how to have the ultimate back up

[Guest soberon]

I have just reinstalled fs2004 (and fsx) with all the addons I have, which is quit a job. As I knox that one day my system can get instable, I would like to have a backup. Is it possible to take sort of an image of only the fs-programs without having to backup all of windows vista too?

[Dougal 165]

It's maybe too late for you if you've already installed to C: but what I do is.... Install Windows & other applications (Office etc) to C, install FS9 to another drive, and FSX to yet another.When all is well, i then use imaging software to take 3 separate 'snapshots'.Sorry if it's too late and doesn't help - it's just what i do.

[scott967 62]

I have always used file-based backups. This way I can back up FS9, and include the necessary files from documents & settings and my documents as well as the fs9 folder.scott s..

[Guest soberon]

What files do you have to save in vista when making a backup file? the documents and settings of xp doesn't exist anymore.

[bursco 14]

The best in my opinion is "Acronis True Image Home" for imaging - if you have the disk space, I backup mine to an external and do a full backup then incremental. You can retreive the whole disc or just files from your backups and easy to use.

[dfish 1]

I have a 240 gig extermal drive which I use to backup my whole system. I have fs on it's own internal drive but C: Drive has all my saved flights in My Documents and all my payware keys are on that drive too. So, I make a habit of saving the whole system every month. Just too nmuch to loose.........Dave F.

[Jure 36]

This is an interesting thread! :)I had a bunch of problems with my old box, including a RAID 0 failure. I have no desire to reinstall everything anytime soon. FS is running beautifully on a dedicated drive on a computer that does nothing else but FS. I am planning to buy an external drive and make regular backups. The idea of "snapshots" appeals to me a lot. I will certainly take a look at Acronis True Image Home.Thanks guys! :)Regards,Jure

[Guest ThrottleUp]

I use ATI as well and it works brilliantly. I make an incremental backup once or twice a month. Just a small tip - remember to verify the archive in ATI after you create it. It takes a little more time but its worth it. Better to know if any errors exist now rather than find out when you want to restore. And remember to create the Acronis Rescue Disk :)

[Guest soberon]

thanks guys, I am going to follow your advice. I will buy a second harddrive and make an image every two months of my hd (it is a pc that I only use for fs, so it's just win vista, office and the fs's)Still I have some questions: what is the acronis rescue disk, what is the verification of the archive, how long does such an imaging take?

[bursco 14]

Install Acronis - you then make what Acronis call a media disk - this so that you can re-install from the CD Acronis media disk. You will find this option to make the CD in the programs menu. If for some reason your computer will not boot or you something else goes wrong (virus infection etc).You have to make your computer boot up from the Acronis CD so that you can do a reinstall. This is done in the bios or with recent computers they have an option to put up a boot menu during startup.I can press F8 and change my boot startup.I personally have my computer now set to startup from CD - but that is my preference. After booting follow the instructions - which are more or less the same as the software options. When you first start with Acronis u make a full backup - afterwards u are given the option to make a full backup or an incremental and this just updates the files that have been altered and "adds" it on to the original full. My 250 gig drive takes around 2 hours to re-install and I have about 180 gig on it and adding more. I personally do a full back up and verify means that the backup u have done is 100% ok. Fingers crossed I have never had a failure with Acronis you can make a bacup also onto your second HDD if you are not "raiding". what I also have done when I had to re-install WINXP and before I read about Acronis - is made a backup of the WINXP install which was small and if I have to re-install I use that.