Author Topic: External Hard Drive Backup (Read 381 times)

Halo · « **on:** January 25, 2004, 01:45:15 PM »

Finally decided on system backup: a 120-GB Maxtor One Touch external hardrive with its Retrospect software.

So far so good -- did an initial total system backup and the first automated update.

On the total system backup, not able to identify individual files on the external hard drive, but when desired, can back up individual files any time and they supposedly replace the same ones okay within the total system backup.

Have backed up some separate files too and they are identifiable and workable by themselves. Supposedly can use the external hard drive just like an internal hard drive.

Using USB 2.0 port although sometimes the Maxtor insists it isn't really fast enough to be 2.0. Go figure.

Questions: Have any of you with similar systems ever had to restore your entire drives? Did that work as advertised? Any problems I should know about?

Connection · « **Reply #1 on:** January 28, 2004, 11:46:34 PM »

You should not have any problem, USB 2.0 is fast enough to use just like a regular hard drive, but Firewire is even better.

beet1e · « **Reply #2 on:** January 29, 2004, 11:20:49 AM »

Halo, I told you the bundled software was crap!

Spend a bit of money, and get Drive Image 7.0 from PowerQuest.

The option screen looks like this. You have the choice to restore an entire drive, or selected files - which is what you want.

Halo · « **Reply #3 on:** January 29, 2004, 12:14:22 PM »

Beetle, I agree the bundled Retrospect software talks in funny tech language and is more time consuming than it should be. But it works okay, and I can backup individual files as well as whole system.

Earlier I bought Backup Now 3 before I got the Maxtor drive. Backup Now is friendlier but so far Retro is doing what I need.

I'm disappointed that the whole computer backup does not seem to have files identifiable and hence manipulable individually. But I think that may be characteristic of whole drive backups.

Naturally individual file/folder/program backups are easy to identify and use.

Backup Now is recommended by PC and PC World among others, but oddly enough the bundled Retrospect seemed to be what the Maxtor drive preferred.

beet1e · « **Reply #4 on:** January 29, 2004, 03:58:14 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Halo
I'm disappointed that the whole computer backup does not seem to have files identifiable and hence manipulable individually. But I think that may be characteristic of whole drive backups.

No, no, no! The Drive image backup is an image copy, but gives the option of recovering individual files as well.

Halo · « **Reply #5 on:** February 01, 2004, 09:40:19 PM »

Mmmm, okay ... finally figured out how to identify individual files too. The automated backup seems to run okay. Glad to finally have what appears to be a good functional backup system.

I'm still interested in hearing any stories from people who have had to restore their entire computer system using one of these drives. I hope no one ever has had such a serious problem, but I'm curious to find verification that such backup systems as this really fulfill their main purpose.