Harvey - Indeed dd will work when booting from a CD to make an OS image, even for the older windows versions (I like http://www.sysresccd.org/). Just realize that it probably won't run on different hardware well... so you will buy yourself protection against file corruption, accidental deletion, etc, but if the hardware dies you'll have a real hard time getting the image you made with dd working on replacement hardware, thus the virtualization suggestion.
Cost seems to be a driving factor here. You might look at the free Virtualbox software: https://www.virtualbox.org/ The problem is getting your current OSs over there. If you are in a place to re-install the current setup on VMs, that will work. If you need to move the current stack as is to a VM, you'll need special and often expensive software (for the Windows guests). I've had pretty good luck with ShadowProtect for recent Windows OSs (http://www.storagecraft.com). Nick On Fri, Oct 14, 2011 at 2:46 PM, Harvey Rothenberg <[email protected]>wrote: > Mr. Evan Pettrey, > > My needs are simple to me. I would like to have a single backup program to > be able to either make an image Backup and/or a file-by-file backup. > > This way I can protect myself with an image that can be restored to a good > known working state or that I could pick-off needed files from the other > backup. It could be a needed Data file or a corrupted DLL file ( which > would be relatively easier than trying to pull the DLL from a windows > install media, in my opinion ). This is the simple needs that I wish to > cover at this time. > > Yes, I would probably be moving some of the windows systems to a virtual > environment later either on a Workstation or Server type system or really I > may have need for both types of systems. The only trouble with moving to > Virtual (now starting to be called Cloud) is that these systems usually the > software to manage this type of function is quite costly. > > I was thinking that maybe it would be better to center in on a Linux/Unix > solution like using "dd" and "tar" from a bootable image or from the > selected operating system. I understand by now there are a couple of rescue > type ISOs that would be a consideration. I also have read that there might > also be some versions of these two programs available for the windows > operating system. At least the resulting backups would be recognizable by > most POSIX based utilities and thus provide a more flexible solution, in my > current thinking. > > I hope the added information helps your understand of what I am trying to > accomplish. What do you think of my review of a possible choice ? > > Regards, > Harvey > > > "Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson > afterwards." -- Unknown > > --- On *Thu, 10/13/11, Evan Pettrey <[email protected]>* wrote: > > > From: Evan Pettrey <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [lopsa-discuss] Need Suggestions - For Backing Up Older > Versions and Current Op Sys's ... > To: "Harvey Rothenberg" <[email protected]> > Cc: [email protected] > Date: Thursday, October 13, 2011, 5:39 PM > > > Harvey, > > I'm not clear on what you're asking for here. Can you please provide some > more specific details in regards to what data you'd like backed up on these > systems? Are you attempting to backup user data, system images, etc? > > Perhaps I'm just being dense as it is the end of the work day but I think > some more information is needed with regards to what your objective is. > > Best regards, > Evan Pettrey > > On Thu, Oct 13, 2011 at 5:25 PM, Harvey Rothenberg > <[email protected]<http://mc/[email protected]> > > wrote: > > To the Members, > > I have several Windows based systems still operating and I will be > introducing Virtual based systems and also Linux based systems into my needs > for protecting them. The Windows systems versions are Win2k SP4, Windows > 3.1.1 w/Dos 6.2, Windows XP SP3, Vista SP1, and Win7 no SP yet. > > I will be adding VMWare 4.5, 7.1, and 8 to the mix on one or more of the > systems. I will also be using one or more of the Linux distributions > primarily as a Host on one or two system. Currently the Windows Win2k, Dos > 6.2/Win 3.1.1, and Win 7 systems are independent free-standing systems. > > I was considering a Publisher like Acronis because they have product that > can run on the mentioned operating systems, but if you are a private user > they want you on their current released product only, pretty much. > > Their current product, like most publishers do not handle the older > versions of any operating system, but if you had their product back in the > day. Their newest and most current software will work with the created > backup sets from the older version of their products. > > Then there is the aspect of buying their product that covers Linux/Unix. > You would have to buy their commercial product if you wanted to stay with > this single publisher. This price is not on par to a private customer costs > (i.e. $ 50.00 it is more like $ 500.00). > > So I am asking my fellow members if you can make any reasonable suggestions > for my current need. If you need more info., just ask. > > I will say, Thank You ! now for anyone's assistance in my concern. > > Sincerely, > > Harvey Rothenberg > > Systems Integrator/Security Specialist > > "Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson > afterwards." -- Unknown > _______________________________________________ > Discuss mailing list > [email protected] <http://mc/[email protected]> > https://lists.lopsa.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/discuss > This list provided by the League of Professional System Administrators > http://lopsa.org/ > > > > _______________________________________________ > Discuss mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.lopsa.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/discuss > This list provided by the League of Professional System Administrators > http://lopsa.org/ > >
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