Backup program that works in Windows XP

Currently I am using AOMEI Backupper. It seemed to work OK. My problem is I need to make rescue media. I couldn't under Windows XP so I did it under Windows 10. I tried the Linux version on both a CD and flash drive. Neither would boot on the Windows XP computer. Has anyone had success booting the rescue media a Windows XP computer?

I am now going to try EaseUS Todo Backup. Maybe it will work better. Does anyone have experience with it or can recommend something else?

One thing that may be causing the problem are the age of my XP computers. Some of the software may assume newer computers than I have.

BTW, whatever backup program I use the rescue media may have to be on a CD. I don't know for sure whether either of my computers can boot with a flash drive.

 

https://www.xpforums.com/threads/gu...aster-recovery-with-macrium-reflect-7.934029/

The version I used, Macrium 7, is no longer available on Macrium's website and I am unsure if current versions support XP.

I have archived Macrium 7 Free and have it at the following link:

https://www.mediafire.com/file/gvtue5mak0mii4p/Macrium.7.2.4473.32bit.FREE.XP.zip/

The ZIP file contains the Macrium 7 setup file and the rescue media that was created in ISO format. This can be burned to CD or put on a bootable USB thumb drive using a utility such as YUMI.

 

Thanks @ClippyBeer. I'll try it.

 

I have used in the past Cobian Backup. It's free. Works on XP. It's very good. A little Description:

Cobian Backup is a file-backup program that can be used to make automatic backups for your directories and files. Cobian Backup can be run as a service or as a regular application. It can backup to some other location in the same computer, to the network and even to an FTP server. The program supports compression and encryption.

Link: https://www.cobiansoft.com/cobianbackup.html

 

Do any of the free backup programs support backing up drives and cloning? Yesterday I needed to clone my 300GB drive. The programs I tried didn't support it with the free versions. I ended up installing EaseUS Todo Backup Home Trial. I worked great doing this.

I tried another program but couldn't get my computer to boot from the CD with the rescue media. I need to test EaseUS Todo Backup to see if I can make a bootable rescue media CD for it.

In any case if I have to I will buy a program that will do backups, clones, and bootable rescue media.

 

I think Aomei backupper doesn't work because most Linux distros are dropping 32 bit. I have an old Acronis 2008 bootable CD. It works great with older computers. Perhaps I can send it to you via PM ?

 

In my many years of using Norton Ghost, Acronis and finally Macrium I have never cloned a disk. I have only backed up to and restored from images using rescue media. BTW I tested several other (Paragon, Aeomei, R-drive) and they all work for creating and restoring from images. I had a lot of time on my hands during the pandemic.

It should be noted that Clonezilla (freeware) can clone and image disks as well. I tested with Windows 7 and Lubuntu 18. Of all the system backup utilities I tested Clonezilla was the only one that successfully restored Lubuntu 18. Its user interface is not for novices.

Macrium 7 should do cloning - IIRC the only limitation of Macrium free was the inability to do incremental/differential backups.

 

Hmm. I never really had a need to do a image backups or restore backups.
All I care is about my data (files). So I backup everything on other HDDs.
For backup I use now Total Commander. It have synchronize folders features with
works very very nicely. If worst comes (luicky, never happened) I just reinstall Windows
from media, install drivers then programs. Then I will copy configs and data from
backups and vioala.

And this seems to be the best and most flexible solution.
If your hardware will go down, you need to get new one and install Windows
from scratch anyway (it hates to be moved to other HW).

Anyone can post experience with restoring system from such backups?
Is it really that convinient?

 

I'm trying to avoid reinstalling Windows XP if I have to. I have no problem reinstalling Windows XP on the two computers I have but activation is another problem. To legally do that you have to call Microsoft support for assistance.

In newer versions of Windows if you go beyond 30 days it is a minor inconvenience if you don't activate Windows. In Windows XP if you go beyond 30 days then Windows XP will not even let you login until you activate Windows. There is another thread in this forum where someone has posted a workaround for offline activation. Unfortunately you have to do this before 30 days has lapsed. I tried this on a computer and it works.

I have Windows XP installed in a virtual machine. I let the 30 days lapse. My only options now is to reinstall Windows XP. When I do I will use the offline method since the two keys I have are tied to physical computers.

 

Uhh, right.. I completly forgot about it. I personally use Win2003 Enterprise.
Its from volume licencing so no calling home at all.

 

How does Win2003 Enterprise activate?

The only time I have dealt with VL software is when I bought VL Windows 8 Pro and Office Pro Plus 2010 for a non-profit. I had the choice of MAK or KMS keys for both. Since we didn't have our own KMS activation server I chose MAK keys for both. The MAK keys activated with a Microsoft Volume License activation server. Note Microsoft sets an arbitrary 100 activation limit for its VL software. However, if one runs out of activations then all one has to do is call them to add additional activations.

 

There is no such thing like activation in Win2003 Enterprise.
You just enter key after installation and vioala. Done.
Windows never bothers you again about it.

I think its exacly same with Windows XP Corporate edition.

Yeah, KMS thing.. Ugh. This stuff appeared in Win2008 onward and its more messy.
Win2003 was last windows w/ easy VL.