[Discuss] How do Linux guys back up Windows?

[david at thekramers.net (David Kramer)]

On 12/26/2012 10:01 PM, Rich Pieri wrote:
> I use Unison daily (sometimes more often) to replicate my live data:
> mail, documents and so forth. This because I switch between three
> (sometimes four) different computers where I want the same data. Some
> of this data is VM images so Git-based tools like SparkleShare are a
> terrible fit.
>
> The center of this star configuration is a Debian server: the HP N40L
> discussed earlier this year. Data is on a Btrfs volume with mirrored
> data and metadata. The OS volumes are automatically replicated to the
> data volume with rsnapshot running from cron. Data volume snapshots are
> made daily (mostly) and these snapshots are replicated to disks in a
> USB3 dock. These secondary disks are rotated to a fireproof box on a
> weekly (mostly) basis.

I use Unison too.  That's why I said my documents are already backed
up.  I have a series of document directories that get synced between 4
machines using Unison.  Since most of them are not constantly online, I
run it manually.

> I use my own server because cloud storage is prohibitively expensive
> for my storage needs. It's very fast at home (GigE wired) and my data
> won't be held hostage by the Department of Justice if some numbskull
> cries "piracy" or "child pornography".

Yup.  I like my data to stay *my* data.  Otherwise I would have an
Android phone.

> I use the Clonezilla live USB weekly or thereabouts to create images of
> the system and data disks. I typically keep only one image set around.
> I use Clonezilla because it works and because none of the "free" backup
> providers do bare metal backup and restor

Have you tried restoring an image of a Windows disk?  Does that work
well?  Maybe I should do that instead of incremental.

Thanks!

> e.