It's 10 PM, do you know how your computer is?, time for weekend preventive maintenance. Options

[14tonks]

Okay, TGIF and all that, but once happy hour is over, it's time to make sure your tools are ready for next week:

Dump all browser cookies not marked to be kept.
Run CrapCleaner or similar utility to get rid of other space-hogging junk.

Update your Spybot signatures, update immunization, and run a deep scan.
Update your AdAware signatures and run a deep scan.
Update your Spyware Blaster signatures and reset all protection.
Check that AVG automatic signature update and scan ran last night, and everything came up clean.

Because it's the first Friday of the month:

Run a backup pest scan using online WebRoot or PestPatrol scan. (alternate on odd and even months - this is WebRoot month for me.)
Run a backup virus scan using online TrendMicro or Panda or BitDefender scan. (Alternate each month - this is BitDefender month for me.)

Update your firewall if needed
Download and install any operating system critical updates

Once everything is junk and pest free and up to date:
Defrag all drives overnight.
Update your backup images tomorrow!!

And that's it; you will have a tidy, safe, well-tuned, and productive computer at your service for another week.

[sono_io]

Thanks for the reminder! I, for one, need to be more consistent with my system maintenance (among other things in my life - LOL!).

BTW, do you have a favorite backup image utility you would recommend? I've been researching them, and it's a bit overwhelming!

Thanks again!
-sono_io

[14tonks]

BTW, do you have a favorite backup image utility you would recommend? I've been researching them, and it's a bit overwhelming!

Acronis True Image has been my choice for a while now. Doesn't need a free primary partition like Ghost, can be run off floppies is case of need, full featured, simple to operate, and functions with just about any backup device you can think of.

[degsy]

Doesn't need a free primary partition like Ghost

Could you explain that point in more detail please?

[14tonks]

Doesn't need a free primary partition like Ghost

Could you explain that point in more detail please?

There isn't that much to go into detail about. In order to run under Windows, Ghost must create a primary partition for itself. Therefore there must be no more than two primary partitions currently on the computer, since the limit is three if you also have an extended partition, which I always do. I usually have all three allowed primary partitions filled, either with alternate operating systems or with working boot drive, recent image of boot drive for emergency use, and basic MS OS/Office installation to add running patches to for an up to date basic install image. So, although I have a free copy of Ghost that came with a white box computer a while back, I can only run it in DOS mode from diskettes. I find the requirement to devote a primary partition to your imaging program in order to use it within Windows a highly annoying limitation of Ghost.

[Cheryl Flanders]

Thanks for the reminder, Tonks. It made me realize I was so busy the past couple of weeks that I went right by my scheduled maintenance. This topic should be bumped to the top every couple of weeks -- or at least once a month.

[lufbra]

The two little programs here....

http://home.t-online.de/home/lars.hederer/erunt/

Are both well worth their download, one backs up and saves your registry, the other cleans your registry of any dead/non used files, just run the back up program first, just in case the second program makes any errors.

[Harrie]

I agree with you all, extremely important reminders! I had been slacking for awhile, but I'm on the ball lately!

Dave, I never heard of either of those two programs. But I see the de extension, and all I can say is, I've never come across software by Germans that was bad! It's all been good! Might give them a whirl, thanks for the post. I'm still using the old, old RegCleaner 4.3. I like it better than his newer program! (Jouni Vuorio)

[lufbra]

I've been using those two registry programs for quite some time. I run the back up one first, save the file to a folder, then run the "clean up" program, I usually keep the "backed up files" for a couple of weeks, for just in case there's any problems. I also have Ace Utilities, that's an awesome program, but it's not free.

[degsy]

You must have a different version of Ghost.

I use 2002

In order to run under Windows, Ghost must create a primary partition for itself

Still not sure what you mean when you state that it "must create" a primary partition?

Ghost 2002 can image to any available partition/space.

there must be no more than two primary partitions currently on the computer

Unless you are using a Partition manager such as Partition Magic.
I have PM working with 3 Primary Partitions and Ghost has not problems with it.

Are you referring to the Bootsector limitation where Windows Ghost cannot create a virtual partition?

[14tonks]

Are you referring to the Bootsector limitation where Windows Ghost cannot create a virtual partition?

That may be the technical description for the problem.

All I know is that the last version I have around here is Ghost 2003, and that still would not run under Windows with three primary partitions occupied by operating systems and a 4th partition formatted as an extended partition. It needs an available primary partition slot in the partition table, and the limit of those you can have on a disk is four. And, yes, I had Partition Magic on that computer at that point. The Windows version of Ghost still refused to run on the grounds that it had nowhere to put its "virtual partition" or whatever--I don't consider it too virtual if it's kvetching that all the slots in the partition table are taken. It would run from its DOS version on floppies, but I found that a pain in the tuckus for routine maintenance. There were other issues as well, such as limited hardware support.

Ghost was a nifty little imaging program back when it was freeware. Since Symantec bought it, it has developed code bloat combined with simultaneous lack of desirable additions, such as updated hardware support. That's the kind of contradictory programming trick major software companies seem to specialize in. The latest version is apparently now built on a Drive Image core rather than a Ghost core, and Drive Image had its own issues with hardware support, although I have not tried Ghost 9.

