moneypenny02
Beta member
- Messages
- 2
Hi all!
I'm new to this forum, but this is the best place I could think to turn for an answer to my question!
I am a grad student and I have a lot of programs on my computer -- many which take a long time to install and setup to my preferences, and a few for which I no longer have access to the installation CDs b/c they are at my University and I am currently a traveling scholar. I really need a program that will allow me to backup my computer -- programs and files -- and allow me to restore it easily if my computer totally crashes, or I need to wipe it clean to get rid of a persistent virus.
I have tried reading reviews on CNET, PCMag, PC Review, and Amazon.com, as well as other forums to try to find a program that will work best for me. I even downloaded and backed up using DriveImage XML, but I am realizing that restoring will be a difficult process, since I am not sure exactly what I would need to do to restore my cpu based on the instructions it provides. I'm not totally computer illiterate, but I do not have the knowledge (or vocabulary!) that I feel like I need to really understand these reviews and evaluate which program is right for me. Hopefully someone will take pity on me and just tell me what I need to use!
Here is what I am looking for & what seemed to be relevant factors based on what I have read thus far:
*Backup of my entire CPU -- I think that I have 2 partitions that came with the computer - Preload C: (which is what I use for everything & has 141.08 GB NTFS) and ServiceV001 (7.96 GB FAT). I am not positive that this counts as a partition, BUT just in case I need the files on ServiceV001 in order for my CPU to run, I want to have that backed up as well.
*Clear & simple directions for restore -- The easier that it will be to restore things back to my CPU the better. If a CD is needed in order to access the backed up files, I want it to be provided, or easily burnable (if it is a downloadable program), I don't want to have to learn how to create a special type of disk (and not even be sure I did it correctly until it is too late!!)
*RELIABLE -- if I need to reinstall everything it will be incredibly time consuming and paralyzing in terms of my work. If something horrible happens with my CPU I want to be as certain as possible that I will be able to recover everything. I don't have other computer support here, so if I can't do it myself, it won't get done!
* I don't need it to have automatic backup features, and I don't need to be able to select certain files for backup.
* I am not sure if this exists, but if there is a program that also helps screen out viruses when it makes the backup (the backup isn't that useful if I backed up programs that were the causes of viruses in the first place!!), that would be ideal.
Freeware is nice, but I definitely would pay for this software b/c I just want it to WORK! Any help is greatly appreciated by this struggling grad student!!!!
I'm new to this forum, but this is the best place I could think to turn for an answer to my question!
I am a grad student and I have a lot of programs on my computer -- many which take a long time to install and setup to my preferences, and a few for which I no longer have access to the installation CDs b/c they are at my University and I am currently a traveling scholar. I really need a program that will allow me to backup my computer -- programs and files -- and allow me to restore it easily if my computer totally crashes, or I need to wipe it clean to get rid of a persistent virus.
I have tried reading reviews on CNET, PCMag, PC Review, and Amazon.com, as well as other forums to try to find a program that will work best for me. I even downloaded and backed up using DriveImage XML, but I am realizing that restoring will be a difficult process, since I am not sure exactly what I would need to do to restore my cpu based on the instructions it provides. I'm not totally computer illiterate, but I do not have the knowledge (or vocabulary!) that I feel like I need to really understand these reviews and evaluate which program is right for me. Hopefully someone will take pity on me and just tell me what I need to use!
Here is what I am looking for & what seemed to be relevant factors based on what I have read thus far:
*Backup of my entire CPU -- I think that I have 2 partitions that came with the computer - Preload C: (which is what I use for everything & has 141.08 GB NTFS) and ServiceV001 (7.96 GB FAT). I am not positive that this counts as a partition, BUT just in case I need the files on ServiceV001 in order for my CPU to run, I want to have that backed up as well.
*Clear & simple directions for restore -- The easier that it will be to restore things back to my CPU the better. If a CD is needed in order to access the backed up files, I want it to be provided, or easily burnable (if it is a downloadable program), I don't want to have to learn how to create a special type of disk (and not even be sure I did it correctly until it is too late!!)
*RELIABLE -- if I need to reinstall everything it will be incredibly time consuming and paralyzing in terms of my work. If something horrible happens with my CPU I want to be as certain as possible that I will be able to recover everything. I don't have other computer support here, so if I can't do it myself, it won't get done!
* I don't need it to have automatic backup features, and I don't need to be able to select certain files for backup.
* I am not sure if this exists, but if there is a program that also helps screen out viruses when it makes the backup (the backup isn't that useful if I backed up programs that were the causes of viruses in the first place!!), that would be ideal.
Freeware is nice, but I definitely would pay for this software b/c I just want it to WORK! Any help is greatly appreciated by this struggling grad student!!!!
