Bachup Exec 2010 & NTBackup

[avoelp]

I am about to replace my Windows XP driven PC system by a new one running under Windows 7 64-bit. An important part of my backup stategy have been regular backups to DAT tapes using XP's NTBackup program. Unfortunately tape drives are no longer supported by Windows 7's built-in tools.

As NTBackup was based on a previous version of Backup Exec, I would like to know whether Backup Exec 2010 could be a suitable alternative for me under Windows 7.

- Can it read and restore tapes that have been written to by NTBackup?

- Can it write to tapes in NTBackup format so that I can read them on another PC using NTBackup?

- Is it possible to restore the entire system from a tape backup (with NTBackup this did not work as several of Windows' essential files were not included on the tape)?

- My new PC is based on a Asus P6X58D Premium Motherboard that is equipped with a Marvell PCIe SATA 6Gb/s controller. Does anybody have experience with accessing disks connected to this controller using the recovery CD of Backup Exec?

[pkh]

BE 2010 does not support the use of Windows 7 as a media server, i.e. you cannot load BE 2010 onto Windows 7

[sksujeet]

To add to PKH you can backup the windows 7 as a remote server using the remote agent.
Below are your answers:

Can it read and restore tapes that have been written to by NTBackup? As NTbackup also uses windows tape format so it should able to read and restore but Symantec doesn't gurranty it.

- Can it write to tapes in NTBackup format so that I can read them on another PC using NTBackup?

It does create the .bkf format and that can be readable from NTBACKUP

- Is it possible to restore the entire system from a tape backup (with NTBackup this did not work as several of Windows' essential files were not included on the tape)?

It is possible if you use Backup Exec to backup the entire system

[avoelp]

What about the Backup Exec System Recovery Desktop Edition? According to the system requirements posted on Symantec's web site this should be compatible with Windows 7. I am just looking for a software to back up a workstation PC running under Windows 7 to a tape drive attached locally, with an NTBackup compatible tape format. Can I do this with the Desktop Edition?

[CraigV]

Hi,

Even if it did work, you'd have to backup to disk first and then stream off to tape. It doesn't write *.bkf files directly to tape, so sazz should have included that much. It would stream data file for file to tape.
NTbackup CAN read *.bkf files created in Backup Exec, but not the data on the tapes.

Laters!

[teiva-boy]

BackupExec System Recovery is a 100% disk solution.

It only backs up to disk, USB, firewire, eSATA, sata, etc...  No Tape.

But it's probably the best product for the job at $65 or less per desktop PC.  BackupExec on the other hand is closer to $1000.