Backing Up My Hard Drive

[naka]

Hi Folks.

I want to buy a USB hard drive to back up my entire C: drive

in case of a total failure.

I Have Acer ERecovery on my laptop but it will only backup to D:

I checked the Microsoft offering ntbackup.exe but it wants a floppy

drive, and there isn't one on my laptop.

Can someone please suggest a basic/simple solution.

Thanks.

Naka.

[sabajja]

If you want something that can be booted from (CD/DVD), that supports usb

i'd suggest Acronis Trueimage.

It's super good !

[Guest Reimar]

If you want something that can be booted from (CD/DVD), that supports usb

i'd suggest Acronis Trueimage.

It's super good !

True Image is excelent!! But for a Laptop you need to use the Workstation Version.

But Acer use NTI Backup Now. My Acer 5593 came with NTI Backup Now and I had done the Backup to an Recovery DVD for Drive C and a total backup for Drive C and D to USB Drive and it works well.

NTI Drive Backup is another solution, works as well as Acronis.

The Bios of the newer Acer all supporting to boot from USB Drive as well.

May you need to check the installation of the Laptop. By startup the Laptop hit [Alt] and [F10] to come to the recovery option and check is hidden Partition still exist. If they exist, start windows, go to eRecovery and and reinstall the original backup software, in my case NTI.

If the hidden Partition isn't reachable, that means sonmeone has "modified" the HDD and you've loose the recovery software.

If can't solve the problem, send me a PM and I'll give you a link (temporarly) to download the NTI software for Acer.

[Naam]

"The Bios of the newer Acer all supporting to boot from USB Drive as well."

------

unfortunately Win XP does not boot from a USB drive. since long time i am trying all kind of tricks but to no avail. would be very grateful to receive some assistance.

Edited March 17, 2007 by Dr. Naam

[Guest Reimar]

"The Bios of the newer Acer all supporting to boot from USB Drive as well."

------

unfortunately Win XP does not boot from a USB drive.

I never check to start Windows XP from USB but I do from CD and it works well!

[Tywais]

"The Bios of the newer Acer all supporting to boot from USB Drive as well."

------

unfortunately Win XP does not boot from a USB drive. since long time i am trying all kind of tricks but to no avail. would be very grateful to receive some assistance.

Microsoft's website says that it can't be done, but you know how enterprising individuals can be. Here is one site on how to boot from an USB flash drive > Tom's Hardware Guide

TechRepublic

None of the methods are exactly 'simple' and several steps to go through. Not sure how it will translate to using an external USB hard drive though.

[naka]

If you want something that can be booted from (CD/DVD), that supports usb

i'd suggest Acronis Trueimage.

It's super good !

True Image is excelent!! But for a Laptop you need to use the Workstation Version.

But Acer use NTI Backup Now. My Acer 5593 came with NTI Backup Now and I had done the Backup to an Recovery DVD for Drive C and a total backup for Drive C and D to USB Drive and it works well.

NTI Drive Backup is another solution, works as well as Acronis.

The Bios of the newer Acer all supporting to boot from USB Drive as well.

May you need to check the installation of the Laptop. By startup the Laptop hit [Alt] and [F10] to come to the recovery option and check is hidden Partition still exist. If they exist, start windows, go to eRecovery and and reinstall the original backup software, in my case NTI.

If the hidden Partition isn't reachable, that means sonmeone has "modified" the HDD and you've loose the recovery software.

If can't solve the problem, send me a PM and I'll give you a link (temporarly) to download the NTI software for Acer.

Ah! now there's the problem !

When I got this Acer Laptop 5594 it had a 100gb hard drive (50gb C: and 50gb D:) there was nothing in the D: partition.

The first time I plugged in a thumb drive my D: partition just disappeared and my C: became 100gb. Strange !

So now my Acer backup program will not work as it insists on backing up to hard drive partition D: (D: is now my CD/DVD)

Naka.

[Guest Reimar]

If you want something that can be booted from (CD/DVD), that supports usb

i'd suggest Acronis Trueimage.

It's super good !

True Image is excelent!! But for a Laptop you need to use the Workstation Version.

But Acer use NTI Backup Now. My Acer 5593 came with NTI Backup Now and I had done the Backup to an Recovery DVD for Drive C and a total backup for Drive C and D to USB Drive and it works well.

NTI Drive Backup is another solution, works as well as Acronis.

The Bios of the newer Acer all supporting to boot from USB Drive as well.

May you need to check the installation of the Laptop. By startup the Laptop hit [Alt] and [F10] to come to the recovery option and check is hidden Partition still exist. If they exist, start windows, go to eRecovery and and reinstall the original backup software, in my case NTI.

If the hidden Partition isn't reachable, that means sonmeone has "modified" the HDD and you've loose the recovery software.

If can't solve the problem, send me a PM and I'll give you a link (temporarly) to download the NTI software for Acer.

