Windows XP Backup Utility and compression size?


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I posted this on the MS web newsgroups... http://support.microsoft.com/newsgroups/de...n-us;newsgroups

Hi,

I recentlly aquired a DVD+/-RW, and took the opprotunity to force my self to create a backup file to burn to disk, thing is everything before i had the DVD thing, I would just do make System Restore Point, but had decided that I would need a Backup file incase that would fail/not possible to get to, either by virus, or a mistake of an individual...

anyway I started up the Backup utility and came to a bad conclusion that it is a horrible design(or coding), first if you do wizard, your really only given three options: back up your files, back up everyones, back up everything on the computer....then there is the choice of picking what gets backed up....the problem?: Not knowing what system files exist, and where, also programs/ other things..., this creates the delima of having to go all out, or try your luck with the electronic devil of possible true harddrive failure with your restore point, let alone the fact your not sure what you could burn with 3rd party programs...

anyway i tried all out and reached a scary conclusion that my second HD would be filled up due to backing up of everything:

92,500,000,000 bytes equals 85.7GBs

.....well over a DVD, let alone it would fill a HD....then i got this weird feeling reminding me that it compresses the data....anyway i stopped the backuping fast in tracks...it only got to 3.8GIGs...but did not want to chance it without more info,

anyway on with the questions:

What files should I back up particularly?...programs, antivirus, drivers, certian games, and maybe media?

How much compression does the backup utility do?...are files that are already compressed(like say in best of RAR) compressed even more?

How much HD space should a backup take?...especially if its not a full drive image?

How long does a compression/backup take?...do you need a floppy for backing up?...or can you just use the utility to re-installish stuff if the worst comes to worst?

Also this is all happening in WinXP Home Edition SP1a/bish i guess....

Anyway i just want basically ONE backup file, that i can fit on a DVD RWable disk of 4.7GIGs, so if anyone knows exactlly what should really be backed up, please email me, or respond to this thread/post.

Thank You for your time.

Kenny

I only back up personal files (important and otherwise) and other stuff I really want/need. Backing up your mp3 collection really doesnt count, you can do that easily on another CD or DVD if you have alot.

Its useless to backup program files because you always have to reinstall them anyways, and with new versions comming out every 15min its hardly worth it.

As to how big the backup should be thats entirely dependant on the person...my first backup was 30gig, then i realized i was being a moron and decided to only backup the stuff I REALLY needed and dropped it down to 8gig (what a joke, my first HD was a tenth of that)

It can take hours, it depends on the ammount you are compressing, the method of compression, and the speed of your box. You dont need a floppy if you are just backing up data onto a CD or harddisk.

Backing up your windows installation and all that is kinda dumb too...its big and after a long enough time even the best-tended windows install needs to be wiped clean and started again from scratch.

hmmm....I don't know....most of the programs I have, keep particular settings i like, plus no i really don't want to back up things i can download again....

Basically I want to back up windows for sercurity reasons, becasue if I had to reinstall WinXP again, and there was a new virus out that i had protection against when i had backed up, but would be opened to attack imediatlly after reinstalling Winxp and virusscan software(i mean like even firewalled turned on, and then go to try to update....only to be hit by a virus because the firewall/virusscan was outdated to begin with, unlike the backup) then that would be a problem,

Anotherwords, i want to backup drivers, virus definitions, virus engines, other programs/burning programs/firmware things, and the windows Service Packs...and kind of treat it like an emergincy install...

naw the porn is easy to replace....err thats what you meant right?... :rollseyes:

but its the files that are in question if a big viral breakout occurs that hinders systems people do not have the newest patch/virusscan thing I am worried about

like if the computer totally screwwed over from a power failure/surge, or whatnot a backup of current patches/virus things would be nice, especially if that virus hits newlly installed systems/ older versions of SErvice Packs, which is why i want the SP/virus/programs backed up with newest possible...

am i just in a continuous loop or what...i keep saying the same stuff....

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