16 replies to this topic

[Ohnos]

So I've finally got Vista Ultimate and to be honest, I really like it. It's mostly eye candy, but I like it a lot. My system seems to run all the bells and whistles without any indication of slowdown or anything else. But I've got one thing about Vista that is bugging me and I can't seem to make work. The backup utility, which I was thinking was going to be really good, seems to really stink, lol. If anyone knows of a good freeware backup program I can use, that might be the ticket, but I'd like to find out if I can get Vista's backup utility to work first.

The problem is that it will not backup to my network Samba share (a linux file server utility for Windows compatability). Vista can see the samba share and I can manually copy and get files to and from it without any trouble. The backup utility will let me select it too, but when I go to use it, it asks for a username and password and won't let me get by it. The share is wide open to my network with no username or password on it. I tried one thing which was to change the network security in Vista to accept all possible types of authentication, but still no joy.

I guess some other backup utility would be better anyway, since it appears that Vista won't let me select the folders I want to backup and only offers full system backup or files and settings. But this little username/password crud is bugging me. Anyone know a way around this? WinXP's backup utility handles it just fine.

[GRS]

Vista Ultimate seems to have a problem with networks that don't have passwords, not sure if this will help you but can't hurt.
Start / run / gpedit.msc (start the group policy editor)

Open the tree:
Computer configuration / Windows Settings / Security Settings / Local Policies / Security Options

Find the item:
Accounts: Limit local account use of blank passwords to console login only

If this item is enabled, you will not be able to logon to other computers on the network that have blank (zero-length) passwords. IT IS ENABLED BY DEFAULT

Change it to disabled

This will fix a ton of network access problems on many home networks where no user account passwords are implemented

[Broni]

As for other backup option, you can try free DriveImage XML: http://www.runtime.org/dixml.htm

[Ohnos]

Thanks GRS, I'll give that a try.

As to free backup software. At this moment I'm running Cobian backup, a free backup utility and it appears to be exactly what I want. Offers many more options than Vista backup and also compresses in a zip file so I have easy access to my files from anywhere. After I schedule it and run it for a few days I'll give you my final opinion.

I also found AVG free for anti-virus protection that is free. I'm really liking that. I can't stand security suites that run everything there is all the time. This is just anti-virus and it appears to be highly rated. I'm very happy so far. I couldn't run my usual anti-virus as it won't run on Vista, but AVG free seems like it's doing a great job.

[Broni]

AVG is used by many people, including myself.

[dobhar]

I'm using NOD32 Antivirus on all my PC's including my Laptop running Vista Ultimate...Works quite well.

[Broni]

Not free, though....

[dobhar]

That is true but you do get a great product for a very cheap price.

I not saying that AVG free is wrong to install, in fact I think of all the free AV out there AVG Free is the best, IMHO. I personally think that if you want a better product you have to buy it and as far as I am concerned NOD32 is better than AVG Free hands down. Compare AVG Free to NOD32 and see what you get.

Free is great and I use my fair share of free security products...
- Comodo Firewall
- Comodo BOClean
- AVG 7.5 AntiSpyware
- Spybot S&D

[Ohnos]

Oh, by the way GRS, those settings did not get me past the request for user and password :( I can't seem to figure that one out, but at least I have backups running now with Cobian. Strange thing with Cobian backup, it's not working right on my wife's WinXP computer. It won't copy everything over. It says that it's done and complete in the log, but most of the stuff is missing and most of the folders are empty. Strange stuff.

[Ohnos]

I have been able to get Cobian Backup to run fine on all my computers. I guess I just had something setup funky on my wife's computer, but all is well now. I like the software, some things could be explained better, but I figured out what I needed to eventually and it seems to run very well. Does everything I needed it to also http://www.smartestc...tyle_emoticons/default/bravo!.gif

[Smokey]

This Cobian Backup, does it create a complete clone of the system? If it does, is the clone the exact same size of the partition that it's backing up? Has anyone tried to do a full recovery with Corbian?

I still use a Ghost 2003 boot disk even though it's not compatible with Vista. There is no need to install Ghost 2003 in order to use it, that's why I like it. I just create the boot floppy on one of my XP computers, boot to the floppy on my Vista computers and create the clone on the backup internal hard drive. That way in case I have a hard drive failure I just unplug the failed hard drive and boot to the backup drive. It's as simple as it sounds.

[Ohnos]

That sounds great Smokey. But I don't backup the whole system, I just backup data. I understand where you're coming from, but for me, I like to start from scratch every now and then. So if I had a hard drive failure, I'd just start from scratch and then copy my data files. Everything seems so much peppier after installing fresh.

Anyway, Cobian does have the option to fully back up the entire system, I just don't use that option. I don't think it's ghosting the drive though.

