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Make me smart about the PC backup/restore process
zhen_rogue
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I have the sneaking suspicion that my HDD is on the way out.
Noises, stutters, etc.
Using: WinXP Pro/standard Windows backup utlility (notebook system - sager np5760)
Just to be safe, I backed up my entire system.
So now i have this big ass .bkf file on disc and also on a server.
My system/HDD is still under warranty.
I plan to send it in immediately, before the HDD actually fails.
Here come the questions!
1. Do they send my system back sans OS? Or when I send the system in, do I also send my driver/OS discs for them to re-install for me on the new HDD?
2. Can they/will they migrate any of my data from the old HDD to the new HDD?
3. If I get my system back, and have a fresh install of my OS, do I use the restore utility BEFORE updating windows again?
Or, do I update windows, and then use the utility?
I'm concerned that the restore utility might not be smart enough to realize that IF I update windows before using the utility, that it might overwrite data/settings that are more current, and cause problems/failures.
4. Anything else I should know/expect/do/plan for?
Thanks in advance for your advice.
Noises, stutters, etc.
Using: WinXP Pro/standard Windows backup utlility (notebook system - sager np5760)
Just to be safe, I backed up my entire system.
So now i have this big ass .bkf file on disc and also on a server.
My system/HDD is still under warranty.
I plan to send it in immediately, before the HDD actually fails.
Here come the questions!
1. Do they send my system back sans OS? Or when I send the system in, do I also send my driver/OS discs for them to re-install for me on the new HDD?
2. Can they/will they migrate any of my data from the old HDD to the new HDD?
3. If I get my system back, and have a fresh install of my OS, do I use the restore utility BEFORE updating windows again?
Or, do I update windows, and then use the utility?
I'm concerned that the restore utility might not be smart enough to realize that IF I update windows before using the utility, that it might overwrite data/settings that are more current, and cause problems/failures.
4. Anything else I should know/expect/do/plan for?
Thanks in advance for your advice.
zhen_rogue on
0
Posts
A) Typically most support people won't swap out a "failing" device unless it's causing problems.
1) typically, they come back just like when you first bought it. Base XP image + bloatware
2) Never.
3) Not an issue. Restore then update.
4) ???
I forgot to mention this is a notebook system [edited OP].
Do they still only want my HDD? If so, I hope they send me instructions on how to extract it from my system.
Notebook harddrives are usually mounted in a carrier by 4 screws which is installed in the bottom of the notebook under a panel held on by another 1 or 2 screws. It's about the easiest notebook part to replace.
And if you used ntbackup and did everything you should be ok. The main reasons people don't use ntbackup are
1) They don't know it exists
2) Every other backup program is either easier to use
3) Every other backup program is faster
4) Every other backup program handles open files better
5) Every other backup program compresses the data better
6) Every other backup program has better destination device support
But other than that ntbackup works pretty good. You can pick and choose which files/folders you want to restore later on, so if you only want to restore your file downloads or music directories, you can without restoring the "System State" data.