Ah! now there's the problem !

When I got this Acer Laptop 5594 it had a 100gb hard drive (50gb C: and 50gb D:) there was nothing in the D: partition.

The first time I plugged in a thumb drive my D: partition just disappeared and my C: became 100gb. Strange !

So now my Acer backup program will not work as it insists on backing up to hard drive partition D: (D: is now my CD/DVD)

Naka.

What is if you press [Alt] and [F10] while startup the Laptop? You're able to go to the "Recovery Partition"? It will ask you for an password, normal 000000 ( six times zero). If you can do so, backup your data only to an USB drive, take a note of all settings and parameters and start a "recovery" from the "Recovery Partition" which will set back your whole system to an "virgin" one as it was when you bought the Laptop.

This action will also reinstall all software which was coming with the machine. So, you should than able to start the "normal" eRecovery from windows. There is a function of creating a Recovery DVD.

[Rice_King]

Ah! now there's the problem !

When I got this Acer Laptop 5594 it had a 100gb hard drive (50gb C: and 50gb D:) there was nothing in the D: partition.

The first time I plugged in a thumb drive my D: partition just disappeared and my C: became 100gb. Strange !

So now my Acer backup program will not work as it insists on backing up to hard drive partition D: (D: is now my CD/DVD)

Naka.

I think you might need to go to the XP Disk Management Utility where you can specify your drives and what drive letters you want to use with same.

Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Disk Management

For backing up the Operating System drive (even while Windows is running) I like Drive Snapshot.

When I recently reformatted and did a clean install of XP, I mounted the old C: drive (the Drive Snapshot backup file) as a virtual drive. (It appeared in Windows Explorer intact just as I had last used it.) This way I could copy over my bookmarks, local settings from my old profile, etc.. that wasn't otherwise backed up on my other "data" drives.

Edited March 17, 2007 by Rice_King

[Jimmy in Bangkok]

If you want something that can be booted from (CD/DVD), that supports usb

i'd suggest Acronis Trueimage.

It's super good !

True Image is excelent!! But for a Laptop you need to use the Workstation Version.

But Acer use NTI Backup Now. My Acer 5593 came with NTI Backup Now and I had done the Backup to an Recovery DVD for Drive C and a total backup for Drive C and D to USB Drive and it works well.

NTI Drive Backup is another solution, works as well as Acronis.

The Bios of the newer Acer all supporting to boot from USB Drive as well.

May you need to check the installation of the Laptop. By startup the Laptop hit [Alt] and [F10] to come to the recovery option and check is hidden Partition still exist. If they exist, start windows, go to eRecovery and and reinstall the original backup software, in my case NTI.

If the hidden Partition isn't reachable, that means sonmeone has "modified" the HDD and you've loose the recovery software.

If can't solve the problem, send me a PM and I'll give you a link (temporarly) to download the NTI software for Acer.

Hi Reimar,

I'm using Acronis True Image Home 10 on my TravelMate 8204WLMi laptop with no problems at all. I don't know why you think you need the workstation version? It is by far one of the best backup and disk cloning software out there and will work fine on a laptop.

Cheers

Jimmy

[Guest Reimar]

If you want something that can be booted from (CD/DVD), that supports usb

i'd suggest Acronis Trueimage.

It's super good !

True Image is excelent!! But for a Laptop you need to use the Workstation Version.

But Acer use NTI Backup Now. My Acer 5593 came with NTI Backup Now and I had done the Backup to an Recovery DVD for Drive C and a total backup for Drive C and D to USB Drive and it works well.

NTI Drive Backup is another solution, works as well as Acronis.

The Bios of the newer Acer all supporting to boot from USB Drive as well.

May you need to check the installation of the Laptop. By startup the Laptop hit [Alt] and [F10] to come to the recovery option and check is hidden Partition still exist. If they exist, start windows, go to eRecovery and and reinstall the original backup software, in my case NTI.

If the hidden Partition isn't reachable, that means sonmeone has "modified" the HDD and you've loose the recovery software.

If can't solve the problem, send me a PM and I'll give you a link (temporarly) to download the NTI software for Acer.

Hi Reimar,

I'm using Acronis True Image Home 10 on my TravelMate 8204WLMi laptop with no problems at all. I don't know why you think you need the workstation version? It is by far one of the best backup and disk cloning software out there and will work fine on a laptop.

Cheers

Jimmy

Hi Jimmy,

True Image Home is the Workstation version, just named as Home! The other verions are: Server and Workstation (named as ..).

By the way, the Travelmate Series from Acer is the one from the former TI Section while Aspire are from Acer directly. A few years ago Acer was taking over the Notebook Section from Texas Instruments (TI).

As I wrote before: True Image is execllent! But the Aspire 9950 Series is coming with the original from NTI and the Recovery system of the Aspire is based on this one. That's why I recommend to use that software and it's the original software preinstalled from the Notebook Manufacturer. And why pay for a different other software if you've an original? No any need to do so!!

