Missing XP Home Backup Program?

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Hello:

I just upgraded from Windows 98 SE to Windows XP Home. Alas, it seems that XP excludes a backup program–I relished the ease of use of the backup program native to Windows 98 SE.

http://windows.about.com/library/weekly/aa010617a.htm%5B/url%5D says that XP does, in fact, include a backup program: “To start the Backup utility, look in System Utilities in the Start Menu (Start, Programs, Accessories, System Utilities).”

Yet I cannot find any such utility in said folder. So I go to Add/Remove Programs, then to the Windows Components Wizard, then to Accessories and Utilities–but, again, I cannot find any such utility. I then search my hard drive for “backup”–but no search results seem to correspond with an actual backup program.

What am I missing?

Thank you very much.

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MSKB http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?…b;en-us;Q309340%5B/url%5D

Describes how to restore and includes links to the other articles “how to install from CD” and “how to backup”.

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Jon~

Windows XP Home does have a Backup Program

In describing the differences between Windows XP Home and Windows XP Professional, I say, “that Windows XP Professional adds a backup program. That’s true, it does install a backup program and place it on the Start menu. But Windows XP Home also comes with a backup program. But it doesn’t install the program, nor does it put it on the Start menu. Instead, the backup program remains hidden on your CD, and you must install it yourself. Microsoft officially explains the process here, but this is the jist:

Double-click the Ntbackup.msi file in the following location on the Windows XP Home Edition CD-ROM to start a wizard that installs Backup:

CD-ROM Drive:VALUEADDMSFTNTBACKUP

(Replace the words CD-ROM Drive with the letter of your CD-ROM drive.)

When the wizard is complete, click Finish.

The Wizard will install the Backup program to your computer, and add it to the Start menu. (You should see the little “New Program Installed” message by your Start button, and the highlights will lead you to the actual program.)

Potential problem alert: Some computers that come with Windows XP pre-installed don’t include a copy of the Windows XP CD. Instead, they include a “Restore” CD. That CD simply restores your computer to the state it was in as it left the factory. It’s not an original Windows XP installation CD.

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Much thanks!

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You are most welcome!

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Hi again,

Actually, in VALUEADDMSFTNTBACKUP, there are only two files: Readme and NTBackup.

The Readme file says:

[indent]

---

NTBackup Backup/Restore and ASR release notes

Backup/Restore

ASR

1. ASR is not supported on home edition.

IF you install NtBackup from the CD to the Home Edition, ASR functionality will appear to work fine during the backup session. Since the setup does not support ASR in the home edition, there is no way to initiate the ASR restore in case of a disaster. If you need to restore from this session, install Windows XP manually and then restore from the ASR media.

2. Backup to CDRW

If you decide to backup to a CDRW, you cannot target that device directly. You must create a backup set of 650MB or less and backup to a file. After the file is complete, copy the file to the CDRW.

Please refer to the readme for XP home edition for additional notes.

---

[/indent]

What should I do?

Thanks,

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JR~

I am not sure what you should do. What exactly are your intentions? Backing HD? Saving work? Pertinent info? Programs/ Stuff?

Many may indicate the inefficiency of, but it is certainly very simple to back up to CD and update regularly as the need arises. CD’s are so darn cheap, you can burn ’em and toss ’em once updated or otherwise no longer needed. I used to use Easy CD Creator for data CD’s, but Roxio’s drivers are consistently beleaguering my system, so I simply drop whatever into a folder and then use XP to burn ’em. (XP’s burning software is licensed from Roxio anyway). Put software you downloaded or don’t have on media already on one CD, drivers and updates on another, and personal stuff, work, or your “Brittany Spears pics” on yet another.

As for backing up your whole system, well, I have used PowerQuest’s Drive Image, but I believe it to be a waste of resources, and frankly, time. I am comparing the plethora of reasonably priced Firewire or USB 2.0 pocket drives. You can easily justify the few hundred smackers in your time alone if you’ve had the pleasure of crashing and losing everything and starting from scratch.

They are the fastest, easiest, and trouble free fashion of saving/backing up all your data. If you happen to have a June 30 2002 issue of PC Magazine, check out page 126-127. Or try http://www.pcmag.com/article/0,2997,s=1474…;a=27446,00.asp[/url] and click ‘next’ after reviewing each item.

I am sorry I couldn’t be of more direct help.

~Bruce

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WIN XP home does not install Backup by default. You must retreive from the XP CD (value added folder) and install it manually.
Refer to MS knowledge base Q320820 for all the details.

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