Image BackUp Uncertainty Urgent need answer! | Gen-Tech | Forums

Very educational article re distinctions between various backup methods.

What is unclear to me is the usefulness of the hard drive image when the problem is corruption of system files and unknown other failings.

Apparently the restoration will include all these problems, a considerable number of them on this Dell Inspiron E1505 laptop.

So of course the original program discs must be (re)installed -- in my case Vista Ultimate. Then one needs all their own files/programs from the image hard drive backup(Keriver)on a selective basis. For one inexperienced and totally lacking tech savvy, this seems a daunting task. Have I missed something?

Further, does one rely on the indicated memory in use, in my case, total 33,593MB (of the 2GB installed); average 8,229MB?
If you more knowlesgable members believe I should proceed with Keriver, there should be no difficulty, capacity or otherwise, to using my 8GB flash drive as the backup recipient.

The reason for the urgency is I lose my ISP 2 days from now and won't have another before early NOV09.

Thanks for whatever advice is available.

Thank you, Ashraf.
This is one of those occasions when I'm embarrassed by my ignorance, or possibly more correctly, my stupiity. "Never complain, never explain" is quite pertinent.

I became immersed in the articles concerning types of backups -- I never knew they existed. My intention was
1.) should/could I use one excluding corrupted files or programs; and
2.) if so, would my 8GB Flash drive accomodate what neeeded to be copied. I was put off by the memory use, maximum/average -- another thing I was unfamiliar with -- but of course MBs are not GBs!
Topping it off is the Dell E drive which supposely is a backup. No idea how to use it although presumably its contents are pre-corruption.

At this point intention is to hire a tech for reinstallation at Florida
residence which will be early NOV09. Lose ISP here in France 2 ays hence.

I do wonder why no notice of your reply. I thought I had checked appropriate box to be notified.

Cordially,