Years before there was such a thing as Macrium-reflect, I was setting up Backup routines for persons, businesses and even one Bank.
I formulated a set of rules for any backup.
Just one rule that I've never deviated from is, NEVER back up any OS from within that same OS.
The first backup/restore program I ever used, came on a 3.5" Floppy Disk. It would boot up a PC and then allow the user to specify what drive, partition, etc. to backup and where, drive/partition etc to backup TO. That program was simply called "Ghost".
The original authors of that great little program, sold out to Symantec, a company that never met a program that they couldn't screw up.
And sure enough, true to form, Symantec abandoned the Ghost program. But, not before updating it to handle NTFS formatted drives.
That was "Ghost 11.5", the last version that would run from a DOS Boot Disk, which is the version I still use.
I've tried and evaluated Macrium Reflect, and many other so called Backup/Restore programs and I've found them all Wanting.
I have always reverted right back to Ghost, a simple little program that always works great, whether backing up a data disk, linux, Server, or Windows 11.
And if the source drive totally goes up in smoke, Ghost, run from a Boot Disk, can restore a Ghost Backup Image to a brand new disk.
Rule #2, is to always put the Backup Image on a separate disk, internal or external. Use multiple backups, to multiple locations for added security.
And finally, do backups often enough, so that if you have to resort to Restoring a Backup Image file, it's not so old that you loose a lot of important data. Backups should always be 'Up To Date'.
I really hate it, when I answer a service call on a HD that has failed, and the owner/user tells me he has a Backup. And then I find out that the Backup is a year or more old. Arggg!
Don't you be that person. Remember, the only bad backup is the one that you decided you didn't need to do.
Happy Holidays, Mates!
TM
I formulated a set of rules for any backup.
Just one rule that I've never deviated from is, NEVER back up any OS from within that same OS.
The first backup/restore program I ever used, came on a 3.5" Floppy Disk. It would boot up a PC and then allow the user to specify what drive, partition, etc. to backup and where, drive/partition etc to backup TO. That program was simply called "Ghost".
The original authors of that great little program, sold out to Symantec, a company that never met a program that they couldn't screw up.
And sure enough, true to form, Symantec abandoned the Ghost program. But, not before updating it to handle NTFS formatted drives.
That was "Ghost 11.5", the last version that would run from a DOS Boot Disk, which is the version I still use.
I've tried and evaluated Macrium Reflect, and many other so called Backup/Restore programs and I've found them all Wanting.
I have always reverted right back to Ghost, a simple little program that always works great, whether backing up a data disk, linux, Server, or Windows 11.
And if the source drive totally goes up in smoke, Ghost, run from a Boot Disk, can restore a Ghost Backup Image to a brand new disk.
Rule #2, is to always put the Backup Image on a separate disk, internal or external. Use multiple backups, to multiple locations for added security.
And finally, do backups often enough, so that if you have to resort to Restoring a Backup Image file, it's not so old that you loose a lot of important data. Backups should always be 'Up To Date'.
I really hate it, when I answer a service call on a HD that has failed, and the owner/user tells me he has a Backup. And then I find out that the Backup is a year or more old. Arggg!
Don't you be that person. Remember, the only bad backup is the one that you decided you didn't need to do.
Happy Holidays, Mates!
TM
