Poll on XP System Reliability

[TromboneAl]

This is for XP users only. I need to make some decisions based on XP's reliability.

If your XP system has ever crashed (and this includes hard drive failures) in such a way that you needed to reinstall your applications, vote "Yes."

Thanks,

 

[Billy]

Yes,
I have had to do a complete recovery a couple of times. The last time I could not boot. All I had was a black screen telling me I needed to insert the recovery CD. The notebook is less than 2 years old.

Back up often...that's the key.

Billy
www.RetireEarlyLifestyle.com

 

[wabmester]

A disk can crash with any OS (and I've lost one running XP), but XP seems pretty robust. Intel supports a no-execute bit, which makes it even harder to corrupt. This is probably one feature that makes it worthwhile to upgrade from Win2K to XP.

NX bit

 

[donheff]

At this point doesn't it makes sense to wait a while and get Vista?

 

[Cut-Throat]

At this point doesn't it makes sense to wait a while and get Vista?

I would not touch Vista until it's been out for a couple years. Let others be the guiena Pigs. It's also a resource hog and you will probably need more memory and horsepower.

 

[TromboneAl]

Well, I'm deciding whether I just back up all my files, or go to great lengths to back up the system in such a way that I could restore it along with my settings. If I only have to worry about hardware crashes, I might just do the latter regularly.

 

[retire@40]

Well, I'm deciding whether I just back up all my files, or go to great lengths to back up the system in such a way that I could restore it along with my settings. If I only have to worry about hardware crashes, I might just do the latter regularly.

Have you thought about using Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image?

Backup to an external hard drive and keep it offsite.

 

[sailor]

Have you thought about using Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image?

T-Al,
I second Acronis recommendation - it's a great tool and saved at least three of my laptops and numerous servers in my lab (both Windows and Linux machines)

 

[Bob_Smith]

I would not touch Vista until it's been out for a couple years. Let others be the guiena Pigs. It's also a resource hog and you will probably need more memory and horsepower.

Same here Cut-Throat. The more I read about Vista, the less I want it. I've had XP running for about four years now. No problems at all, and it has been "rode hard and put away wet". I'll use it until MS stops supporting it, and them I may switch to Linux.

Regarding backup, after doing a clean install I do all the settings and installations of the important stuff, and then run Ghost. In four years I haven't had to use it, but it would be a real pain at this stage (but better than starting from scratch). For data, I have two hard drives that are identical. I figure the odds are good I won't lose both drives simultaneously. The stuff I really couldn't tolerate losing is also uploaded to Google and to a folder my wife's PC.

I also have a Live-CD of Knoppix laying around. If my system crashes I can be up and running in minutes, and just operate that way (to get email, check stuff online, etc.) until I get the time to fix it. I tried a Live-CD of Ubuntu too, but it didn't read my drives right out of the box. Knoppix does.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

I had XP crash and couldn't recover, but it eventually turned out to be a hardware failure. The hard disk was failing. XP has proved to be fairly stable for me. Surprisingly.

No way will I install Vista.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

I had XP crash and couldn't recover, but it eventually turned out to be a hardware failure. The hard disk was failing. XP has proved to be fairly stable for me.

This was my story too up until recently. Talked to my tech service guy last night. He thinks my hard drive is failing. (for all you jokers out there,
don't bother as that one is too easy) .

I told him of my decision to not "reup" and thanked him for trying.

JG

 

[TromboneAl]

I see two reasons to back up. One is to be able to recover your system in case of a big failure, and the other is to be able to restore that important file that you deleted a month ago because you thought you'd never need it (or you didn't realize it was in the directory you deleted, etc.).

The first scenario happens once every few years, but the second happens a few times a year.

Keeping one backup copy is fine for the first scenario, but for the second you have to have a series of backups.

 

[bosco]

T-Al,
I second Acronis recommendation - it's a great tool and saved at least three of my laptops and numerous servers in my lab (both Windows and Linux machines)

I use Acronis. Works great, lets me quit worrying.

 

[Nords]

Windows XP has been less of a hassle for me than Win3.11 or Win95. Big whoop.

I suspect WinXP is more of a hassle than OS X and perhaps even more than Linux. They might be worth investigating if you're starting over.

I see two reasons to back up. One is to be able to recover your system in case of a big failure, and the other is to be able to restore that important file that you deleted a month ago because you thought you'd never need it (or you didn't realize it was in the directory you deleted, etc.).
The first scenario happens once every few years, but the second happens a few times a year.
Keeping one backup copy is fine for the first scenario, but for the second you have to have a series of backups.

The only reason I do backups is because I feel like an idiot when the hard drive crashes or glitches and I haven't been doing backups.

Oh, yeah-- and because it's a lot more work to recover from not backing up.

 

[Billy]

Good points Nords,

Which reminded me of a time I was in Florida. I usually leave our notebook on even though it's in standby mode with the lid shut. We went out for dinner, came back, opened the lid and there was nothing but a white screen. No icons, folders, nothing. Apparently there was a lightning strike, something Florida is noted for, and it fried our hard drive. I took it to a shop who told me for 80 Dollars they might be able to retrieve our data. No such luck, all was lost.

Now I back up daily, sometimes more than once. You only have to go through this 3-4 times before you learn to BACK UP!

Billy
www.RetireEarlyLifestyle.com

 

[Rick S]

Good subject!
I've been thinking of doing this for a while using a partition on a USB-connected drive and wasn't sure what SW to use.

Poking around on CNET though:
1) Ghost looks like it only works as a restore if you are within their window of how long the product registration lasts (1yr?)
2) Acronis has some horrible user reviews where it just didn't work.

More comments appreciated on either.
Also, are there any other alternatives?
Thanks!

 

[Mr._johngalt]

Good subject!
I've been thinking of doing this for a while using a partition on a USB-connected drive and wasn't sure what SW to use.

Poking around on CNET though:
1) Ghost looks like it only works as a restore if you are within their window of how long the product registration lasts (1yr?)
2) Acronis has some horrible user reviews where it just didn't work.

More comments appreciated on either.
Also, are there any other alternatives?
Thanks!

I'd like to help. Have no idea what the hell you are talking about.

JG

 

[kumquat]

If you don't like the Micro$soft product, there are losts of Linux distibutions available. Nowdays you only have to be a bit geeky to use them.

 

[Elderdude]

It seems to me that if you only had one hard drive on your system, (and no external drive,) Norton Ghost wouldn't be any good in case of a crash. It would be usefull to recover if a recent software installation caused a problem, but not a hard drive failure. Am I missing something?

 

[Bob_Smith]

It seems to me that if you only had one hard drive on your system, (and no external drive,) Norton Ghost wouldn't be any good in case of a crash. It would be usefull to recover if a recent software installation caused a problem, but not a hard drive failure. Am I missing something?

In the event of a hard drive crash, with a Ghost image you'd be up and running very quickly after sticking in a new drive.

 

[Bob_Smith]

Ghost looks like it only works as a restore if you are within their window of how long the product registration lasts (1yr?)

I can recall reading recently that you'll want to hang on to the older versions of Ghost. I use 2003. No such limits with 2003.