Re: Death of a Computer...

John Black wrote:

I don't understand why people would want to backup their applications or the operating system? These things are backed up via the install disks and as you say, restoring them via a backup to a new drive or PC is nearly impossible anyway for all the reasons you cite and more. Yes, on a new system you are going to have to re-install the apps. but you are going to have to do that anyway. The effort of doing that is less than the effort needed to try to figure out how to make them all portable -- the average person is not going to mess with disk images and keeping them up to date nor should he. Just back up *your files*. Your pictures, your videos, your Word documents, your RSB archives, whatever you have created or downloaded that you want to keep. Doing that is a lot quicker and easier than backing up 15 million OS and application files and pretty much just as good.


Well, It takes me at least two days to set up a new machine from scratch, and at least a week or two before I get everything back the way I want it. Things like downloading plugins and utilities then installing them takes quite a bit of time.

As to quicker or easier, i go to bed around midnight, and at 4 in the morning the computer wakes up and does it all for me. Sure it takes the computer 3 hours, but the only way I know that is if I read the log which is left on my desktop for when I start work.

Perhaps you are running a simple work-station ... I run a server, with a LOT of software installed and tweaked. I have absolutely no desire to go through a massive setup if I bugger things up, or if he hardware does it for me. Not to mention the fact that those "original disks" may no longer be available, or no longer be readable. Stuff like serial numbers invariably get lost, etc., etc.

About once every ten years I spend a day setting up backup correctly, and testing the restore. It has saved my ass on countless occasions. Anything less than a completely automatic and complete backup just does not cut it, IMO.

Donald
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Relevant Pages

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