OT: Computer Advice
Szark
Posts: 10,634
I have been more quiet of late due to being hit by the Live Security Platinum Malware (insert abusive slur hear). Had no idea how I got the darn thing and in 15 years of having a clean PC’s I am still scratching my head over it.
Anyhoo I have done a complete OS re-install after formatting the HDD. Jack Tomalin suggested I get Acronis True Image to make better backups so I don't have to run Windows Update for two days flat. LOL
The advice I am after is can you recommend a tried and tested piece of software that is free and simple to use like Acronis True Image. Since been stung with malware my trust is in short supply so hence me asking the folks that know.
Any help will be seriously appreciated.
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Comments
Almost any form of backup is better than none, so long as it allows you to recover.
Best of all are those that take enouhg of an 'image' that they permit you to recover a bootable system, not just the files in the folders.
The main question to ask is, where will you be backing up to?
Thx Simon I can backup to a 1TB 3.5" External HDD, or 1 TB 2.5" External HDD or DVD. :) I would prefer to do it on the 2,5" External. Basically what I am after is something you describe that can make a full clone of the HDD and it being Bootable so to bypass any future malware attacks. :)
If you're using Windows 7, I use it's "Backup and Restore" utility that comes with it. It includes a disk image option that I use regularly. The disk images are restored using a boot-up DVD/CD that you have the option to create. I've restored at least 3 times without a hitch when replacing system drives.
I was going to suggest you lok at the in-built Backup/Restore but was not sure what it was currently capable of. Last time I looked at it it was requesting to use a floppy for a boot image device. Not a lot of use on a laptop with no floppy, and even less use when it woudl not recognise a USB floppy drive as being a valid boot device. Still, times change - and if it will use a DVD now (as I was hoping it might) as LIndsey says, that will be a good, cheap way to go.
If you have a USB external drive connected to the computer, it will give you the option to create the images on it. I've got a few of those on regular rotation now. I never did before until I didn't do ANY sort of backup.. and wished I had one. LOL
Oops sorry yes Vista and it has a simple Back-Up system which from memory doesn't even update new files only. I did have a diffrerent Back Up software as part of Microsofts Windows Live Antivirus beofre they made it free. It was a very nice piece of kit which they probably used for Win 7. ;)
If you have at least one Seagate or Western Digital drive (either your internal drive or your external backup drive) you can get a free, partially reduced functionality version of Acronis True Image. At support.seagate.com look for Seagate DiscWizard, at support.wdc.com look for Acronis True Image WD Edition.
This might be worth looking at.
http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx
Thx mike the Seagate is no better than Vista's one but great suggestion and worth a look, I just tested it. I had no idea it was there on the drive. I do read instructions and manuals in papar form and nothing was said about this software, swines. Anyways looks like I will have to part with some cash.
I think for the price and what it does this is the better one so far http://www.acronis.co.uk/homecomputing/products/trueimage/?gclid=CO6P5OntprICFYXJtAodaSAAUg Thx Jack.
Quick question about backups.... IIRC backup's end up making everything Read Only. When restoring one a while back I ran into an issue of not being able to work with my graphics files because Photoshop and DAZ Studio telling me they are Read Only so no go. Now that's just not cool. Is there a setting when doing the initial backup to tell is to not set things at a Read Only level? One of the reasons I don't back ups or imaging as it's too long and tedious to get things set back to where they need to be. >:-(
Using what backup program? Acronis True Image doesn't change attributes.
Can't remember, been a long while.... sorry!
I highly recommend this too. May save you many hours of work, especially if you have a huge system with many programs and stuff installed.
I restore my Windows installations from previous images 3-4 times a year, Windows simply generates errors over time and needs to be restored regularly to work correctly (there was something about this in another thread also). For the same reason my systems always work almost flawlessly all the time, despite the initial installation may be 5 years old or more.
Also, if I get a BSOD; I always restore immediately, as a BSOD (or anything that kills a running sytem for that matter) very often breaks something in the system. Just happened to me yesterday with a few days old Win 7 installation, and now there are different problems with it.
Personally I prefer Image for DOS:
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/image-for-dos.htm
I've created and restored images with it hundreds of times on several machines during the last 6 years, and never had a problem. Rock stable and 100% reliable program with a lot of extra "nerd" features if you should need them. One thing I especially like is that it has byte-for-byte data verification both when you create and restore an image, something I haven't seen in other programs of that type (they only verify when you create the image). That means that you can be sure that a restored system is 100% identical to the one the image was made from.