I stick to my recommendation of Acronis True Image. I might note it got most knowledgeable reviewers' votes as well. It's simple to use. It's much faster than the competition and cheaper than the competition. It works from within Windows with no extra overhead, letting you do background backups and restores. It images to network drives, direct writes images to CDs/DVDs, and writes images to almost any external device connected by USB or Firewire. It splits images across removable media. It does compressed backups; it does incremental backups. It allows restores of only selected files/folders/drives as well as full restores. It creates bootable rescue disks that run it in DOS mode. It formats and partitions new drives. It clones an old drive image to a new drive and will even adjust partitions proportionally as it does so. It has a task scheduler. As far as I can see, it has it all and does it all, and it does it all well.

Acronis True Image Version Comparisons

[degsy]

The Windows version of Ghost still refused to run on the grounds that it had nowhere to put its "virtual partition" or whatever--I don't consider it too virtual if it's kvetching that all the slots in the partition table are taken. It would run from its DOS version on floppies, but I found that a pain in the tuckus for routine maintenance. There were other issues as well, such as limited hardware support.

ok, so we were on about the same thing all the time then

Ghost 9 advertises that it doesn't need to leave Windows to Ghost, but I haven't tried it yet.

[14tonks]

Honestly, Degsy, why don't you take advantage of Acronis' free trial download and give True Image a spin. It really beats the socks off of Ghost.

[degsy]

I may do, but you know how it is when you get a system working with certain programs. It's hard to make a change

[Harrie]

Have either of you ever tried Karen's Replicator Although apparently you can back up your entire drive, I think it is more often used to back up on a frequent basis. Just wondering....have always read good reviews on it.

[14tonks]

I may do, but you know how it is when you get a system working with certain programs. It's hard to make a change

Well, the next time you go to upgrade, you'll find that Ghost 9 is Ghost and Drive Image all mixed up together, and you will probably have to change things anyway. That will be a good time to try something better!

[14tonks]

Have either of you ever tried Karen's Replicator  Although apparently you can back up your entire drive, I think it is more often used to back up on a frequent basis.  Just wondering....have always read good reviews on it.

Replicator is good for producing real-time duplicates of files on another drive, which is useful for creating archives of your work as you go, or backups for incoming voice files, etc.

As the name implies, it is a great replicator program. I wouldn't consider it a full backup program, although I suppose you could set it to do a backup of all files, and it's not an imaging program at all.

[degsy]

I tried True Image. Works very well
Only did a quick test of a Partition backup, but it was quick.
Also tested the viewing of a backup. Ghost has an internal viewer, similar to explorer, whereas TI uses a mapped drive.
Different, but nice.

[Kresta]

I wanted to bump this thread up to the top, as I'm trying to get into a good routine of doing these things and came here to find some tips on what/how to do everything. I do run a disk cleanup and defrag about every 2 weeks or so (should I be doing them more often?) but after reading this post, it appears that I need to do some downloading of some new programs!!

First things first, besides going in and saving the files I must save to an external USB drive, how can I backup my PC effectively, the way a professional MT should??

Kresta

[MTMMulich]

I just found this thread through a link at another site. I was wondering if there were any updates, specifically if the software recomended is still the best to use or if there are newer, cheaper or free options available.

Thanks,

Monica

[14tonks]

I just found this thread through a link at another site. I was wondering if there were any updates, specifically if the software recomended is still the best to use or if there are newer, cheaper or free options available.

There is a post on the Tech Forum detailing programs for computer security which I have updated here and there occasionally, Monica. Of what's mentioned there, I think Spybot is probably further down on my list than it used to be compared to some of the other options since I don't feel it manages frequent-enough and comprehensive enough signature updates these days. Most things mentioned are free; I think I may have indicated if something wasn't, but if not, I know I put links in for everything, so it shouldn't take you very long to check.

As far as updates, sorry, every so often I do a survey sort of post on something as the spirit moves me, but I don't have any regular schedule of when I look at what, and I don't worry about keeping an index of my posts and constantly updating information I have posted in the past on various boards. I do board posting in my recreational/"free" time. If you want a site that offers regular surveys and updates of lists of the best this and that, check some of the PC magazine sites. Many of them are not free, of course, but that's because if you want regular surveys and reviews, you usually have to put regular surveyors and reviewers on salary, and then you gotta find a way to pay the salaries.

[DougJones]

I just found this thread through a link at another site. I was wondering if there were any updates, specifically if the software recomended is still the best to use or if there are newer, cheaper or free options available.

Thanks,

Monica

I will note that AVG now has a free anti-spyware scanner which you can also download and use, in addition to their antivirus package.

Another good resource for virus removals is the Symantec Security Response Removal Tools. As much as I dislike the Norton Suite, this has been a handy source when you know what virus you have, but you can't quite get it out. It's a single-virus removal for each tool, so it's not a substitute for AVG or other up-to-date AV.