Complete backup of Windows XP installation

[Veerle]

Hi,



I installed Windows XP on an old laptop and then installed a whole

bunch of pc games on it for my kids. It took me quite some time to get

it all finished. The kids will not have admin rights but nevertheless

I'm pretty sure that the pc will be all messed up within a few months.

Now I was wondering: is there a way to make an image of the complete

hard drive? I have only one partition on it which is being used up for

about 12 gigabytes. What I want is an image that I can restore the pc

to after they messed it up so that I won't have to do al the work all

over again. The last time, my 4 year old son managed it, I don't know

what he did, but no-one could logon any more. So I will need some kind

of image that I can restore even if the Windows is not accessible any

more. The laptop will not be in a domain or something but I have a

wireless connection on it which could be used to access the laptop

from another pc. The portable also has a cd/dvd writer. Any

suggestions?



Veerle

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

"Veerle" wrote in message

news:e2cc2fe9-339a-4a42-aaf2-26271772bf1f@o1g2000vbe.googlegroups.com...

> Hi,

>

> I installed Windows XP on an old laptop and then installed a whole

> bunch of pc games on it for my kids. It took me quite some time to get

> it all finished. The kids will not have admin rights but nevertheless

> I'm pretty sure that the pc will be all messed up within a few months.

> Now I was wondering: is there a way to make an image of the complete

> hard drive? I have only one partition on it which is being used up for

> about 12 gigabytes. What I want is an image that I can restore the pc

> to after they messed it up so that I won't have to do al the work all

> over again. The last time, my 4 year old son managed it, I don't know

> what he did, but no-one could logon any more. So I will need some kind

> of image that I can restore even if the Windows is not accessible any

> more. The laptop will not be in a domain or something but I have a

> wireless connection on it which could be used to access the laptop

> from another pc. The portable also has a cd/dvd writer. Any

> suggestions?

>

> Veerle



Get a copy of Acronis TrueImage (or some other imaging tool) and park the

image on a 2.5" hard disk in an external USB case. You could use the same

disk for your regular data backups.

 

[Avatar]

"Veerle" wrote in message

news:e2cc2fe9-339a-4a42-aaf2-26271772bf1f@o1g2000vbe.googlegroups.com...

> Hi,

>

> I installed Windows XP on an old laptop and then installed a whole

> bunch of pc games on it for my kids. It took me quite some time to get

> it all finished. The kids will not have admin rights but nevertheless

> I'm pretty sure that the pc will be all messed up within a few months.

> Now I was wondering: is there a way to make an image of the complete

> hard drive? I have only one partition on it which is being used up for

> about 12 gigabytes. What I want is an image that I can restore the pc

> to after they messed it up so that I won't have to do al the work all

> over again. The last time, my 4 year old son managed it, I don't know

> what he did, but no-one could logon any more. So I will need some kind

> of image that I can restore even if the Windows is not accessible any

> more. The laptop will not be in a domain or something but I have a

> wireless connection on it which could be used to access the laptop

> from another pc. The portable also has a cd/dvd writer. Any

> suggestions?

>

> Veerle





I am not an expert but here is what I do on one laptop:

I use Acronis TrueImage (still have older version 8).

It enables me to make a regular back up to an external hard drive. Also to

CDs. Not sure if it does DVDs.

The emergency boot CD made with Acronis enabled me to boot the laptop on a

couple of occasions when it would not boot by itself.

The image was restored from the external drive painlessly and fast.

Try doing a search for "drive back up" on Google.

There are several options available out there apart from Acronis.

Some are free too.

HTH.



Avatar

-------

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

See this discussion: http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=27570



Veerle wrote:

> I installed Windows XP on an old laptop and then installed a whole

> bunch of pc games on it for my kids. It took me quite some time to get

> it all finished. The kids will not have admin rights but nevertheless

> I'm pretty sure that the pc will be all messed up within a few months.

> Now I was wondering: is there a way to make an image of the complete

> hard drive? I have only one partition on it which is being used up for

> about 12 gigabytes. What I want is an image that I can restore the pc

> to after they messed it up so that I won't have to do al the work all

> over again. The last time, my 4 year old son managed it, I don't know

> what he did, but no-one could logon any more. So I will need some kind

> of image that I can restore even if the Windows is not accessible any

> more. The laptop will not be in a domain or something but I have a

> wireless connection on it which could be used to access the laptop

> from another pc. The portable also has a cd/dvd writer. Any

> suggestions?

