Shadow, Backup, Ghost etc.

[NormanRouxel]

after processing it has put two files in there, one is 4GB and one is 3GB.

Most backup programs will split the created files into several 2Gb or 4Gb ones. That way you can copy them to DVD, etc. If there was one humongous file there would be no chance. It also allows for older O/S's where there are file size limits.

[leehack]

Of course DVD sizes, i'm such a twit.

[jont]

There is also a limit with the file size that can be created in FAT32 ... as I discovered after many failed backups on the server... NTFS overcomes this.

edit *** just re-read Normans post to the same effect.

[leehack]

My external is FAT32, so mystery solved.

[pinbrook]

do i need a UPS now also?

run from your laptop to a ext HD also running on laptop power , no problem.

[jmedinger]

This thread may now be solved and Lee has his solution however I just thought I'd throw my tuppence worth into the ring.

We use a RAID array to dupe everything that happens across 2 HD's (means that if one fails, you continue working quite happily until you can replace the failed disk) and we also have Ghost v10 backing up onto 250Gb external drives which run on a constant basis.

I'd heartily recommend Ghost 10 for a couple of reasons...

1) Data encryption. If your kit gets nicked (God Forbid) all files on your PC (which of course you access via a windows logon *AND* a BIOS password) have been backed up and securely encrypted on the external drive meaning that nobody can get access to all those ftp passwords, emails and sensitive data that everyone keeps on their computer.

2) We schedule the backup job to run a full backup every night from about 3am and then have incremental backups happening every hour.
This means that you're never more than 59 minutes from your last complete restore point.

3) Ghost will *literally* restore your computer to the state it was before the crash/meltdown/whatever including every single bookmark, security patch, extra software you may have added with absolutely no reinstalling to do whatsoever.

Anyway - that's my tuppence!

[Duncan Rounding]

A matter of personal choice perhaps but I don't feel comfortable with Ghost 'online' backups after having bluescreens on restore. These days I stick to the original floppy backup version (Ghost 2003) when using Ghost.

For online use I now use Acronis in a similar way to what you describe which (so far so good) has performed well.

An interesting comparison is here:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/driv...ng-reviews.htm