Does Backup / Restore image really work

I need a consensus. How many of you have successfully restored a complete
Vista image from a backup to a USB drive? I have done a couple of complete
backups to a USB drive and would like to have some confidence that it works
in most cases. (I don't want to try it just for the heck of it. I should have
done that when I first installed the OS.)
I formerly used Powerquest Drive Image 7 for my XP computers and it works on
all but the system with RAID. With Vista, those days are over. Do I need to
buy a separate backup solution. I hope not since most of them are quite buggy
I have read. I guess I could buy a new disk for my computer and see what
happens.

PowerQuest Drive image has been obsolete for about 5 years now. It is NOT
totally compatible with even the Windows XP partition/file structure, let
alone Vista's.

I have the 4 latest versions of Drive Image. I have not used any of them for
4-5 years now. I just lost too many operating systems and partitions doing
so.

Get the latest version of True Image HOME (the latest version - always) and
use that instead. It "IS" compatible and has many more convenience features
than Drive Image ever had.

I sometimes create/restore an image multiple times per week. I have never
had one failure of the program to do what it is designed to do.

--

Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User


"TH34" <TH34@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8B588072-946E-4D91-A813-BBCC3A862FF5@microsoft.com...
>I need a consensus. How many of you have successfully restored a complete
> Vista image from a backup to a USB drive? I have done a couple of complete
> backups to a USB drive and would like to have some confidence that it
> works
> in most cases. (I don't want to try it just for the heck of it. I should
> have
> done that when I first installed the OS.)
> I formerly used Powerquest Drive Image 7 for my XP computers and it works
> on
> all but the system with RAID. With Vista, those days are over. Do I need
> to
> buy a separate backup solution. I hope not since most of them are quite
> buggy
> I have read. I guess I could buy a new disk for my computer and see what
> happens.

TH34;598338 Wrote:
> I need a consensus. How many of you have successfully restored a
> complete
> Vista image from a backup to a USB drive? I have done a couple of
> complete
> backups to a USB drive and would like to have some confidence that it
> works
> in most cases. (I don't want to try it just for the heck of it. I
> should have
> done that when I first installed the OS.)
> I formerly used Powerquest Drive Image 7 for my XP computers and it
> works on
> all but the system with RAID. With Vista, those days are over. Do I
> need to
> buy a separate backup solution. I hope not since most of them are quite
> buggy
> I have read. I guess I could buy a new disk for my computer and see
> what
> happens.

Hi TH34,

If you have a Vista Enterprise, Ultimate, and Business version, then
Vista comes with a Complete PC Backup and Restore feature in it.

For Backup:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/99...-computer.html

For Restore:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/99...-computer.html


If you do not, then I have used Acronis True Image on Vista without any
problems. You can try a free 15-day fully function trial version here.

'Complete hard disk drive copy, cloning and image backup software:
computer files and disk copying'
(http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing...cts/trueimage/)

Hope this helps,
Shawn


--
Brink

*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
'*Vista Forums*'
(http://www.vistax64.com/index.php?referrerid=2980)
*Please post feedback to help others.*

Why TH34? It should be T34! Just Kidding.

I have Ultimate on 4 machines, use WD MyBook 500GB. I use native backup API.
I used the restore a few times but not quite sure if it was from a restore
point or a backup. It was a hectic time.

"TH34" <TH34@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8B588072-946E-4D91-A813-BBCC3A862FF5@microsoft.com...
>I need a consensus. How many of you have successfully restored a complete
> Vista image from a backup to a USB drive? I have done a couple of complete
> backups to a USB drive and would like to have some confidence that it
> works
> in most cases. (I don't want to try it just for the heck of it. I should
> have
> done that when I first installed the OS.)
> I formerly used Powerquest Drive Image 7 for my XP computers and it works
> on
> all but the system with RAID. With Vista, those days are over. Do I need
> to
> buy a separate backup solution. I hope not since most of them are quite
> buggy
> I have read. I guess I could buy a new disk for my computer and see what
> happens.

