basically ive finally got my computer just as i want it . all the right programs on it etc etc . now how do i make a back up of the whole computer ? is this possible ?

its cos ive finally got the right music players , audio programs and conversion progs etc as for my luck with computers , they usually last 6 months then break etc and i lose loads of stuff including important programs . then i cant remember what i had or where i got it . like certain progs that ive paid for and then ive forgot i had it then i cant download it agian , if you see what i mean .

do i basically need to copy each section to disk or a spare hard drive ? can i copy the entire desktops bits to another hard drive ? if i can i will just buy an external one , they seem cheap enough now days ?

really would like to know how to do this cos i do love my computer at the mo

 

please , anyone ????

 

I'm pretty sure last time this was asked on here, the best solution recommended was software called Norton Ghost....

I would be interested to know tho, if you took out the HDD from the PC, plugged it into another PC via USB, could you make a complete copy of the entire contents onto an identical HDD, and then put your original HDD back into your PC, leaving you with a complete copy on a spare HDD - so that if the worst happened and your HDD failed or everything went tits up, all you would have to do is turn it off, swap the HDD's and turn it on, and you'd be back up and running in no time?

 

basically thats exactly what i want to do . just not sure how to ?

 

No, neither do I

Like I said, I'm sure I read about Norton Ghost, but I would have thought there would be a few options......

 

you cant do that, end of.

Best thing to do is something like norton ghost as said, whatever happens it wont be as easy as swapping hard drives as you cant physically port over one operating system from one drive to another, it just wont work.

All i do is just back up all my documents/music/ vids to usb sticks, then if the worst happens i can just reinstall windows and then get all my stuff from my usb sticks, easy.

The my programmes i just rememeber as i dont have that many really.
You could just open notepad, type down the programmes you have and save it.

 

MS backup works, but restoring your computer can be a issue if you do not know what your doing

 

I can see no reason why if you had two identical HDD's (same make, model, part number etc) and did a complete carbon copy of one onto the other, that a simple switch out wouldn't work. Each drive would have the same identification, so the bios wouldn't even realise the swap had been made...

 

Can do it with a ghost image.

Create an image of your machine and store it on an external drive/bootable USB pen drive

Put identical HDD in your machine and put the image onto this

remove backup and put in original.

If original crashes/dies then replace with the spare.

Works a treat

 

LOL @ some of the replies on this post

 

Well how about instead of laughing at them, you actually post a proper reply with your knowledge?

 

Acronis true image, peice off piss plug in external hard drive and create a image then if you get a nasty apply image, job done and you can schedule backups as well