OS independent backups

[Dave2002]

We are advised by software gurus to take frequent backups of software and data. However, it seems to me that many of the techniques for this are OS dependent. Are there any (largely) OS independent backup strategies?

Maybe the safest is simply to do the backups manually after all. After all, file formats seem less likely to change than OS systems in each decade. There's no point in doing a backup on a Win XP machine if in 5 years the only computer available runs Linux or Mac OS version ??? or even some new fangled Win ??? variant.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The safest backup is paper, but that isn't going to be the answer for many people.

[MrGongGong]

The safest backup is paper, but that isn't going to be the answer for many people.

like this you mean ? (it's half a single cymbal crash , about a tenth of a second long)

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[johnb]

Dave,

For me (using Windows) the most important aspect of a backup strategy is to have separate HDD partitions for (a) all OS and software and (b) all my data files, including e-mail.

The reason is that the two can then be treated in different ways.

My data files can be regularly backed up using manual methods, or mirroring software (I use Beyond Compare).

For the OS and software one needs a different approach - I use disk imaging software such as Acronis True Image. A new backup image of the OS/Software is only required when I make changes to the software.

I have no idea how far this also applies to Mac computers.

[Dave2002]

For my purposes right now, decommissioning an old PC running XP, it just occurred to me that a better solution, at least a temporary one, would be to take the drive out, and put it into a USB caddy. That way I could take the PC to the dump without worrying about id or data theft. If I did that, would I still be able to read the data files on a Mac? Maybe I could even boot from it, if I had another PC to connect it to (which I have ...).

I've already spent a few hours trying to figure out disk images and backups, and really, for what I want - this looks as though it's going to take a very long while. I could value my time more than the time taken to take a drive out, and install it into a USB caddy - if that would do the job.

I think that most of the important files have already been moved elsewhere, but until I'm completely sure I'd rather not trash the drive just yet.

Also, if I could simply make a minimal system image, I could perhaps run a virtual version of my old PC, and use that to access the caddy USB drive on my Macs.

[Stunsworth]

For my purposes right now, decommissioning an old PC running XP, it just occurred to me that a better solution, at least a temporary one, would be to take the drive out, and put it into a USB caddy. That way I could take the PC to the dump without worrying about id or data theft. If I did that, would I still be able to read the data files on a Mac?

You should be able to. Macs can read and write to FAT formatted disks; and while they can't write to NTFS formatted drives, they can read them.

For data I use Dropbox. That also means that the files are available on any computer I have access to. I also use Time Machine to back up everything - with the exception of the cache folders, no point in backing up those.

[Nevalti]

I use, and thoroughly recommend, 'Karens Replicator'. It is free software that allows you to make automatic back-ups of exactly what you want, exactly when you want and file it away precisely where you tell it to. I usually do it during the night. You can use multiple external USB drives or NASs without any difficulty and can copy to and from any drive that you choose. If you miss a scheduled back up it will ask you if you want to 'do it now' as soon as you turn the computer on. Copies are incremental so you don't have to copy everything every time.

It is a very flexible facility that has never (touch wood) let me down in the last 4 years or thereabouts.

[gurnemanz]

I use, and thoroughly recommend, 'Karens Replicator'. It is free software that allows you to make automatic back-ups of exactly what you want, exactly when you want and file it away precisely where you tell it to. I usually do it during the night. You can use multiple external USB drives or NASs without any difficulty and can copy to and from any drive that you choose. If you miss a scheduled back up it will ask you if you want to 'do it now' as soon as you turn the computer on. Copies are incremental so you don't have to copy everything every time.

It is a very flexible facility that has never (touch wood) let me down in the last 4 years or thereabouts.

Thanks for that recommendation. I've just tried it out - simple to use, quick and effective (... and free).

[Resurrection Man]

Unless I have got the wrong end of the stick, most of the replies are not addressing the OP's main concern. Namely that if he has created a backup (using say programme 'X' running on a Windows OS computer) then if he wanted to restore it at some time in the future but the only computer available no longer ran programme 'X' then he would have a problem.

If that is the correct issue then personally I think the OP is worrying unnecessarily for many reasons. Unless we are looking 30 years in the future then the likelihood of Microsoft or Apple or Linux etc not being around is, I suggest, unrealistic. Or of not being able to read a Mac formatted disk etc.

