Need help finding a GOOD backup solution

wwoods · Dec 27, 2007

OK, I have a home network with the following:

1) My Laptop, Vista Ultimate 64
2) Wife's laptop, Vista Home Premium x86
3) Son's Mini Tower, Vista Home basic x86

I am in need of a good reliable backup solution. My wife is a PHD student, and loosing her work would be a REAL issue. Ciurrently I am useing Mozy Online Backup: Simple, Automatic, Secure as a online backup but just found out that files backed up over 30days old are not kept. meaning, lets say I have a doc thats 30 days old, was backed up 30 days ago and not modified since then. On day 31 there is no backup. So as a interum solution I am makeing a DVD of her "My Documents" folder every 2 weeks, but again, thats a pain.

I guess what I am looking for is a backup/archive solution, which, I dont think I will find online. I looked into a in-expensive home NAS device, but havent been able to find one that has decent reviews.

Requirements:

1) Must be networkable, meaning I can put on the network while not directly attached to one of the laptops, I AM open to maby being attached to the mini-tower, but would prefer a stand-alone device. Either wired or wireless is fine.

2) All my systems must be able to backup to said device.

3) Must be able to schedule backups, either useing the built-in windows backup or other software.

I dont need more than 200GB really, all I am going to back up is data.

Any Ideas or Opinions welcome.

Brink · Dec 27, 2007

Hi wwoods,

The built in backup program included in Vista does a pretty good job. You might try them to see if you like them.

How to Create a Complete Computer Backup and Restore Image in Vista

and

How to Backup Files with Optional Automatic Backups in Vista

If you want a real good 3rd party backup program, then Acronis True Image is the way to go. You can try out a 15 day fully functional trial version here.

http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/download/trueimage/

Shawn

Melibea · Dec 28, 2007

After trying Mozy for a while, I chose docoomdocoom.com. to backup all my files. It works perfectly with Vista and it can be used in several computers without increasing the price.

You can keep several versions of each file and they backup everything you have selected everyday automatically.

In advance, you can download the files in every computer (this was useful, because my laptop was stolen) and the interface is very easy to use.

You can instal your docoom user in several computers, and this way I have already backed up two laptops and a PC, and it just costs 2 euros (2,5$) per month for 10 GB. You can also try it for free.

Merry Christmas!

MrBiggz · Dec 28, 2007

I bought this recently from NewEgg.com. Its a 350gb network drive. Basically a HDD in an enclosure that has an RJ45 (ethernet) connection. It's automatic .. there was nothing to set up! Here's the link at NewEgg for the drive I bought. :cool:

Couple of things about this drive you need to know if you go this route. This may be a vista problem, but it takes forever to do regular copy/move of a great number of files. I tried to copy 2500+ files at 23.7G and Vista said it would take 5+ hours to do. This drive also acts like an FTP server. So I busted out my FTP client and transfered the files (10 at a time) and it got done in roughly 25-35 minutes may have been sooner I really wasn't paying attention.

1st thing is upgrade the firmware of the drive (super easy through the web interface)! This increased the speed of the drive. :geek:

You can map this drive because on the network and it will look like another PC on your network. :cool:

I run SyncBack Free version to back up my iTunes and Photos.

I think its a good product (the drive and software). I hope once I get SP1 on Vista the copy/move rates will improve.

Clevo · Dec 28, 2007

What I think you could also have a look at are those networkable External Drives (Ethernet Hard drive)

wwoods · Dec 28, 2007

MrBiggz said:
I bought this recently from NewEgg.com. Its a 350gb network drive. Basically a HDD in an enclosure that has an RJ45 (ethernet) connection. It's automatic .. there was nothing to set up! Here's the link at NewEgg for the drive I bought.

Couple of things about this drive you need to know if you go this route. This may be a vista problem, but it takes forever to do regular copy/move of a great number of files. I tried to copy 2500+ files at 23.7G and Vista said it would take 5+ hours to do. This drive also acts like an FTP server. So I busted out my FTP client and transfered the files (10 at a time) and it got done in roughly 25-35 minutes may have been sooner I really wasn't paying attention.

1st thing is upgrade the firmware of the drive (super easy through the web interface)! This increased the speed of the drive.

You can map this drive because on the network and it will look like another PC on your network.

I run SyncBack Free version to back up my iTunes and Photos.

I think its a good product (the drive and software). I hope once I get SP1 on Vista the copy/move rates will improve.

