Backup Opinion quesiton...

[Zug]

Ok,

So, currently I have Paragon System Backup 9.5 running. I have been looking into making sure I have the best/proper one. It was recommended get Ghost 2003, but that program wont run on my machine. I currently use Win7 64bit.. tried to install it and it said it had compatability issues..so I started looking into others.. the 2 that ive been seeing recommended the most seems to be either Macrium Reflect or Paragon Backup and Recovery Free... i have DL'd both, just not installed yet till figure which..

Currently have SB9.5 running and was using the WD Smartware (but hogs the machine, so wanna get rid of it) and had windows restore going.. looking for recommendations for best use... should i just keep sb9.5 since it has the boot up nad press f6 option to restore that way and not needing cd/usb, or should i install one of the other 2 and replace it.. or keep SB and put one of the other 2 and have both?

Could use some recommendations.. I have a 2TB drive that is just bout full with movies and i wanna move my back ups off that.. i just got a 1TB portable and thinking of moving my backups to that and making it a bootable drive with some stuff (Mission Impossible USB from Boot-land if you wanna check that out) and have some portable apps on it + maybe a virtual copy of my windows.. other thing wondered is if i should partition the portable and put my backups on 1 partition and the MIUSB and virtual on the other part..

any help appreciated,
Thanks,
Zug

[johnshaw1917]

You could try Redo Backup and Recovery. You can download the .iso file from the link provided below and create a bootable cd. No need to install any extra software on your computer. I have tried Redo and it works.

http://redobackup.org/

[Swarup]

You can use the following software both are good
Clonezilla

You can also use Macrium Reflect Free Edition

[grr]

Zug

I would suggest to partition the portable HDD and put backups on 1 partition and the MIUSB and virtual on the 2nd partition.

btw - do u have 2TB WD HDD?

I'm planning to buy one. Getting it from Walmart for $135.99 with 3-year warranty.

[sujay]

If you prefer to have any incremental backup software I will suggest you GFI Backup.
http://www.gfi.com/backup-hm/free-backup-software

[Zug]

Thanks all for the reply.

@grr yes I have the WD 2TB HDD.. it isnt too bad. I would recommend though that you do not use the Smartware software that comes with it. If it tries to load, dont load it. WD put out a new firmware making it so you dont have to use their software anymore. So, check out the WD site before you plug it in to make sure you are gtg and know what to do. You might need to format it before you can use it in order to not use the SW software..

For the backup, I was thinking of wanting one that can do Dynamic/differential (think one of those is the words looking for) so that all it does is add to the backup the changes that I have made instead of having to redo/re-image the backup again fully.. I cant recall if it is Macrium or the Paragon BR one that does it..

I will take a look at the redo software program, and have seen the clonezilla but think the macrium/paragon were recommended more/seemed to be higher on the "better" options..

I will have to see if i can find the comparison charts again or just check their sites to find out which one offers the dynamic backup option..

Not sure i have seen much about the GFI one.. will check that one out as well..

Thanks again for the opinions..

If you have any more questions on it GRR let me know.. 135 isnt to bad .. i paid like 200 for it out here when it first came out over here in iraq.. newegg has a good price on it as well.. found a good deal on a tosihba 1TB portable from them that is the same price as a lot of the 500gb ones, specially out here..

Zug

Edit: ok.. looked up.. Clonzeilla and Redo cant do the differential backups (least yet).. Macrium can do it, but only in the paid full version.. Paragon B&R free is the only one able to do differential..

So, it looks like of those 4, paragon might be the one to choose.. question now is.. does B&R offer more than their System Backup 9.5 ?? anyone know answer to that by chance?

[grr]

Thanks all for the reply.

@grr yes I have the WD 2TB HDD.. it isnt too bad. I would recommend though that you do not use the Smartware software that comes with it. If it tries to load, dont load it. WD put out a new firmware making it so you dont have to use their software anymore. So, check out the WD site before you plug it in to make sure you are gtg and know what to do. You might need to format it before you can use it in order to not use the SW software..

If you have any more questions on it GRR let me know.. 135 isnt to bad .. i paid like 200 for it out here when it first came out over here in iraq.. newegg has a good price on it as well.. found a good deal on a tosihba 1TB portable from them that is the same price as a lot of the 500gb ones, specially out here..

Thanks Zug. The Smartware software is put in as a CD-ROm DRIVE and eats a good space. Good to know from you that there are ways to get rid of it.

I would also check on newegg for the deal.

btw how long you have been using that drive and how full it is? Also do u use it occasionally or daily? I'm concerned as I read the reviews on Amazon and was shocked that some of these drives died the very 1st week....and the one's which are exchanged under warranty are refurbished.

[Zug]

hmm I have have the HDD since about March.. I use it daily.. put over a TB of movies on it and have been adding to it.. I keep it hooked up to my laptop unless I come over to the rec center for net access.. so far really havent had any issues for the most part... i did the firmware update and thinking of trying to uninstall the WD software and see what happens.. along with the movies I have my backups from the WD software, SB9.5 and windows backup... those add up about 300 or so gigs. and i only have like 8% left that is why I am getting a 1TB portable to put virtual windows on and my backups..

the only downfall ive had that i kinda didnt like was the connector where the usb plugs in is kind of loose. .but then one of my buddies got one and his is fine.. i read that some had that issue as well.. but that was about it.. sometimes it comes loose and just have to plug it in again,,

but other than that, so far so good

Zug

[grr]

hmm I have have the HDD since about March.. I use it daily.. put over a TB of movies on it and have been adding to it.. I keep it hooked up to my laptop unless I come over to the rec center for net access.. so far really havent had any issues for the most part... i did the firmware update and thinking of trying to uninstall the WD software and see what happens.. along with the movies I have my backups from the WD software, SB9.5 and windows backup... those add up about 300 or so gigs. and i only have like 8% left that is why I am getting a 1TB portable to put virtual windows on and my backups..

the only downfall ive had that i kinda didnt like was the connector where the usb plugs in is kind of loose. .but then one of my buddies got one and his is fine.. i read that some had that issue as well.. but that was about it.. sometimes it comes loose and just have to plug it in again,,

but other than that, so far so good

Zug

Thanks Zug for providing the info and answering my queries..

As soon as I buy 1 I would check for the USB connector & firmware upgrade + removing the pre-installed software.

Once again thanks for ur time.

Grr

[Zug]

Anytime grr.. iirc, all you need to do is DL and install the he firmware and then just format drive and that will get rid of the SW for you..

also.. hint of bad luck with mine last night.. was working on making a MIUSB and i was wanting to format my 32gb thumb the program selected my 2tb mybook,, i changed it to the 32gb and did the quick format and the program did not make the change.. so, i lost nearly 2TB of data mostly movies and i was so Pissed .. immediately ran my EASUS partition manager and used the partition recovery on it.. took nearly 23hrs to do the file search part of it.. i went through all the steps and since I just got my 1tb portable in, i am going to use that for my backups, so i just selected the movie folder which is nearly 1.2tb itself.. and told it to put it back on the mybook.. im praying that it works.. the program said it isnt recommended to put the information back on the drive it is recovering from as it could lower the success rate.. but, my internal drive is only 500 and the new portal is 1tb so, i dont have a single drive that could hold the data .

praying it works, if it doesnt, i think it saved the spot so i dont have to rescan the data, and i can try and split up the movies some how and put most on my portable and rest back to the internal and when done and they work, copy them all back to the 2tb.. just sux as this part it is on to put them all back is gona take another 20hrs so i will hpefully know in the morning or b4 work

But, as you can see it was not the WD fault, it was my own dang fault

/pray
Zug