Protecting The Windows XP System and Data

As I think back to the very first backup I did of a computer, memory serves that it took about 50 floppy disks to back up everything; operating system, programs, and data. I won't even go into how long it took to complete the procedure or how boring it was shuffling diskettes in and out of the drive and applying the little adhesive labels. If I was to use the same methods today it would take approximately 98,000 diskettes to back up the computer I'm using to type this article. While we don't use diskettes for major backup procedures anymore, a lot of the thinking that goes into a backup is pretty ancient.

I don't believe any users actually set out on a given day to destroy a functional operating system, but you know as well as I do that it happens. A little tweak here, a registry edit there, a power surge or perhaps a badly behaved application that trashes the computer. We've all been there and when it happens I can almost guarantee you that if you listen closely you'll hear something approximating, "Damn. I meant to _______." Fill in the blank with whatever task related to backup you put off until another day.

In this article I'm going to take a look at the different aspects related to backing up and restoring a computer. Some of the items you'll find in this article have been touched on in different sections of this site, but I wanted to gather them all together in one place for easier reference. Just skip over the sections that don't apply in your situation.

I think it's time to separate the operating system and programs from the data when it's backed up. All three components; operating systems, programs, and data have become huge over the years. In most cases, lumping them into a single backup is a waste of time, especially for home users.

Map Out A Backup Plan

Before you actually back up anything you need to ask yourself some questions. The answers you give will determine in large part your backup strategy.

How will the backup be saved?

Many of today's computers come with devices that are suitable for backups; 3.5" floppy drives, CD-R and CD-RW drives, tape drives, removable cartridge drives, and even a second hard drive can be used to store backups. With the exception of the second hard drive any of those mentioned can be removed from the site where the system is located, and even the hard drive can be relocated by using specialty cradles that allow it to be plugged in and removed easily. There are a number of web based hosting services that can be used for offsite storage for a monthly subscription fee. Business users normally back up to a company server, be it local or remote, and the IS department takes over from that point.

Which is the best option for saving backup data?

Each option has weak and strong points, but human nature being what it is, the best system is the one that you're going to use. If you have the discipline to mess with the disks, cartridges, or CD's, then a local machine solution will work fine depending on how much data you need to back up. For those who prefer not to deal with the mechanics of backing up, the offsite solution might be the best choice. If you travel and generate data on the road the offsite backup solution is ideal. Of all the options mentioned, the only one I really don't endorse for home users is tape. It's cheap, but it does require a dedicated tape drive that is better suited to business situations.

Where will the backup be stored once it's created?

The theory is that if fire, flood, or theft should strike where the system is located, the backup will be available from another location to restore the system and data files. Unfortunately, storage of the backup, especially for home users not using an off-site service is usually a problem. On the bright side, most of the situations involving loss of data are caused by our mistakes rather than a natural catastrophe. Safety deposit boxes are often mentioned as being an ideal place to store backups, but let's be realistic. Are you going to take a backup to a safety deposit box every week? No, and neither am I. If you don't use an off-site service, consider storing your backups in one of the small fireproof chests that can be purchased at most any department or office supply store. Everything will be in one place and if disaster does strike you can grab the chest and take it with you if you have to flee.

What files should be backed up?

Here's where the discussions about backing up usually get heated. At the beginning of this piece I mentioned the 50 floppy disks I used years ago and the 98,000 it would take to do a full backup of everything on my system today. At one time, it was accepted, if not almost reasonable, to back up everything on a system at one time. But the amounts of data and the size of applications make that procedure very outdated. Perhaps the best way to look at backing up is to break it into two distinct categories, the first being System Files.

• System Files - For the average user there is no need to back up your operating system files. What 'is' important is to protect the original media, i.e., the Windows XP CD and all of your program installation discs. Windows XP comes with System Restore that backs up all of your system files automatically or you can create a restore point whenever you'd prefer. System Restore is specifically designed to act in concert with the operating system to restore it in case of a system problem. In Microsoft's Help and Support Center, they state:

  System Restore is a component of Windows XP Professional that you can use to restore your computer to a previous state, if a problem occurs, without losing your personal data files (such as Microsoft Word documents, browsing history, drawings, favorites, or e-mail). System Restore monitors changes to the system and some application files, and it automatically creates easily identified restore points. These restore points allow you to revert the system to a previous time. They are created daily and at the time of significant system events (such as when an application or driver is installed). You can also create and name your own restore points at any time.

  Would I place exclusive trust in System Restore to restore a damaged or malfunctioning XP installation and ensure all my data was also going to be available afterward? No, and neither should you, but what I am willing to do is give System Restore a chance at getting XP back to that previous state. With some registry tweaking you can save restore points for a year or more, eliminating the ones of lesser importance along the way. For those who don't like or trust System Restore there are a number of programs available that image the system and allow you to reinstall in a fraction of the normal time. Ghost by Symantec is one of the popular choices.

The second category is Data Files and I like to break that into Archive Files and Current Data Files.

