Backup software for Windows

[wolfie]

I'm looking for backup software for Windows that can back up to any "lettered" drive (i.e. a DVD rewriter with discs formatted for the "treat as a giant floppy" program). It needs to be able to run under 98SE and XP (first task is a backup of a 98SE machine before I decommission it in favour of my new XP machine), be capable of full, incremental (archive bit set), and differential (changed since last full backup) backups, and have the ability to select which directories are to be backed up. Also, I'm looking for something cheap (freeware preferred, but shareware and commercial are OK). What would you recommend?

[Shabo]

You're still running 98!!!! AHHHHHH!!!! *runs away screaming*

Honestly, I don't know about back up software. I do all my backups manually. Good luck finding a program that will work like that though. I doubt that one exists.

[PuckishOne]

Not entirely sure if anyone's writing anything for 98 anymore, but I'd suggest a good Googling of your specific parameters and see what that turns up. Surely there are some open-sourcers out there who've put something aside.

And if it helps, we only just switched to an NT server here a couple of years ago...sometimes we just have to work with what we've got, even if it's not the best. Good on you for being proactive and working to find a fix.

[sms001]

(first task is a backup of a 98SE machine before I decommission it in favour of my new XP machine),

Don't let 'em razz ya Wolfie - my primary Windows machine, and the workhorse of the network (after the linux box) is a Win98 SE w/ Office 97 running on a 400 MHz PII! (Are we hardened against Microsoft "Upgrade NOW!" propaganda... or just cheap? )

For its backups (and would probably work well for you since you're standing it down, I assume semi-permanently) I just do a drive image every once in a while.

For the XP machine, I have a bare bones image of the operating system and applications only hard drive, supplemented with manual backups to CD of the My Docs folder. Essentially the same thing for the linux and mac machines too. Whenever there is a major software upgrade I just overwrite the OS disk image.

Good luck in your hunt.