Computer backup/restore

[NutmegCT]

We all do regular backups of our computers (right?) -

So if a virus is detected, how do you know whether the backups carry the virus?

What's worse - let's say you have to wipe the HD and reinstall the OS. You have to reinstall all your files and apps - a backup won't reinstall apps, unless the backup was a HD mirror. And if it's a HD mirror - it might have the virus!

How do you guys deal with the situation of restoring a HD? A new Windows OS registry won't carry app info unless you reinstall each app. And if you reinstall each app, you have to do all the app's updates and configurations manually.

ack

Thanks.
Tom M.

 

[mezy]

We all do regular backups of our computers (right?) -

So if a virus is detected, how do you know whether the backups carry the virus?

What's worse - let's say you have to wipe the HD and reinstall the OS. You have to reinstall all your files and apps - a backup won't reinstall apps, unless the backup was a HD mirror. And if it's a HD mirror - it might have the virus!

How do you guys deal with the situation of restoring a HD? A new Windows OS registry won't carry app info unless you reinstall each app. And if you reinstall each app, you have to do all the app's updates and configurations manually.

ack

Thanks.
Tom M.

I use some software called parragon, I regularly clone the C: drive, then disconnect the drive i have cloned too, In the event I have a drive failure i can re connect and boot from it and then clone it back to a new drive, It would be very rare if a virus is not picked up and dealt with by windows defender, but if one was to get through it would not be on the cloned drive as it was not connected at the time of the attack.

 

[NutmegCT]

If Defender, or other malware blocker, has caught and deleted malware, the clone would be the ideal restore source.

However, if the HD has failed, would a clone actually work - unless the old HD were replaced with exactly the same hardware? Wouldn't things like HD config, MBR, etc. need to be transferable? and if there were windows problems on the old HD, they'd be transferred to the new HD anyway.

 

[YakkoWarner]

If Defender, or other malware blocker, has caught and deleted malware, the clone would be the ideal restore source.

However, if the HD has failed, would a clone actually work - unless the old HD were replaced with exactly the same hardware? Wouldn't things like HD config, MBR, etc. need to be transferable? and if there were windows problems on the old HD, they'd be transferred to the new HD anyway.

Most drive cloning software (and modern drives themselves for that matter) these days can handle the differences in drive size/geometry without any problem. Cloning to a smaller drive takes an additional step in terms of shuffling partitions to fit, but even that is no longer the serious obstacle it once used to be. The firmware on the newer drives internally handles alot of the lower level management, especially when you start adding SSDs to the mix.

 

[mezy]

You would only clone from a system that is operating as it should, when a clone is made of the C drive it is just that, an exact copy including MBR
once cloned you could disconnect the original drive and boot from the clone drive as if it were the same drive.
if you do a clone once a month, the worse that could happen is you loose a months worth of use.
For belts and braces.
If you have a couple of spare drives number them 1 and 2, use 1 first then next month use 2, following monthe use 1 again and so on.
At least that way if you should unfortunatly clone a virus along with all the good stuff you will at least have another back up.