I took a look at this and it looks like what I need, although the reviews I have been able to find on this are not good. How long have you had this drive and what are your experiances with it ?

wwoods · Dec 28, 2007

Clevo said:
What I think you could also have a look at are those networkable External Drives (Ethernet Hard drive)

Any of these you can reccomend ?

MrBiggz · Dec 28, 2007

I've had this drive for about 2 weeks now. I read the reviews as well. I got the feeling that the majority of those people thought that dragging information across a simple small home network was going to be like copying between HDD's on their local PC. It's not!

There's alot of stuff to take into account. How much bandwith there is and what other traffic is going on.

First thing is that you can get the same drive for less! I took the open box route, it knocked off some price. It had everything on it. I did write a review for this product not sure why its not posted. I gave it good marks.

If you use it as an FTP server to back things up .. it hammers!

Other avenues to go are getting two USB external drive. His and Her's! or one and share it. I've seen 1TB out there for $250. Thats alot of space.

Another idea is .. depending how much stuff your backing up is. Thumb drives. For instance a CORSAIR Flash Voyager 16GB Flash Drive (USB2.0 Portable) 256bit AES Encryption Model CMFUSB2.0-16GB . I have no idea how much info you have to back up. Even though that drive is $114.

Inconclusion, the network drive suits when I need it to do! Hopefully this was some insite. :geek:

wwoods · Dec 28, 2007

MrBiggz said:
I've had this drive for about 2 weeks now. I read the reviews as well. I got the feeling that the majority of those people thought that dragging information across a simple small home network was going to be like copying between HDD's on their local PC. It's not!

There's alot of stuff to take into account. How much bandwith there is and what other traffic is going on.

First thing is that you can get the same drive for less! I took the open box route, it knocked off some price. It had everything on it. I did write a review for this product not sure why its not posted. I gave it good marks.

If you use it as an FTP server to back things up .. it hammers!

Other avenues to go are getting two USB external drive. His and Her's! or one and share it. I've seen 1TB out there for $250. Thats alot of space.

Another idea is .. depending how much stuff your backing up is. Thumb drives. For instance a CORSAIR Flash Voyager 16GB Flash Drive (USB2.0 Portable) 256bit AES Encryption Model CMFUSB2.0-16GB . I have no idea how much info you have to back up. Even though that drive is $114.

Inconclusion, the network drive suits when I need it to do! Hopefully this was some insite.

Thanks for the insight on that. I think I am going to go with this and use the built in Vista backup software to backup, unless anyone else has some decent software reccomendations. I assume the built in software will make a full back up of the data I select then do incrimentals from there.

Wild · Dec 29, 2007

I am running a dual boot setup using XP 32 bit and Vista 64 both on one drive (6 drives total)
Norton Ghost 12 works very well on x86 and works on a network as well however running on 64 bit I doubt it works. I backup to a separate hard drive specifically to store the backup copies.

This setup has been very successful in fact I can swap between old Vista X86 and 64 in a matter of minutes if need be, however to keep things simplified all backups are done within XP - until I can fully trust Vista that is or they come out with X64 backup software.

cincypiper · Dec 30, 2007

This may be my first post, but I've had the best success using Clonezilla. I boot my system to the Clonezilla Live image on a USB thumb drive, then plug in my external USB drive. I use the easy to understand menus and in a few minutes I have an (much smaller) image of my internal hard disk sitting pretty on my External hard disk. I know I can restore the image to a larger drive, and I know to some extents on even a smaller drive than what was imaged, as it only snapshots used data blocks. Anyhow, I now have several images of this machine I'm typing on now, and in a few minutes I can boot that USB thumb drive, use the menus, and select the image that I'd like... presto chango I have any of the following: Suse Linux, XP Pro, Vista Ultimate 64... each one set up in what I call "pristine" condition. It makes toying with the same OS much more enjoyable.

wwoods · Jan 1, 2008

Well, thought I would post a follow up as to what I did. I ended up ordering this
Newegg.com - INOi HD363N-320 320GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache Network Hard Drive with built-in FTP and SAMBA Servers - Retail and useing this software Download backup software trial of HDD ghosting, data backup and restore software for home and home office PCs and it seems to be working just fine. The software allows me to make a full backup and then either differentials or incrementals, runs on a very custom schedule.

Overall its a fine solution. Total cost with the drive and 2 lisences of the software, about $200ish.

MrBiggz · Jan 1, 2008

wwood .. glad everything worked out for you!

Need help finding a GOOD backup solution

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