Netbook Backup

sparky · May 04, 2010, 17:54:35

I've just bought a HP Mini (netbook) with Windows 7.

I see that Rik did the same in December. Can Rik or anyone else suggest a backup option without having to buy an external DVD writer ? It comes, marvelously, (if that's a real word!) with HP Backup recovery to create a set of recovery DVD's! With no DVD writer.......

I see that Acronis now do a netbook version of their backup software, but it doesn't yet support the Atom N450 or the HP Mini. I was hoping to simply create an image backup on an external hard drive that I already have and then create a bootable USB pen drive ?

Is this a possible route, or do I have to resort to splashing out more money for the DVD writer?

Glenn · May 04, 2010, 18:02:40

You can certainly install via a USB stick, that's how I got W7 on my Mini 9

Steve · May 04, 2010, 18:19:46

As Glenn said you should be able to restore the system from a usb drive,my only experience was with an Advent netbook on XP and you were able to copy the 'hidden' restore partition on to a usb stick.Then all you need is regular backups of your data a service Windows 7 provides.

Rik · May 04, 2010, 18:56:33

A small self-powered USB hard drive is another option.

MisterW · May 04, 2010, 19:09:49

Clonezilla will enable you to make an image backup to an external USB drive. You can create a bootable USB stick with Clonezilla on it ( http://www.clonezilla.org/ ). That's the way I back up my Aspire One Netbook, works a treat!

sparky · May 04, 2010, 19:14:45

I have a USB hard drive.

The restore partition is possible, but that takes me back to as it was when I bought it. It's taken me several hours to get the software up to date and as I want it. I thought it would be relatively simple to find something like Acronis to take an image now, copy that to my external hard drive and create a bootable usb stick in case the internal drive goes bottoms up. It would then be easy to boot from the usb stick and restore the C: drive from the image on the External HDD.

Perhaps it's not so simple after all. I might have to wait for Acronis to catch up or buy the DVD writer.

HP seem to have a version of Roxio Backontrack as a download for the MINI, but the Softpaq for creating a bootable usb drive only seems to be for Windows XP.

Rik · May 04, 2010, 19:16:18

You seem to be the victim of the markets not having caught up.

sparky · May 04, 2010, 19:24:10

MisterW

QuoteClonezilla will enable you to make an image backup to an external USB drive. You can create a bootable USB stick with Clonezilla on it ( http://www.clonezilla.org/ ). That's the way I back up my Aspire One Netbook, works a treat!

That sounds like a possible. Just having a quick look, do I assume right that you have to boot and run the program from the usb stick, to perform the image copy?

Rik, how have you backed up yours? or have you got a usb dvd writer?

Rik · May 04, 2010, 19:25:46

I've not, tbh, I'm relying on the Samsung back up partition. I deliberately kept the software light, so I could probably restore it in an hour at most. Data is all backed up though.

MisterW · May 04, 2010, 19:35:03

Quotedo I assume right that you have to boot and run the program from the usb stick, to perform the image copy?

Yep, its a small Linux system containing the Clonezilla utility. You boot from the USB stick, answer a few simple setup q's like keyboard layout etc and then it runs Clonezilla. You can do either whole disc or partition imaging to another USB drive or even to a network drive. What I have is a desktop with a big disc and then boot Clonezilla on the Netbook or laptop and backup across the network to the desktop's big disc.

Edit: As its a Windows system you might also want to look at DriveImageXML ( http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm ). It does a complete disc image but you can also restore individual files. You can install and run it from within Windows but its also on the Universal Boot CD (http://www.ubcd4win.com/ ) so you can boot from that and do a bare metal restore if necessary.

Rik · May 04, 2010, 19:37:06

Sounds an interesting possibility combined with an external USB drive.

sparky · May 04, 2010, 19:47:48

Yes, thanks for that MisterW.

I might just give Clonezilla a go. Now to find my USB stick..........

Cheers.

sparky · May 04, 2010, 19:53:33

MisterW, sorry forgot...Have a Karma!

Thanks again.

Technical Ben · May 04, 2010, 19:54:20

Windows 7 now comes with it's own backup utility. I used it today to make one. So a usb HDD is best (as a usb mem stick would be too small). You can use a separate partition on the external HDD for the backup. As to getting it back on the Netbook, that's a bit more tricky, as I only saw an option to restore via Windows 7 CD and backup HDD.

sparky · May 04, 2010, 20:01:55

Not too sure that DriveImage XML will work. It says it requires a Pentium processor.

If it checks, then when it finds an Intel Atom it will fall over, just like Acronis.

MisterW · May 05, 2010, 08:48:10

QuoteNot too sure that DriveImage XML will work. It says it requires a Pentium processor.

Aah, I never spotted that. We use DiXML a lot in the office but thats always on Pentium processors.
DiXML's main advantage over Clonezilla is that you have an option to restore individual files rather than just an image. TBH I'm a Linux man at home so DiXML is not an option. Clonezilla certainly works on the AA1 which has an Atom processor.