back up using nero?

[milkman4_hi_r]

can i just back up using nero? if so what is the best format for it. i have alot of stuff i need to back up, are there any like super compression programs or anything? i have winzip8, but i dont notice much of a compression. is there a trick to it or something?

[doctorgonzo]

There are many ways to back up information, depending on what you want to do.

My system is this: once a month I ghost my OS/App partition. Every day, I use WinRAR to back up just my data to CD. That way, if something bad happens and I lose data, I can go to my backup. If something really bad happens and I lose my OS, I can use my ghost image to fix my OS, and then use the data backup to get my data back. It has worked well for my so far (knock on wood).

[milkman4_hi_r]

do you get more compression with winRAR?? i have another computer networked to this one, could i just back up to that computer. it only has a 10 gig but i dont think ill need it all.

[doctorgonzo]

The compression ratio depends on what you are compressing. Typical data (Word files and the like) compress well. Data that is already in compressed format, such as MP3s and JPGs, will not compress at all.

Backing up to another PC on a network works well and has the added benefit of being fast. It is always a good idea, though, to have another backup elsewhere, such as on CD stored off-site. If all your PCs on your network are infected by a virus and you lose your data, you will need something to fall back on.

[milkman4_hi_r]

i just have so much to backup. i think about 5gb. any suggestions

[doctorgonzo]

How about buying another HD, or even two? Slave it to the system you are backing up and use that as a backup drive.

You could also get an external drive, or a converter that allows you to use a normal, internal IDE drive as an external FireWire or USB drive. That way, you can store the backup off site.

Do you really have 5 GB of plain data to back up, or is that data and apps? If it is data, what is it?

[toomyg]

Originally posted by milkman4_hi_r
i just have so much to backup. i think about 5gb. any suggestions


Another HD would be your best bet. I use a 4.3 GB HD on my desktop slaved to a 40 GB HD , I move any data I want to save there and when it reaches around 600 mb then I burn it to a CD

This method has saved me atleast one time so far

my system crashed one time and I had to reinstall XP on my desktop and was able to retreave the lost DATA (games and programs) from the 4.3 GB HD and from the Data CD's I made

Another thought would be DATA DVD disk too I don't know much about them but they can hold alot and I mean alot more them any 700mb CD (This is something I don't have)

[milkman4_hi_r]

im saving\backing up alot of different stuff. from photos to installer exe's and zip files. not an installed program but like stuff that i have dled. and also game save files, wich are small but the other stuff is alot
i could split them up on different discs, i just wanted a good program for it. and i want to back up my system, like a ghost type deal. oh and i just posted in general hardware becouse im getting fatal errors so backing up my stuff is a must. i might have to do it tonight just so i can sleep lol

[doctorgonzo]

It sounds like you are backing up more than just data that changes frequently, so you should split it up.

Installer files, game patches, and things that don't change you should just burn to a CD. Whenever I download an app or a patch, I stick it on CD so I can use it in the future if I need to. But because they don't change, I don't need to worry about backing them up.

You only need to back up data that changes on a regular basis. The other stuff you can just burn once to archive and then forget it.

[morriswindgate]

The advantage to WinRAR is that you Zip the file First and then RAR all of the Zip Files.