On the other hand I'm a legal User of the whole Acronis Series which I like because of the features.

And what is: by far one of the best software?? For many users the best software is the one which they are able to use with all features without the need to learn everytime much new "things"! You're productive with things you know how to use and to handle and you're un-productive with things while you don't know how to handle and use because of lack of knowledge!

For my own use, I use for cloning NOT Acronis, I use HD-Clone because it's features that I con clone form even not standard formats or to and from a USB drive for example! But that's for me and for others may it's different!

[naka]

If you want something that can be booted from (CD/DVD), that supports usb

i'd suggest Acronis Trueimage.

It's super good !

True Image is excelent!! But for a Laptop you need to use the Workstation Version.

But Acer use NTI Backup Now. My Acer 5593 came with NTI Backup Now and I had done the Backup to an Recovery DVD for Drive C and a total backup for Drive C and D to USB Drive and it works well.

NTI Drive Backup is another solution, works as well as Acronis.

The Bios of the newer Acer all supporting to boot from USB Drive as well.

May you need to check the installation of the Laptop. By startup the Laptop hit [Alt] and [F10] to come to the recovery option and check is hidden Partition still exist. If they exist, start windows, go to eRecovery and and reinstall the original backup software, in my case NTI.

If the hidden Partition isn't reachable, that means sonmeone has "modified" the HDD and you've loose the recovery software.

If can't solve the problem, send me a PM and I'll give you a link (temporarly) to download the NTI software for Acer.

Reima.

My Acer laptop came with NTI Backup Ver. 4.

Will this do a backup to an external USB hard drive which will recover from a serious failure. (no floppy available)

I am not bothered about just backing up a bunch of personal files.

Naka.

[naka]

Decided to buy Acronis Ver. 10 seems to do everything with a minimum of fuss.

I use USB external hard drive for backup.

Also makes a boot disk (CD or USB thumb drive) for crash recovery.

I bought online and did not receive the email with the serial number required to install,

I eventually found it in my junk email folder

Thanks for the help.

Naka.

Edited March 20, 2007 by naka

[Jimmy in Bangkok]

If you want something that can be booted from (CD/DVD), that supports usb

i'd suggest Acronis Trueimage.

It's super good !

True Image is excelent!! But for a Laptop you need to use the Workstation Version.

But Acer use NTI Backup Now. My Acer 5593 came with NTI Backup Now and I had done the Backup to an Recovery DVD for Drive C and a total backup for Drive C and D to USB Drive and it works well.

NTI Drive Backup is another solution, works as well as Acronis.

The Bios of the newer Acer all supporting to boot from USB Drive as well.

May you need to check the installation of the Laptop. By startup the Laptop hit [Alt] and [F10] to come to the recovery option and check is hidden Partition still exist. If they exist, start windows, go to eRecovery and and reinstall the original backup software, in my case NTI.

If the hidden Partition isn't reachable, that means sonmeone has "modified" the HDD and you've loose the recovery software.

If can't solve the problem, send me a PM and I'll give you a link (temporarly) to download the NTI software for Acer.

Hi Reimar,

I'm using Acronis True Image Home 10 on my TravelMate 8204WLMi laptop with no problems at all. I don't know why you think you need the workstation version? It is by far one of the best backup and disk cloning software out there and will work fine on a laptop.

Cheers

Jimmy

Hi Jimmy,

True Image Home is the Workstation version, just named as Home! The other verions are: Server and Workstation (named as ..).

By the way, the Travelmate Series from Acer is the one from the former TI Section while Aspire are from Acer directly. A few years ago Acer was taking over the Notebook Section from Texas Instruments (TI).

As I wrote before: True Image is execllent! But the Aspire 9950 Series is coming with the original from NTI and the Recovery system of the Aspire is based on this one. That's why I recommend to use that software and it's the original software preinstalled from the Notebook Manufacturer. And why pay for a different other software if you've an original? No any need to do so!!

On the other hand I'm a legal User of the whole Acronis Series which I like because of the features.

And what is: by far one of the best software?? For many users the best software is the one which they are able to use with all features without the need to learn everytime much new "things"! You're productive with things you know how to use and to handle and you're un-productive with things while you don't know how to handle and use because of lack of knowledge!

For my own use, I use for cloning NOT Acronis, I use HD-Clone because it's features that I con clone form even not standard formats or to and from a USB drive for example! But that's for me and for others may it's different!

Thanks for clearing that up Reimar as it truly had me baffled (obviously not too hard to do ). Thanks for the info on the Aspire and TravelMate too. I haven't tried out an Aspire but I'm a huge fan of the TravelMate series. Good points as well as logical ones mate something that I am not at times. It's quite easy to get carried away with "what's the best software for X" type of questions and it's nice to have someone pull you back into line and get your head out of the clouds

Cheers

Jimmy

P.S. Apologies for the late reply.