Newbie questions

[spillenger]

I just got Retrospect with a Maxtor hard drive. The sparse documentation clearly isn't geared toward complete backup dummies like me.

 

What Retrospect does is copy my entire hard drive (I have 2, so I guess it will back up both of them?) to CDs and then when I do a backup will only back up files that have changed since the last backup? It looks like it won't back up to data DVDs (which hold more than 4 gigs) but only CDs (which seem to hold about 700 megs). If I have a DVD-RW/R, I can just forget about using it, right? And if I have 22 gigs' worth of hard drive to back up, it's going to take me like 30 CDs to do the complete backup?

 

Am I missing something here?

 

Thanks.

 

Paul S.

[awnews]

I don't know which version (type & v5, v6, v7, etc.) of Retrospect you have. The "included with a hard drive" version may be the limited feature/Express one (e.g. can't back up to DVDs). The full commercial version will back up to to DVDs (as well as CDs, network volumes, etc.). Does your version do a "Backup" (Dantz's file format, need to use Retro to recover) or "Data duplicate" (Windows format)?

 

Personally, I think someone is nuts to spend their time backing up to CDR and now even DVDR (using the "22 gigs' worth of hard drive" example) except for a very rare archival backup. Reminds me of backing up to 50+ floppies or 25+ Zip disks a few years ago. Awkward & slow and so it didn't get done. Get yourself another large another harddrive (internal or external [uSB2/Firewire/Ethernet]; 80/120/160/200/250/300G+?) and use Retrospect (the one you have if it will work or the commercial version) to set up automated regular scheduled backups of all your harddrives to the backup harddrive. If you want to save some bucks and have lots of space on your current two drives, you can backup from one to the other (e.g. bidir backup). As in all things, it's cost vs. risk (e.g. risk of a HD failure, multiple HD failure, PC failure, PC theft or destruction). You can still use CDRs or DVDRs for an occasional specific & limited backup of critical data (i.e. hopefully not 22 gigs).

[cajun100]

I second the motion above to use an external hard drive backup. I wasted much time on my home office machines fooling first with CD and then DVD disk writing. In reality, using the HD was much easier, much faster, less bother, and overall -- possibly cheaper (if you have to get a new DVD drive once in a while).

Many people don't realize how inexpensive using the external HD can be. BIG fast drives (over 120MB) are available for less than $200. External cases, amny types available, run about $40-$60 depending on features. Vendors like NewEgg have both drives and cases plentiful. Setup is very simple. If you don't have an updated USB2 port you can usually add a PCI board with multiple ports for about $40-$60. Or you can go Fireware ports if you choose. Either way the backup is very, very fast.

I finally got TWO external drives, cases, put them together, and these are my alternating "big backup" media used with Retrospect (everything over a few directory files like current work files). For day to day important file backup we use the DVD or CD drives, usually with Nero or equivalent.

[DaHen]

Plus it is much eaiser to restore files and folders from an external HD than going thru a deck of CD's or DVD's.

 

Went thru this last month after I had to reinstall my WinXP. Just dragged and dropped my data from the external HD.

 

Retrospect worked great.