• Archive Files - These are files acquired through any number of methods, either downloaded or created by you that don't change once they have been created. Image and audio files are good examples in this category. They are looked at and listened to for enjoyment but as a rule they seldom if ever receive any modification once they have been added to your system. To back up these same files repeatedly is a waste of time and storage space.

• Current Data Files - Of everything on your system, these are the files you want backed up and protected on a regular basis. The list of included files will vary by user, but a few examples are text documents, spreadsheets, financial records, databases, e-mail, internet favorites, Personal Information Managers (PIM's), website projects, and generally any type of data you create and work with or modify on a regular basis.

Can System Organization Aid the Backup Process?

Absolutely. How you organize the system can make backup a relatively painless process. Structuring the system so the data files discussed above are organized in one area facilitates pointing the backup program to one area rather than having to gather files from widespread locations. In Windows XP, the My Documents folder is an excellent choice for this purpose. Many programs default to saving created files in this location, Office XP being a good example.

Programs that don't use My Documents by default can often be redirected through their Preferences option to save files in a new location. If that's not possible, using the Save As command will allow selection of any location on the system or creating a new location. If My Documents isn't your preferred choice, create a folder anywhere on the system and use it as your default data storage location. Whatever location you choose, the important point is to use it for all the data you create and work with or modify on a regular basis that will be a part of the backup.

Systems with multiple hard drives are becoming quite common. The extra space they afford can be also be used for backing up any of the three categories mentioned above. If you have a second hard drive and still want to use My Documents it can be relocated to the second drive. Right click My Documents, select Properties and click the Target tab. Click the Move button and select the drive where it's to be relocated.

I mentioned disk imaging and the Ghost program earlier. On my personal system I use a small (20GB) fast (7200 RPM) drive for C:\ and load it only with the system files and programs. Nothing else. I keep a Ghost image of that drive and if anything does happen to the system it can be reloaded in a matter of minutes. The data is in no way compromised because it resides on a totally different drive. Even if you don't add additional drives, the principle can be applied to a system with one drive that is partitioned to keep system/program and data files separated.

It's a fact of life that some users simply don't need to back up their system. If you surf the web and send a few occasional e-mails that you'll never refer to again there really isn't much point in backing things up. That's not to say you don't want to consider a program like Ghost that will create an image of your system for a quick reinstall, but establishing a routine data backup isn't always necessary.

One of the first things I hear when discussing backups is how long the process takes. Sure it does, especially when you're backing up things that have no reason to be backed up. Take Quicken for example, a very popular personal financial management program. Most people just check off the Quicken directory and forget about it after that. Why? Why would you back up the entire program when the only relevant items are the files that hold your personal data? Lack of planning, pure and simple. As a matter of fact, there are very few programs that require much backup other than for the data specific to your personal use.

What it all boils down to is how much losing your data scares you. If the thought of losing one days work makes the hair on the back of your neck stand upright then you'd better have a tightly structured backup plan and ensure that it's adhered to without fail. If you have a computer full of spam and Freecell stats it doesn't make much difference when or if you back up.

Types of Backups

I intended to begin this section by saying that in the twenty plus years I've been fooling around with computers, one area that has remained consistent is the type of backups that are used to safeguard systems; Full, Differential, and Incremental backups. All three are still around and viable, but XP has five types of backups and uses different terminology for them. Since this site is about XP, I'll defer and use Microsoft's descriptions to avoid confusion.

• Copy Backup - Microsoft Description: "A copy backup copies all selected files but does not mark each file as having been backed up (in other words, the archive attribute is not cleared). Copying is useful if you want to back up files between normal and incremental backups because copying does not affect these other backup operations."
                      - My Description: This is basically the same as a Normal Backup with the difference being whether or not the archive attribute is cleared. If you're going to go full bore in your backup strategy this type of backup can be useful to provide an up to the minute backup.

• Daily Backup - Microsoft Description: "A daily backup copies all selected files that have been modified the day the daily backup is performed. The backed-up files are not marked as having been backed up (in other words, the archive attribute is not cleared)."
                      - My Description: About the only use I can see for this is if you use it as the very last thing before you shut off the computer for the day.

• Differential Backup - Microsoft Description: "A differential backup copies files created or changed since the last normal or incremental backup. It does not mark files as having been backed up (in other words, the archive attribute is not cleared). If you are performing a combination of normal and differential backups, restoring files and folders requires that you have the last normal as well as the last differential backup."
                      - My Description: The Differential Backup, used in combination with the Normal Backup, is in my opinion the safest and easiest method for backing up a system. Since the archive attribute is not cleared, Differential Backup will always look at the Normal Backup and if the files vary add them to the current Differential Backup.

• Incremental Backup - Microsoft Description: "An incremental backup backs up only those files created or changed since the last normal or incremental backup. It marks files as having been backed up (in other words, the archive attribute is cleared). If you use a combination of normal and incremental backups, you will need to have the last normal backup set as well as all incremental backup sets in order to restore your data."
                      -My Description: Far more trouble than it's worth, especially considering the number of backup sets that have to be dealt with if you do have to restore.