 

[Anthony Buckland]

"Avatar" wrote in message

newsSfMn.81707$jt.48097@newsfe04.iad...

> ...

> I use Acronis TrueImage (still have older version 8).

> It enables me to make a regular back up to an external hard drive. Also to

> CDs. Not sure if it does DVDs.

> ...



Yes, it does do DVDs. Until I got my first removable

drive, this was my standard way of using TI. Typically,

I used 3 or 4 DVDs (rewriteable) for a set -- your mileage

may vary, considerably if movies are involved. I made

two emergency restores using DVDs, with no problems.

CDs, ok, but you may use an awful lot of them, and have

corresponding management problems. In either case,

use quality media; this is no time to make yourself a

coaster, when you rely, totally, on having a complete

set that will work.



Keep whatever media you use safe from prying

fingers and minds. One set off-site, such as in your

safety deposit box.

 

[fisherman@none.com]

On Sat, 29 May 2010 14:22:40 -0700 (PDT), Veerle

wrote:



>Hi,

>

>I installed Windows XP on an old laptop and then installed a whole

>bunch of pc games on it for my kids. It took me quite some time to get

>it all finished. The kids will not have admin rights but nevertheless

>I'm pretty sure that the pc will be all messed up within a few months.

>Now I was wondering: is there a way to make an image of the complete

>hard drive? I have only one partition on it which is being used up for

>about 12 gigabytes. What I want is an image that I can restore the pc

>to after they messed it up so that I won't have to do al the work all

>over again. The last time, my 4 year old son managed it, I don't know

>what he did, but no-one could logon any more. So I will need some kind

>of image that I can restore even if the Windows is not accessible any

>more. The laptop will not be in a domain or something but I have a

>wireless connection on it which could be used to access the laptop

>from another pc. The portable also has a cd/dvd writer. Any

>suggestions?

>

>Veerle



Tell the kids if they screw it up, they wont have a computer anymore.

Then stick to your word.

 

[Jim]

On Sat, 29 May 2010 14:22:40 -0700 (PDT), Veerle

wrote:



>Hi,

>

>I installed Windows XP on an old laptop and then installed a whole

>bunch of pc games on it for my kids. It took me quite some time to get

>it all finished. The kids will not have admin rights but nevertheless

>I'm pretty sure that the pc will be all messed up within a few months.

>Now I was wondering: is there a way to make an image of the complete

>hard drive? I have only one partition on it which is being used up for

>about 12 gigabytes. What I want is an image that I can restore the pc

>to after they messed it up so that I won't have to do al the work all

>over again. The last time, my 4 year old son managed it, I don't know

>what he did, but no-one could logon any more. So I will need some kind

>of image that I can restore even if the Windows is not accessible any

>more. The laptop will not be in a domain or something but I have a

>wireless connection on it which could be used to access the laptop

>from another pc. The portable also has a cd/dvd writer. Any

>suggestions?

>

>Veerle



External hard drive and backup program . ( I use Acronis ) .

 

[HeyBub]

Veerle wrote:

> Hi,

>

> I installed Windows XP on an old laptop and then installed a whole

> bunch of pc games on it for my kids. It took me quite some time to get

> it all finished. The kids will not have admin rights but nevertheless

> I'm pretty sure that the pc will be all messed up within a few months.

> Now I was wondering: is there a way to make an image of the complete

> hard drive? I have only one partition on it which is being used up for

> about 12 gigabytes. What I want is an image that I can restore the pc

> to after they messed it up so that I won't have to do al the work all

> over again. The last time, my 4 year old son managed it, I don't know

> what he did, but no-one could logon any more. So I will need some kind

> of image that I can restore even if the Windows is not accessible any

> more. The laptop will not be in a domain or something but I have a

> wireless connection on it which could be used to access the laptop

> from another pc. The portable also has a cd/dvd writer. Any

> suggestions?





Windows Steady State



"Windows Disk Protection keeps everything on the Windows disk partition from

being permanently changed by users. This means every change made during a

user session can easily be undone and the computer returned to its original

state."



Free from Microsoft.



http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/sharedaccess/default.mspx