/formatted hard drive on my notebook, would windows(xp home sp2) work? Doesn't registry files and other hidden stuff not transfer well?
2007-02-26 23:03:34 · 3 answers · asked by westmassboy76 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Software
Backup is very simple if you are using Acronis True Image. I use True Image for a long time and quite happy with it. I think it is the best home backup utility on market for now. I recommend you just to install a trial version to ensure that with True Image backup is simple and reliable. Follow the link to see True Image features: http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/
2007-03-02 03:04:59 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No.
I tried a Maxtor external and it refuses to back up Windows itself. There's Norton Ghost which is good when it works which is often but not always. I'm trying out something called "true image" (google it) which seems to do a good job but it doesn't give me warm-and-fuzzies while it's running. In a couple of critical backups it did fine and let me transfer my software but the progress bar never moved.
2007-02-26 23:23:43 · answer #2 · answered by Meg W 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You cannot just copy the files because there must be a boot section that can't be created correct with a file copy.
Norton Ghost is a popular software to solve you problem, but there are other alternatives too.
Link to Norton Ghost
http://www.symantec.com/home_homeoffice/products/overview.jsp?pcid=br&pvid=ghost10
2007-02-26 23:28:24 · answer #3 · answered by casper 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