• Normal Backup - Microsoft Description: "A normal backup copies all selected files and marks each file as having been backed up (in other words, the archive attribute is cleared). With normal backups, you need only the most recent copy of the backup file or tape to restore all of the files. You usually perform a normal backup the first time you create a backup set."
                      - My Description: The first type of backup you should perform. Even if you do nothing else toward backing up this will give you some measure of protection.

The Backup Utilities in Windows XP

While it isn't absolutely essential to have a utility specifically designed for backing up a computer system it can make life easier. Both Windows XP Home and Professional come with what Microsoft calls the Backup and Restore Utility, better known as NTBackup. Unfortunately for Home users, Backup and Restore is not installed by default nor is it as fully functional as the version installed by default in XP Professional. Supposedly, the reason it's not installed by default in Home is because Home does not support Automated System Recovery (ASR) that is a part of Backup and Restore. This in no way prevents you from making a full backup in Home Edition, but it does limit the recovery or restore options. Bottom line; if you have Pro you're ready to go. If you have Home, follow the directions below:

To Manually Install the Backup Utility in Windows XP Home Edition

• Insert the CD Rom and navigate to CD-ROM Drive:\VALUEADD\MSFT\NTBACKUP

• Double-click the Ntbackup.msi file to start the wizard that installs Backup

• When the wizard is complete, click Finish.

A few years ago I wouldn't even have had to add this paragraph, but a trend I heartily dislike has been gaining a foothold in the computer industry. That trend is the supplying of 'Restore CD's' by PC manufacturers. These useless little circles of plastic are used to restore a PC to factory specifications. What does that mean, factory specifications? It means it basically wipes your system clean and reinstalls XP along with all the other garbage (read: commercial sweetheart deals) that PC manufacturers use to sweeten their coffers while depriving you of an unadulterated copy of a Windows XP installation CD. Unfortunately, if you fall into this group and have XP Home, you will have to buy a third-party backup program. Short of that, borrow a real Windows CD from a friend and install backup on your system. The backup utility is something you should have received to begin with. OK, kicking my soapbox back under the desk and moving on ---

Using NTBackup

Microsoft does love its Wizards and NTBackup is no exception. The first time NTBackup is launched from Start > All Programs > Accessories> System Tools > Backup, the program will open to the Backup or Restore Wizard by default. There is nothing wrong with using the wizard as it does streamline the process, but for total control of the backup process the opening screen has an option to dispense with the wizard. Rather than make this page any longer than it already is I've put together two backup walkthroughs. Both walkthroughs are graphic intense and will take extra time to load, but I do think the screen captures can be very helpful.

Step by Step NTBackup Using the Backup or Restore Wizard
Step by Step NTBackup Using Advanced Mode
[ Both links are graphic intense and take extra time to load on dialup connections ]

There are a few items XP users should be aware of regarding NTBackup that I'd be remiss in not mentioning.

• NTBackup and CD-R / CD-RW Drives - This really should go under a "You Gotta Be Kidding" category, but NTBackup does not allow you to back up directly to a CD-R or CD-RW drive. I know; the supposedly best, most stable and advanced operating system Microsoft has offered and no CD burner support in backup. The only solution is to back up to an alternative drive and then copy it to CD. There are many alternative backup programs available that do support direct backups to CD-R and CD-RW. The Microsoft Knowledge Base Article addressing this issue is here.

• Restoring a Backup - When a backup is created the data is not saved in the same way you see it in the backup window where you select the files and folders. A backup is a single file that has to be broken apart during the restore process. To do so, it's necessary to use the same program that created the backup file to restore it to your system. Normally this is not a problem, except in one special circumstance. Restore will want to return your data to the location it occupied during the original backup. For example, if you backed up data from D:\ and no longer have a drive D:\ when you want to restore, the process will fail.

• XP Home, NTBackup, and Automated System Recovery (ASR) - Windows XP Home Edition does not support Automated System Recovery. I've been told this is why NTBackup is not installed by default in Home, but if that's the case why include the item on the Home CD in the value-added directory. Whatever the reason, it's something you need to be aware of in spite of the option for ASR appearing in NTBackup when installed on a XP Home machine. XP Professional users are good to go with ASR.

Final Recommendation

Bear in mind that this is just my personal opinion based on what works for me and what I've seen work for others. Unless you have a specific reason for wanting to get involved with the NTBackup utility I suggest you spend some time organizing your directory and file system so your current and archive data files reside in separate locations. Copy the directories to a hard drive, CD-R/CD-RW drive, or cartridge media on whatever schedule you feel is sufficient to safeguard your data. For the casual user, full, incremental, and differential backups are time consuming and confusing. System Restore serves to safeguard the XP system, and even if you did have a total system failure my experience has shown that a reformat and full install or using an image restore program is far more satisfactory than using a full system backup that can easily and quickly lead you back into the situation that caused the initial failure.