Silly question about backups

I want to get an external drive enclosure for a spare 40GB hard drive
that I have laying around. Its sole purpose would be for complete system
backup. My question is: if I have (a theoretical) 275GB of data on my C:
drive to backup, will the 40GB drive be sufficient?


--
Blackjaw

Vista 64 Ultimate
Intel Core2Duo E6750 (@3.6GHz 1.42v)
Thermalright Ultra 120 eXtreme + Scythe S-Flex
MSI P6N SLI | CrucialBallistix 4x1024MB DDR800 (@450Mhz 4-4-4-12)
eVGA 8800GTS 640MB | X-Fi Xtreme Gamer
2xRaptor 150GB + WD 200GB
Lite On SATA DVD | Corsair 620HX PSU
Antec 900 | Vantec 4 Fan Controller

Blackjaw wrote:

>
> I want to get an external drive enclosure for a spare 40GB hard drive
> that I have laying around. Its sole purpose would be for complete system
> backup. My question is: if I have (a theoretical) 275GB of data on my C:
> drive to backup, will the 40GB drive be sufficient?
>
>

No, of course not! Even figuring in some compression, no. You can't squeeze
275GB of stuff into a 40GB container.

Consider spending a little more and buying a 500GB external hard drive.
Also, you may be confusing a "complete system backup" and a data backup.

For a complete system backup, look at Acronis True Image.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

I have a 160 GB external drive for my once-per-week backups and it fills up
in about three months, sometimes sooner. I would say that 40 GB is on the
small side for Vista backups, especially if you are doing complete system
backups. External drives are fairly inexpensive, you might be happier in
the long run by getting a larger external drive.

"Blackjaw" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> I want to get an external drive enclosure for a spare 40GB hard drive
> that I have laying around. Its sole purpose would be for complete system
> backup. My question is: if I have (a theoretical) 275GB of data on my C:
> drive to backup, will the 40GB drive be sufficient?
>
>
> --
> Blackjaw
>
> Vista 64 Ultimate
> Intel Core2Duo E6750 (@3.6GHz 1.42v)
> Thermalright Ultra 120 eXtreme + Scythe S-Flex
> MSI P6N SLI | CrucialBallistix 4x1024MB DDR800 (@450Mhz 4-4-4-12)
> eVGA 8800GTS 640MB | X-Fi Xtreme Gamer
> 2xRaptor 150GB + WD 200GB
> Lite On SATA DVD | Corsair 620HX PSU
> Antec 900 | Vantec 4 Fan Controller

Blackjaw wrote:
> I want to get an external drive enclosure for a spare 40GB hard drive
> that I have laying around. Its sole purpose would be for complete system
> backup. My question is: if I have (a theoretical) 275GB of data on my C:
> drive to backup, will the 40GB drive be sufficient?
>
>

Simply put, no. If you are going to do full system backups of what you
have now, let alone future backups, get a drive with lots of capacity.
Drives are cheap to buy. Get at least a 250 to 300 gig external drive
minimum. You won't regret it.

Hobo

Thanks, looking into a larger drive and possibly using Acronis.


--
Blackjaw

Vista 64 Ultimate
Intel Core2Duo E6750 (@3.6GHz 1.42v)
Thermalright Ultra 120 eXtreme + Scythe S-Flex
MSI P6N SLI | CrucialBallistix 4x1024MB DDR800 (@450Mhz 4-4-4-12)
eVGA 8800GTS 640MB | X-Fi Xtreme Gamer
2xRaptor 150GB + WD 200GB
Lite On SATA DVD | Corsair 620HX PSU
Antec 900 | Vantec 4 Fan Controller

On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:47:45 -0500, "On Request" <onrequest@mychoice>
wrote:

>I have a 160 GB external drive for my once-per-week backups and it fills up
>in about three months, sometimes sooner. I would say that 40 GB is on the
>small side for Vista backups, especially if you are doing complete system
>backups.

You apparently read - but didn't READ - the OP's post. The OP has
275 GIGS of data on the drive! How you gonna stuff all that on to a
40 gig drive?