For me Windows image backup consists of: "tar -cvzf /dev/st0 /home/krsears/.virtualbox/Win7_64.vdi" and restore is simply "tar -xvzf /dev/st0" for the VirtualBox setups;
"tar -cvzf /dev/st0 /home/vmware/Win2008srvr_64.vmx" and restore is simply "tar -xvzf /dev/st0" for the VMWare setups, and finally:
"dd if=/dev/sdk1 of=/dev/st0" and restore is simply "dd if=/dev/st0 of=/dev/sdk1" for the multiboot systems (Windows Partitions).
These all create the image on the currently loaded magtape in the library unit.
But then again, virii won't run on my systems :-)
Using a free livedisk will allow imaging of any Windows Partition to pretty much any owned media at a cost of 0.00 globally. BTW, this method (dd = diskdump) has been used since the 1970's to image backup systems of all types. Very reliable and time tested.
Kendall
More info Kendall?
On what part?
Kendall
livedisk
OK.
There are literally hundreds of free Linux "livedisks" available which allow one to temporarily boot, and run, Linux from a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM. Using one of these, a person can boot a system, issue the backup commands, and then reboot into their normal systems without modifying the original system.
Here I will layout the basic steps necessary to image a Windows partition to an external USB harddrive:
Hardware Assumptions:
Single Internal Harddrive - first partition contains OS
At least 1 Optical Drive
Single External USB harddrive, or USB flashdrive sufficiently large to hold image.
To Backup
Insert CD into drive and reboot machine
Use whichever method is necessary for one's hardware to boot from CD
Once the Livedisk has booted, launch a "terminal" (this will vary depending on livedisk selected)
from the "terminal" one will issue the following command: dd if=/dev/sda1 of=/dev/sdb1/backup.img
When the prompt returns, the backup is complete -- assuming no error is reported (out of storage, etc)
Remove the livedisk and reboot the system
To Restore
Insert CD into drive and reboot machine
Use whichever method is necessary for one's hardware to boot from CD
Once the Livedisk has booted, launch a "terminal" (this will vary depending on livedisk selected)
from the "terminal" one will issue the following command: dd if=/dev/sdb1/backup.img of=/dev/sda1
When the prompt returns, the restore is complete -- assuming no error is reported
Remove the livedisk and reboot the system
There are many variants to the command that will add compression, encryption, or other processing to the image. Many livedisks contain supplemental GUI based backup programs that will also image a partition, however, dd is guaranteed to be available.
As one can see, the process to image, and restore, is quite simple.
The image file written to the USB drive will be visible to the base OS as "image.img"
Kendall
Thanks much Kendall!
You're welcome. Just be advised that if the system deviates, the user will need to adjust.
A WARNING: dd assumes that the user knows what s/he is doing. MAKE VERY SURE THAT YOUR of= is correct before pressing enter! If one forgets to give a filename and instead of typing "of=/dev/sdb1/image.img" one types "of=/dev/sdb1" then dd will write the image straight to the disk platters of sdb1 and will overwrite anything there.
For most Linux systems: Internal Drive 1 = sda, Partitions are numbered from 1 (sda1, sda2, ...)
Drive 2 = sdb, drive 3=sdc, drive4=sdd, etc
Usually C: will be sda1, however, some DeLL and HP systems may actually store utilities on the first partition, thus making sda2 the C: drive
If the BIOS on the system rearranges the drives then the first accessed drive is sda. This can happen if a RAID controller is used (such as in a DeLL E520 series multimedia system)
To list USB devices use the 'lsusb' command (or the drives will be listed in the GUI)
Also, most Livedisks will allow the creation of CD-R and DVD-R media.
EDIT: If one is using a Windows Software RAID, dd WILL NOT SPAN THE DISCS. However, most imaging software will also fail on Software RAID. Hardware controlled RAID is fine with dd.
Kendall
Thx Kendal. I have seen other posts of yours concerning Windows and 6 monthly reinstalls etc and I appreciate the information. That last lot went straight over my head but yes it was not for me I know but still just shows the diferent levels in understanding.
Thanks everyone for you valued input I think I will go for Acronis.