[MrGongGong]

Unless I have got the wrong end of the stick, most of the replies are not addressing the OP's main concern. Namely that if he has created a backup (using say programme 'X' running on a Windows OS computer) then if he wanted to restore it at some time in the future but the only computer available no longer ran programme 'X' then he would have a problem.

If that is the correct issue then personally I think the OP is worrying unnecessarily for many reasons. Unless we are looking 30 years in the future then the likelihood of Microsoft or Apple or Linux etc not being around is, I suggest, unrealistic. Or of not being able to read a Mac formatted disk etc.

The Geeks will inherit the earth
I don't think this is likely to be a problem at all
I could (if I wanted to) still get my Atari ST to run and there are enough folk about interested in this stuff to make it work

If you are really looking at seriously long term then i'm sure the Long Now foundation will have some ideas !

[french frank]

I think the OP is worrying unnecessarily for many reasons. Unless we are looking 30 years in the future then the likelihood of Microsoft or Apple or Linux etc not being around is, I suggest, unrealistic. Or of not being able to read a Mac formatted disk etc.

Rather more likely that some incompetent idiot will be fiddling with the settings and wipe the entire external HD with the back-up copy. Mentioning no names

[johnb]

Rather more likely that some incompetent idiot will be fiddling with the settings and wipe the entire external HD with the back-up copy. Mentioning no names

It depends on exactly how the person deleted the files: formatting a HDD irrevocably deletes files but, in Windows, just deleting a file leaves the actual file in tact and merely puts a flag in a table to indicate the file is to be treated as "deleted" and the space it occupied on the HDD can be used again. So they can be "undeleted" as long as nothing has written over that part of the HDD where they were. At least that is how it used to work - no doubt someone will tell me that things have now changed.

[Nevalti]

Unless I have got the wrong end of the stick, most of the replies are not addressing the OP's main concern. Namely that if he has created a backup (using say programme 'X' running on a Windows OS computer) then if he wanted to restore it at some time in the future but the only computer available no longer ran programme 'X' then he would have a problem.

If that is the correct issue then personally I think the OP is worrying unnecessarily for many reasons. Unless we are looking 30 years in the future then the likelihood of Microsoft or Apple or Linux etc not being around is, I suggest, unrealistic. Or of not being able to read a Mac formatted disk etc.

Does anyone want to buy a box of floppies?

[johnb]

Unless I have got the wrong end of the stick, most of the replies are not addressing the OP's main concern. Namely that if he has created a backup (using say programme 'X' running on a Windows OS computer) then if he wanted to restore it at some time in the future but the only computer available no longer ran programme 'X' then he would have a problem.

If that is the correct issue then personally I think the OP is worrying unnecessarily for many reasons. Unless we are looking 30 years in the future then the likelihood of Microsoft or Apple or Linux etc not being around is, I suggest, unrealistic. Or of not being able to read a Mac formatted disk etc.

Well, it does happen that newer versions of software cease to be compatible with backups created by previous versions. But for concerns similar to those of the OP's the best idea is to store the backups in the file's native format rather than in a proprietory backup format. (This can only apply to backups of data files, of course - it would be useless for restoring the OS, etc.)

[Schrödinger's Cat]

Dave,

For me (using Windows) the most important aspect of a backup strategy is to have separate HDD partitions for (a) all OS and software and (b) all my data files, including e-mail.

The reason is that the two can then be treated in different ways.

My data files can be regularly backed up using manual methods, or mirroring software (I use Beyond Compare).

For the OS and software one needs a different approach - I use disk imaging software such as Acronis True Image. A new backup image of the OS/Software is only required when I make changes to the software.

I have no idea how far this also applies to Mac computers.

I agree completely with this johnb - it makes backing up so much simpler if you have separate partitions for your operating system(s) and your data.

I run 3 different versions of Windows and 4 different versions of Linux (not all on the same m/c ) and I use PING to create a backup image of each OS partition. I have used Acronis True Image - to copy Windows across when I fitted a new HD in one of the laptops - but PING seems to do the job so I'm sticking with it.

As for data, I use cloud storage for many files (Google Drive, Ubuntu One, Microsoft Skydrive, BT Cloud). Not only do you have an off-site copy of your files but they can synchronize automatically so that you have a copy on each of your computers. For music/videos/photos etc, I locate them in a separate data partition and use FreeFileSync (in Windows) or a straight file copy to keep back-ups on external HDs up to date.