[Smokey]

Ohnos, on Feb 18 2008, 04:43 PM, said:

I like to start from scratch every now and then. So if I had a hard drive failure, I'd just start from scratch

That's exactly why I use a clone. My system gets backed up about 2 weeks after my windows clean install. By then I have all my software installed and all my files just the way I want them.
I use a program called File Hamster With File Hamster any file that is added to my "Documents" folder is copied over to the backup "Documents" folder. That backup drive can be updated whenever I want because I can boot to it just like I can boot to my main drive. That way it stays clean and lean for whenever I need it. I also have the option to transfer the fully loaded fresh install to my main drive at any time.

So when you're reloading windows and installing all your programs, I just unplug the old drive and I'm back to 2 weeks after my original install.

I also use it to backup all the computers I build. That way when family, friends, and customers screw something up I can talk them through a full recovery in less than 5 minutes. You would not believe how often that happens.

I've learned the hard way by not backing up with a clone. Now I go overboard backing up.

[Ohnos]

Smokey,

Somehow I'm not getting it, lol. Are you saying that every computer you build has two hard drives, one a clone of the other? It sounds great what you do, but I guess I'm a little slow.

How can I do something similar with a different setup. I have one drive that I put backups of all my computers (five, six if you count the computer I use for a file server, my backup machine). I don't have the luxury of having two drives in each computer (or I'm miss understanding you). I like what you're doing and it sounds like it accomplishes what I want much easier.

Also, Cobian isn't working again now, so I guess I'm not so happy with it. I'm in the mood to do something different and it sounds like you have something there I like but I'm not completely understanding it.

Remember, software just confuses and annoys me, lol. Maybe I can do what I've been doing with your hamster program, but the clone stuff sounds great too.

[Ohnos]

Actually, I think Cobian Backup did do what it was supposed to do, lol. I was just looking in the wrong place for some files. But I still think I like what you are doing Smokey, if there is a way to do it with my setup. Can I make a clone file, so to speak, such that I can re-load it onto a new drive should the one I have fail, or that I can re-load onto my current drive when I want to "re-install" everything to a clean setup?

[Smokey]

Ohnos, I would say 80% of the computers that go out of my door have 2 drives. All my personal computers have 3 to 4 drives. When I do a clean install of windows like I did with Vista last January, I do it on a new drive. That way I keep my old "bootable" drive to access when ever I need to look for old info and files. That always happens to me.

When I build a computer for a paying customer I always install 2 drives and partition the backup drive. That way the original clean backup including Office 2007, Roxio, an antivirus program and a couple more important programs can live on the first partition of the backup drive. The other partition can be used for storage.

When I build a computer for a family member that they don't pay for, I install one large drive with at least 2 partitions. With 2 partitions I can still store a "bootable" clone on one of the partitions. With this setup, they are protected from anything except hard drive failure.

All these setups are using internal hard drives. This can't be done with an external hard drive.

Hard drives are cheap when it comes to backing up my personal data. I lost everything once in 2001 due to a power line coming down in my back yard and it took me months to re-create all my business files. That taught me a lesson. As far as customers and family members computers go, I can fix their crashed computers (for what ever windows related reason) in minutes over the phone preforming a full system recovery. This works great for me and them because none of them live by me. This just happened 2 months with my sister-in-law whom is one of our SC members (mayfly43).

Sorry, It seems that I rambled on.
In your case you could do a number of things. You're just backing up files at this time, you don't need any program for that. Just copy and paste will almost be as affective.

You could use a program like Partition Magic, partition your existing hard drive and create a clone on that new partition. I would suggest, install a second hard drive and create a clone on that new drive. If you had 2 drives from the start, you would install Vista on both drives so that Vista would create a (dual boot)boot menu but since you didn't, you would simply have to make a quick bios change to boot to the "new clone" so you can keep that clone updated.

NOTE: XP is different and easier to create a duel boot menu. All you have to do is modify the boot.ini file and it will dual boot to a second partition or a second drive.

[Ohnos]

Smokey,

I certainly understand what you do and why you like it. Especially for your business. Maybe sometime I'll get dual drives for my computers, they are certainly cheap enough now.

For me, my computers are mostly toys, lol. Of course I have important stuff that I don't want to lose, especially my wife's stuff, so I backup the data incrementally every night. All my business is at my business and since I don't work for myself, that stuff is all backed up for me and if I have a problem I call the IT department, lol. I wanted a backup program so that my data would be backed up automatically every night, and I'm alright with that for the moment (although I have to admit that what you are doing is better). At least my way I have access to all the data on all of the computers here from any computer, and I do like that option. Of course you could just share directories on every computer, but I'm not fully happy with how that works. My file server is accessible like a second drive on any computer and not all the computers in the house have to be on for me to access any data.

I do have extra hard drives around, a couple of computers have two in them, so I might try what you do on a couple of them. When I get around to it, lol. But for the time being I guess I'll do what I do.