>External drives are fairly inexpensive, you might be happier in
>the long run by getting a larger external drive.
>
>"Blackjaw" <> wrote in message
>news:...
>>
>> I want to get an external drive enclosure for a spare 40GB hard drive
>> that I have laying around. Its sole purpose would be for complete system
>> backup. My question is: if I have (a theoretical) 275GB of data on my C:
>> drive to backup, will the 40GB drive be sufficient?
>>
>>
>> --
>> Blackjaw
>>
>> Vista 64 Ultimate
>> Intel Core2Duo E6750 (@3.6GHz 1.42v)
>> Thermalright Ultra 120 eXtreme + Scythe S-Flex
>> MSI P6N SLI | CrucialBallistix 4x1024MB DDR800 (@450Mhz 4-4-4-12)
>> eVGA 8800GTS 640MB | X-Fi Xtreme Gamer
>> 2xRaptor 150GB + WD 200GB
>> Lite On SATA DVD | Corsair 620HX PSU
>> Antec 900 | Vantec 4 Fan Controller

On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:09:09 -0500, Blackjaw <>
wrote:

>
>Thanks, looking into a larger drive and possibly using Acronis.

There are two schools of thought on backup. One camp literally backs
up everything, all the system files, all your applications, all your
data, etc.. This is both time consuming and generally foolish and
over-kill for most people since it can be time intensive and space
wasting.

The other camp simply backs up what you can't afford to lose and can't
easily replace... your one-of-a-kind data.

Both methods work, the important things is getting into the habit of
backing up on regular basis.

A third option gaining popularity is using some online backup service
that automatically stores backups of what data to tell it to
automatically. The advantage here is it is automated, so you won't
forget, it is off site meaning it gives the added protection of
avoiding some disaster such a house fire, theft or things like that.
Also being stored on some server it is better protected from hackers
and identity thieves, a growing concern.

On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:22:49 -0500, Blackjaw <>
wrote:

>
> I want to get an external drive enclosure for a spare 40GB hard drive
> that I have laying around. Its sole purpose would be for complete system
> backup. My question is: if I have (a theoretical) 275GB of data on my C:
> drive to backup, will the 40GB drive be sufficient?


Am I reading something wrong here? First, if you want to do complete
system backups, there's much more to back up than just the amount of
data you have.

Second, even if you just wanted to back up data, how could you
possibly put 275GB into a 40GB shoebox? You can reduce the 275GB
somewhat with data compression, but you will get it nowhere even near
as little as 40GB. If compression brought it down to 160GB, that would
be a high rate of compression; having at least a 200GB drive would be
much safer.

If you're interested in doing complete system backups, it sounds like
that existing 40GB drive is essentially useless to you for that
purpose. You need a much larger drive.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

"Ringmaster" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:09:09 -0500, Blackjaw <>
> wrote:
>
>>
>>Thanks, looking into a larger drive and possibly using Acronis.
>
> There are two schools of thought on backup. One camp literally backs
> up everything, all the system files, all your applications, all your
> data, etc.. This is both time consuming and generally foolish and
> over-kill for most people since it can be time intensive and space
> wasting.
>
> The other camp simply backs up what you can't afford to lose and can't
> easily replace... your one-of-a-kind data.
>
> Both methods work, the important things is getting into the habit of
> backing up on regular basis.
>
> A third option gaining popularity is using some online backup service
> that automatically stores backups of what data to tell it to
> automatically. The advantage here is it is automated, so you won't
> forget, it is off site meaning it gives the added protection of
> avoiding some disaster such a house fire, theft or things like that.
> Also being stored on some server it is better protected from hackers
> and identity thieves, a growing concern.
>

I hope no one is taking your drivel seriously.

Ùpyøurbuttøø wrote:
> "Ringmaster" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>
>>On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:09:09 -0500, Blackjaw <>
>>wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Thanks, looking into a larger drive and possibly using Acronis.
>>
>>There are two schools of thought on backup. One camp literally backs
>>up everything, all the system files, all your applications, all your
>>data, etc.. This is both time consuming and generally foolish and
>>over-kill for most people since it can be time intensive and space
>>wasting.
>>
>>The other camp simply backs up what you can't afford to lose and can't
>>easily replace... your one-of-a-kind data.
>>
>>Both methods work, the important things is getting into the habit of
>>backing up on regular basis.
>>
>>A third option gaining popularity is using some online backup service
>>that automatically stores backups of what data to tell it to
>>automatically. The advantage here is it is automated, so you won't
>>forget, it is off site meaning it gives the added protection of
>>avoiding some disaster such a house fire, theft or things like that.
>>Also being stored on some server it is better protected from hackers
>>and identity thieves, a growing concern.
>>
>
>
> I hope no one is taking your drivel seriously.
>
>
He does! But then again, drivel is what he is all about.