Installing a Windows/MAC OS is so fast and easy these days I don't backup anything except for personal files. Anything to do with the OS I could care less about. Basically my personal files/data is only like %5 of the entire machine, so why would I want to even save %95 of the stuff I don't even care about. I use Crashplan for all my home computers. Can't beat the ease of use, simplicity, and cloud storage means it is backed up better then I could ever do myself.

Installing a Windows/MAC OS is so fast and easy these days I don't backup anything except for personal files. Anything to do with the OS I could care less about. Basically my personal files/data is only like %5 of the entire machine, so why would I want to even save %95 of the stuff I don't even care about.

Some people spend a fair amount of time installing apps and customizing stuff. I typically take a base image after I'm done customizing, then I don't have to do all that work over again.

Installing a Windows/MAC OS is so fast and easy these days I don't backup anything except for personal files. Anything to do with the OS I could care less about. Basically my personal files/data is only like %5 of the entire machine, so why would I want to even save %95 of the stuff I don't even care about.

Some people spend a fair amount of time installing apps and customizing stuff. I typically take a base image after I'm done customizing, then I don't have to do all that work over again.

 

I use to do that few years ago, but since I reformat all my machines every year or so I don't need a base structure. Even the base loaded with all the software will need updates eventually. Software versions change so fast these days it is almost impossible to keep up.

 

 

I use to do that few years ago, but since I reformat all my machines every year or so I don't need a base structure. Even the base loaded with all the software will need updates eventually. Software versions change so fast these days it is almost impossible to keep up.

Which is why I'd rather use an incremental imaging solution like acronis, I have so much time tied up customizing the install it's a real pain to redo from scratch every time something messes up. I'd rather just step back in time a few days and fix the screwup.

I find the Windows 7 system images are useful when I am trying new software or drivers, if I find it doesn't work how I want I can then just re-install the prior image. I find this is the best option for ensuring Windows stays fairly clean. I still typically format/reinstall the OS every 12 months.

 

It also takes 20-25 minutes to rebuild with an install rather than 1-2 days to do a complete installation and customization. Well worth it in my view.

 

Alex

 

Im looking for a solution that does a backup automatically each week from my laptops to the server.

 

Any recommendations. 

 

I tried to install crash plan on the server and failed miserably. I think you need a degree in unraid to do that.

after running it manually for about a year I moved to the plugin via this post and it works good

 

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=15921.msg197020#msg197020

 

I have only windows machines so I use Microsoft SYNC Toy 2.1.  It looks for changes to files and only copies the changed files over to the server.  It can do a 2 way sync by adding or deleting files on both machines, a 1 way sync adding or deleting files on the unraid server, and 1 way sync without deleting files off of the unraid server.

synctoy works pretty good. make sure your checking logs, I've had it fail to copy files and stuff that was open or has something goofy in the name.

 

all of my windows boxes back up to unraid with crashplan's windows client.  I forwarded one port on my router to the crashplan app and now I have backups coming from family too.

 

 

I think i have my main desktop set to 90days before deleting "deleted files"  and the rest set to never.  which means every 90days anything that was deleted on the machine will be deleted from the backup. 

...  Time Machine for mac

 

steve

 

Steve, how did you get time machine to write to a NAS?  It seems to only show attached drives.  Also, what would the restore process me? 

 

Much appreciated, thanks.