Best free XP backup/restore software?

January 12, 2007 4:52 AM

Best free backup-recovery software for Windows XP Home?

I've got a laptop that just had massive hard drive failure. I know not to store anything important on there anymore, but after reformatting and getting Windows XP Home reinstalled (and updated... and updated...) I'd like to use the machine until it really seriously dies.

I want to make a perfect backup (image) of the HD so if the disk dies again, I can just reformat and copy over the image, without having to reinstall all the security updates and download all the extra programs.

I copied Windows Backup from my XP Pro computer, but it won't make a full "automatic recovery" type backup on an XP Home computer.

What's a good piece of free software that will make an image of the entire HD, compress it as small as possible, save it to an external USB hard drive, and make me a bootable CD that I can use to restore from the external drive?

posted by rxrfrx to Computers & Internet (8 answers total)

Best answer: It is an older version, but Acronis TrueImage is probably the best disk imaging software, and they are giving away version 7 for free:

Acronis True Image 7.0 FREE for a limited time
posted by Boobus Tuber at 5:28 AM on January 12, 2007 [1 favorite]

I think the major difference is that more recent versions will do incremental backups, whereas this will only do a full image. It will work from within Windows, which most wont.

Here's another free one as well: EASEUS Disk Copy

If you do use it though, I think it's best to keep your documents and user data on a separate partition. You probably only need to image your system every month or so, but would want to back up your data more often.

For backing up user files, I use Syncback, which just mirrors My Documents onto an eternal hard drive.
posted by Boobus Tuber at 5:34 AM on January 12, 2007

I had a hideously traumatic experience with Synchback that ended in my having to reinstall the whole computer to factory settings. I'm not sure what happened, but it also nuked a partition of my husband's LaCie. For Christmas, my dad gave me a Western Digital portable hard drive that comes with backup/synchronizing software on it. If you're looking to buy a new USB HD, maybe look for one that comes with software.

Also, there's a really recent AskMe thread (that I can't seem to locate) where a bunch of people recommend Acronis True Image.
posted by Sprout the Vulgarian at 6:34 AM on January 12, 2007

Acronis True Image 7.0 FREE for a limited time

Thanks for the link Boober. I don't see an actual link to DL Acronis True Image 7.0. Am I missing something?
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 7:03 AM on January 12, 2007

Response by poster: Yeah, I don't get that either. It says "register now and get 7.0 for free" but it also says "congratulations on choosing 7.0." Anybody got a direct download link?
posted by rxrfrx at 7:09 AM on January 12, 2007

Found the thread I mentioned above. Not the same question you have, but some of the answers might still be helpful.
posted by Sprout the Vulgarian at 7:11 AM on January 12, 2007

Re: Acronis 7.0 download from another web site:

So just signup, check email for confirmation, click link in email, check email again for serial number & save to file. Use the link in the registration to login and "re download" your product. Approx 21 MB download.


I finally found it. Sheesh. I know it's free but too many fiery hoops if you ask me.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 7:52 AM on January 12, 2007

Best answer: For anyone who's still reading, I got the Acronis 7.0 free edition and did a backup. It was very easy to use, and let me split the image into 200 MB chunks. It prompted me to insert a blank CD, and burned itself a recovery boot disc. Hopefully the recovery part will go smoothly, if I ever need to do that.
posted by rxrfrx at 2:11 PM on January 20, 2007