Back Up Question

So i tried using the xp back up tool yesterday on my laptop. But one thing seemed odd. The wizard said
"after the wizard creates a backup of your files, you will then be asked to insert a floppy disk. You will use this disk and the back up to restore your system in the event of a major failure."
And sure enough when the back up portion finished, it said since it didn't have a floppy that it wouldn't be able to use it as a way to restore everything if ever needed.
So whats the point? Even back when xp was in service, floppy's still were well out of date.

Are you taking computer classes from Kawar or something?

i figured as much. But why the hell its doing that part specifically on a floppy disk is beyond me. (Its the only option it gives for that part.) How do i go about making a full backup without need of a floppy?

as opposed to the great amount of help and insight from this comment?

You could try putting in a usb drive and see if the system will treat it as a floppy, hehe.

If I recall, when xp was in use, being able to boot off a usb or cd drive still wasn't quite standard so floppies would still be the way to go for emergency booting.

Honestly XP is so old that any problem you could possibly have is guaranteed to be covered somewhere online, if you aren't too lazy or inept to find the answer yourself.

thats actually what i had backed the laptop up to, a usb flash drive. It still wanted a floppy :/

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=windows+xp+backup+utility+no+floppy+drive

Third result has a thread where they describe the files that would go on the floppy. Probably the easiest method described in there is using a drive emulator to make the system think you have an A: drive.

Knock it off.

I don't think that will work. Yes you can write the floppy image there using the emulator, but when you actually want to do the restore, you won't be able to have the emulator running.

Looking around, I think if you want to use this particular backup software, you NEED a floppy drive for the actual restore. So if you don't wanna do that, you're probably better off finding a different backup software.

I actually have multiple copies of all my files (documents, music, pictures, etc) on various hdd's and flash drives. Thats why iv never worried or rly looked into an actual backup of my systems. But my comps are old and out dated. And the other day my desktop had issues turning on again. (much like when the power supply failed before.) So i figured it might be a good time to actually make a real back up.

The laptop was a gift from a friend many years back when he got a new one. Its a toshiba stalite running xp mce. But the floppy back up issues is just apart of XP which is on both my machines. When starting up and going in, you have the option of different devices to boot from if thats what your asking.

I was hoping someone would have more of a quick fix kinda thing because something like this (only making the data on a floppy) is pretty ridicules. But the searches i read through are nothing like that. So im looking at 3rd party programs to backup the machine. But not being familiar with them, choosing one is kinda a shot in the dark at hoping they work.

sad part about that is; while my laptop doesnt have a floppy drive, this desktop actually does lol. Since it was a gift to my father one year back when he was alive and i was working, i made sure to include a floppy drive since it was a build your own type thing from dell. (back in 2007-8ish)

You're not going to want to do anything involving the floppy drive even if you had the floppies, or a floppy emulator.

About the last practical use a floppy had was to add the F6 driver for those who didn't know how to integrate their ahci or raid controller drivers in their XP media.


A full backup of your system is meaningless if you don't have the same hardware to replace it, while you technically could as if I recall correctly you have a used business PC and they're all over ebay, that thing needs to be retired, I know it has sentimental value but it's time.

If the budget is still that tight (which happens) send me a PM.

I keep plenty of things out of sentimental value sure. I have comps much older then these ones (all of which work.) But i dont rly use them (They are not even hooked up.)

Right now its simply money. I wanted to get the pc that ppl helped me build in the other thread, but that was close to 2k. Right now i no longer have even 200. Being on disability and paying for everything on my own is not an ideal situation. And i just had car repairs, and need another. Plus new tires. Everything always happens to keep my limited funds even more limited.

Tho i had been thinking of asking about another (much cheaper) comp build. I just figured id wait to ask about it until i could get closer to affording it. Which probably still wont be for a few months at the very best.

Any 3rd party backup programs worth looking at? I just tried Paragon Backup and Recovery 14, but this thing has been running for like 16 hours and says 12% done. (ran overnight) Flash drive shows 24.6gb put on it so far. Even for backing up on this comp, thats way to long.