TH34 wrote:
> I need a consensus. How many of you have successfully restored a complete
> Vista image from a backup to a USB drive? I have done a couple of complete
> backups to a USB drive and would like to have some confidence that it works
> in most cases. (I don't want to try it just for the heck of it. I should have
> done that when I first installed the OS.)
> I formerly used Powerquest Drive Image 7 for my XP computers and it works on
> all but the system with RAID. With Vista, those days are over. Do I need to
> buy a separate backup solution. I hope not since most of them are quite buggy
> I have read. I guess I could buy a new disk for my computer and see what
> happens.

I'm running Vista Ultimate and use "Complete PC Backup" periodically to
an external USB 2.0 drive dedicated solely to that purpose.

In November 2007, my system disk became a victim of infant mortality on
this Toshiba laptop purchased August 2007. Toshiba replaced that drive
and I subsequently used backup image to restore system to new disk drive.

"Complete PC Restore" worked flawlessly. Very satisfied with results.

What is the infant mortality rate for Toshiba laptops? Not entirely
pointless question since I am planning to purchase a Toshiba Tablet PC. Some
say they are the best.


"Iain" <iain@comnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:60vahjF1t3cq3U1@mid.individual.net...
> TH34 wrote:
>> I need a consensus. How many of you have successfully restored a complete
>> Vista image from a backup to a USB drive? I have done a couple of
>> complete backups to a USB drive and would like to have some confidence
>> that it works in most cases. (I don't want to try it just for the heck of
>> it. I should have done that when I first installed the OS.)
>> I formerly used Powerquest Drive Image 7 for my XP computers and it works
>> on all but the system with RAID. With Vista, those days are over. Do I
>> need to buy a separate backup solution. I hope not since most of them are
>> quite buggy I have read. I guess I could buy a new disk for my computer
>> and see what happens.
>
> I'm running Vista Ultimate and use "Complete PC Backup" periodically to an
> external USB 2.0 drive dedicated solely to that purpose.
>
> In November 2007, my system disk became a victim of infant mortality on
> this Toshiba laptop purchased August 2007. Toshiba replaced that drive and
> I subsequently used backup image to restore system to new disk drive.
>
> "Complete PC Restore" worked flawlessly. Very satisfied with results.

unless DOA,,my experience has been pretty good with them.
but it seems everything is being cheapened up lately.

--
A Professional Amateur...If anyone knew it all, none of would be here!
CarGodZeroOne@hotmail.com
Change Alpha to Numeric to reply
"AlexB" <alexb@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:%238IYDyZaIHA.1208@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> What is the infant mortality rate for Toshiba laptops? Not entirely
> pointless question since I am planning to purchase a Toshiba Tablet PC.
> Some say they are the best.
>
>
> "Iain" <iain@comnet.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:60vahjF1t3cq3U1@mid.individual.net...
>> TH34 wrote:
>>> I need a consensus. How many of you have successfully restored a
>>> complete Vista image from a backup to a USB drive? I have done a couple
>>> of complete backups to a USB drive and would like to have some
>>> confidence that it works in most cases. (I don't want to try it just for
>>> the heck of it. I should have done that when I first installed the OS.)
>>> I formerly used Powerquest Drive Image 7 for my XP computers and it
>>> works on all but the system with RAID. With Vista, those days are over.
>>> Do I need to buy a separate backup solution. I hope not since most of
>>> them are quite buggy I have read. I guess I could buy a new disk for my
>>> computer and see what happens.
>>
>> I'm running Vista Ultimate and use "Complete PC Backup" periodically to
>> an external USB 2.0 drive dedicated solely to that purpose.
>>
>> In November 2007, my system disk became a victim of infant mortality on
>> this Toshiba laptop purchased August 2007. Toshiba replaced that drive
>> and I subsequently used backup image to restore system to new disk drive.
>>
>> "Complete PC Restore" worked flawlessly. Very satisfied with results.
>

Can't afford to buy a complete new set of software every time M$ says
"jump".

