Backup Facility For Windows XP Home Edition?

[MMMMMM]

Windows XP Home has no built-in facility for backing up EVERYTHING, whereas XP Pro does. With XP Home, you have to separately install the backup tool off the Windows CD and then you can use it. It is like an "extra" program for XP Home.

Problem is, my Dell came with XP Home installed and no physical CD for Windows. My friend's Hewlett-Packard from Best Buy came the same way. So we don't have the backup tool nor do we have the disks to install it from.

How the heck are we supposed to back up our systems? I searched Microsoft site to see if there might be a downloadable version of this tool but couldn't find it (after LOTS of searching--still not sure if it might be hidden somewhere on their massive site or not).

Just to clarify, I'm not talking about System Restore, but rather about backing up the entire system physically in case of a hard disk crash or some other catastrophic event.

Any suggestions/solutions would be sincerely appreciated.

[tinhat]

If it's on the CD/DVD, how can it be an extra? If it's simply something they skipped installing then it seems to me the vendor owes you a copy of the program. You paid for a windows license so I can't see why you aren't entitled to what you paid for...

Mike

[MMMMMM]

The backup facility is not installed with Windows XP Home; it has to be installed later from the disk as an "extra" or "tool" or whatever it is called. In other words, it and several other programs are on the disk as extras but not as part of the basic operating system.

My understanding is that if you were to go out and purchase a copy of XP Home, and install it on your machine, it would not automatically install these "extra" programs. They reside separately on the disk and must be separately installed, if desired. XP Pro however does have the backup tool built into the standard installed version.

[tinhat]

[ QUOTE ]
The backup facility is not installed with Windows XP Home; it has to be installed later from the disk as an "extra" or "tool" or whatever it is called. In other words, it and several other programs are on the disk as extras but not as part of the basic operating system.

[/ QUOTE ]

Games, editors, wallpaper and a paint program, etc., aren't the operating system either but I bet those were all installed. So I can't imagine the vendor would argue a distinction without a difference by telling their own disatisfied customer that "well, those *extra* extras really are extra so we can't give it to you." Just because someone arbitrarily decided to make an extra step to get the backup program off the same disc as the OS (IMO) makes it no less a part of the operating system than minesweeper, solitaire and pretty pictures. In any case, the answer's "No" unless you ask...

Mike

[sumdumguy]

Have you checked to see if these extras are included in the Dell Windows CD?

Go to All Programs -> Dell Accessories -> and there should be an option to burn a Windows CD. This option does not appear until the 2nd boot of a Dell system.

[MMMMMM]

Thanks for the suggestion, sumdumguy, and I just now checked--but it is not there.

All that is there under Dell Accesories on my machine is Express Service Code. If I go up to regular accessories it is not there either, not even under System Tools..

If it is on your computer, are you using XP Home Edition or XP Professional?

[Cerril]

Can't tell you about getting XP, but you can always try a program like Norton's Ghost. There are a couple utilities out there that allow you to make an image of the physical state of the hard drive and restore later. I've had terrible luck with pretty much all forms of state backup (as opposed to just media with files), but some of my friends swear by it.

[Rick Nebiolo]

[ QUOTE ]
Can't tell you about getting XP, but you can always try a program like Norton's Ghost. There are a couple utilities out there that allow you to make an image of the physical state of the hard drive and restore later. I've had terrible luck with pretty much all forms of state backup (as opposed to just media with files), but some of my friends swear by it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Norton Ghost combined with two hard drive broken into partitions is the way to go. Check out the Radified Guide (http://radified.com/index2.html) for some hints.

On my first HD I have one partition for WinXP&Programs, another for Data (minus music and Pokertracker Databases, and one for Pokertracker Databases (easy to defrag in its own partition). On my other drive I have partions for Music, Ghost backups of WinXP&Programs, and a couple minor ones (such as a dedicated download partition and one for my swap file). I back up data to external drives, but if you don't have a lot of data you can back it up to a partition on the second HD.

The "Radified" method of using Ghost is to do it from DOS, since in the case of a total disk crash you aren't going to be able to get to Windows based backup tools. Ghost restores every setting and gets you back to where you where.

~ Rick

[sumdumguy]

[ QUOTE ]
If it is on your computer, are you using XP Home Edition or XP Professional?

[/ QUOTE ]
I was never aware such a backup utility exists in an out of the box XP CD. I sounded like you suggest it does, so I was just helping you burn a Dell Windows XP CD. There is nothing that appears at first glance to be a backup utility in either my company supplied XP Pro CD, or my own Dell cheapskate burn it yourself XP home CD.

Is it possible what you're thinking of is a pirated or Corporate XP CD with after factory addons?

[Ray Zee]

i just checked my cd for you and it doesnt have that on it.

for backup i just do my files and mail. copy it to a cd
put it all in one or two folders and copy it to the cd. thats easy.

[mosta]

my method has been to use norton ghost, the disk copy feature. I got an extra internal HD, put it in the bay, and copy my drive onto it. the idea is that in case of failure I can simply pop in the backup drive and have all the same programs and data ready to go. well the first time I tried, my copied disk was bootable. but on subsequent attempts it would not boot (if I put it in place of the original disk). I remebered some discussoin that XP, because of copy protection, will not be bootable on a cloned HD. is this a bad method? would I be able to make my clone bootable if I HD 1 ever failed.

[MMMMMM]

Windows XP has its own backup utility and a Backup Wizard to go along with it.

Here is an excerpt from the Microsoft page and the link for those who wish more information:

(excerpt)"Open Windows XP Backup

Windows XP includes its own backup program, although you may need to do some digging to find it. You can also take your pick of third-party programs (listed at the end of this column) that add bells and whistles you won't find in the basic Windows XP Backup utility.

If you use Windows XP Professional, the Windows Backup utility (Ntbackup.exe) should be ready for use. If you use Windows XP Home Edition, you'll need to follow these steps to install the utility:

1. Insert your Windows XP CD into the drive and, if necessary, double-click the CD icon in My Computer.

2. On the Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP screen, click Perform Additional Tasks.

3. Click Browse this CD.

4. In Windows Explorer, double-click the ValueAdd folder, then Msft, and then Ntbackup.

5. Double-click Ntbackup.msi to install the Backup utility.

For more information, see How to Install Backup in Windows XP Home Edition.

With that chore out of the way, you're ready to begin backing up. By default, the Backup utility uses a wizard that makes the process straightforward. To start Backup:

1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup to start the wizard.

2. Click Next to skip past the opening page, choose Back up files and settings from the second page, and then click Next. You should see the page shown in Figure 1, which represents your first decision point... "(end excerpt)

Microsoft Backup Page (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp//using/setup/learnmore/bott_03july14.mspx)

[greenage]

How can I get NTBackup for Windows XP Home Edition? (http://www.windowsitpro.com/Article/ArticleID/24413/24413.html)

Link referenced in above article. Use at your own risk.

ntbackup.msi (http://www.onecomputerguy.com/software/ntbackup.msi)


Another page to look at:

WinXPTutor's XP Resources (http://www.winxptutor.com/ntbackup.htm)