Regards


"Richard Urban" <richardurbanREMOVETHIS@hotmail.com> a écrit dans le message
de news: %23v2OgJQaIHA.2268@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> PowerQuest Drive image has been obsolete for about 5 years now. It is NOT
> totally compatible with even the Windows XP partition/file structure, let
> alone Vista's.
>
> I have the 4 latest versions of Drive Image. I have not used any of them
> for 4-5 years now. I just lost too many operating systems and partitions
> doing so.
>
> Get the latest version of True Image HOME (the latest version - always)
> and use that instead. It "IS" compatible and has many more convenience
> features than Drive Image ever had.
>
> I sometimes create/restore an image multiple times per week. I have never
> had one failure of the program to do what it is designed to do.
>
> --
>
> Regards,
>
> Richard Urban
> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
>
>
> "TH34" <TH34@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:8B588072-946E-4D91-A813-BBCC3A862FF5@microsoft.com...
>>I need a consensus. How many of you have successfully restored a complete
>> Vista image from a backup to a USB drive? I have done a couple of
>> complete
>> backups to a USB drive and would like to have some confidence that it
>> works
>> in most cases. (I don't want to try it just for the heck of it. I should
>> have
>> done that when I first installed the OS.)
>> I formerly used Powerquest Drive Image 7 for my XP computers and it works
>> on
>> all but the system with RAID. With Vista, those days are over. Do I need
>> to
>> buy a separate backup solution. I hope not since most of them are quite
>> buggy
>> I have read. I guess I could buy a new disk for my computer and see what
>> happens.
>

AlexB wrote:

> "Iain" <iain@comnet.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:60vahjF1t3cq3U1@mid.individual.net...
>> TH34 wrote:
>>> I need a consensus. How many of you have successfully restored a
>>> complete Vista image from a backup to a USB drive? I have done a
>>> couple of complete backups to a USB drive and would like to have some
>>> confidence that it works in most cases. (I don't want to try it just
>>> for the heck of it. I should have done that when I first installed
>>> the OS.)
>>> I formerly used Powerquest Drive Image 7 for my XP computers and it
>>> works on all but the system with RAID. With Vista, those days are
>>> over. Do I need to buy a separate backup solution. I hope not since
>>> most of them are quite buggy I have read. I guess I could buy a new
>>> disk for my computer and see what happens.
>>
>> I'm running Vista Ultimate and use "Complete PC Backup" periodically
>> to an external USB 2.0 drive dedicated solely to that purpose.
>>
>> In November 2007, my system disk became a victim of infant mortality
>> on this Toshiba laptop purchased August 2007. Toshiba replaced that
>> drive and I subsequently used backup image to restore system to new
>> disk drive.
>>
>> "Complete PC Restore" worked flawlessly. Very satisfied with results.
>
> What is the infant mortality rate for Toshiba laptops? Not entirely
> pointless question since I am planning to purchase a Toshiba Tablet PC.
> Some say they are the best.
>
>

I don't know what their infant mortality rates are. However, this
Toshiba is much better now with new Hitachi 160 Gb drive v original
Toshiba 160 Gb drive. Toshiba use IBM, Hitachi and Toshiba drives in
their machines.

It was probably a one-off.

Thanks. At least someone answered my question.

"Iain" wrote:

> TH34 wrote:
> > I need a consensus. How many of you have successfully restored a complete
> > Vista image from a backup to a USB drive? I have done a couple of complete
> > backups to a USB drive and would like to have some confidence that it works
> > in most cases. (I don't want to try it just for the heck of it. I should have
> > done that when I first installed the OS.)
> > I formerly used Powerquest Drive Image 7 for my XP computers and it works on
> > all but the system with RAID. With Vista, those days are over. Do I need to
> > buy a separate backup solution. I hope not since most of them are quite buggy
> > I have read. I guess I could buy a new disk for my computer and see what
> > happens.
>
> I'm running Vista Ultimate and use "Complete PC Backup" periodically to
> an external USB 2.0 drive dedicated solely to that purpose.
>
> In November 2007, my system disk became a victim of infant mortality on
> this Toshiba laptop purchased August 2007. Toshiba replaced that drive
> and I subsequently used backup image to restore system to new disk drive.
>
> "Complete PC Restore" worked flawlessly. Very satisfied with results.
>