backup using Trac.

[inyou]

I'm new to computers and I'm not up to speed on things, I'm interested in using a Virtual computer and I'm interested in using VBox but I was also interested in backing up my computer to a virtual computer or server. I read about backup in The Trac User and Administration Guide but I don't understand how it related to VBox or not. Does it backup to VBox? Or to a VBox server of some sort? Or is all that it does is backup to an external disc of some sort? Does it have a separate backup program to backup my computer to VBox? I have a Vista Home Premium x64 and it's factory backup only backs up classes of files and won't backup any programs or individual files so I need another backup program to backup the whole disc, could Trac do that or do I need another Backup and Restore program to work with Trac and if I do which one do I need? If I can't backup to VBox do you know any other virtual computer system that I could backup too? Any help in this regard would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Sasquatch]

The only Trac I know is a web application that we use for bug tracking. So if you're talking about the same software, I can tell you that there is no backup method at all in that software. If it does, what would it have to do with VB? Can you give a quote where it states that it backs up to a VB VM? Now you seem like you've heard something about it, but do not know the rights of it.

[Etepetete]

I would suggest using clonezilla to make backup images of a whole disk. It is dependable and is flexible, i.e. you may restore only specific partitions if you wish instead of the whole disk. It also works great when the iso image is attached to virtual machines for working with the contents on your virtual hard disks. I wouldn't suggest trying to backup your whole disk to a VM which is also located on that disk, disaster is what you will have. You can backup to an external hard drive or, if you have a network, to another computer.

[inyou]

Hi Sasquatch; I'm not sure what were talking about here, I went to help/guide on VB's home page and it took me to The Trac User and Admin. Guide and under the table of contents it says backup which I read to see what it did. I assumed that seeing as how this is on VB's home page it was connected to your virtual program. I didn't see anything saying it would backup programs to VB I just assumed that if it's on VB's home page it was a backup program for VB. Now your saying it has nothing to do with VB so why is it there? That's why I asked the question to see if I could backup my computer to VB's virtual program, all I needed to know if it does or does not which you seemed to answer in a rude manner, I really get tired of being treated like this, I said I was new to computers and you don't seem to understand or care that I have no prior experience in this area. I ask dumb questions because I don't know the answers which you don't seem capable of understanding, a little patience would be appreciated. I know nothing about Trac and when I see it on VB's site what exactly am I supposed to think? Thanks for your reply anyway but I would appreciate a little more thoughtfulness from you if you ever answer one of my questions again.

Hi Ete

[inyou]

Hi ETepete; Thanks for suggesting Clonezilla I forgot about them I'm not exactly certain what your saying I've got a book saying that I can backup to an MS virtual server/vhdmount and virtual computer and I was wondering if you know whether or not Clonezilla can do that or not? I'm also not sure what your saying about backing up to VM I'm not sure what ISO is and how it attaches to VM does that work with VB? You say that it's okay to backup to that then you say it's not okay to backup the whole disk to VM if it's on the same disk isn't that the same thing? I know I'm a pain about this but I've only been on the computer for a year and a half and I've never done this before so I got a lot to learn any help would be appreciated thanks.

[Perryg]

That is the help guide for the trac software. Which is what VirtualBox uses to post this information. It is a wiki like software and nothing to do with the actual backup of anything related to the use of or backup of a guest.
As Etepetete says clonezilla may be a better approach.

[Etepetete]

You say that it's okay to backup to that then you say it's not okay to backup the whole disk to VM if it's on the same disk isn't that the same thing?

Hi inyou,
Keeping my answer short and sweet, you cannot make a backup of a hard disk while writing to it. If the VM is located on the physical hard disk you are trying to copy/clone, you will be writing to it (the virtual hard disk is in essence nothing but a file on the physical hard disk), hence the data contained on the physical disk will constantly be changing, leading to an infinite loop (reading, writing, reading, writing...), if the backup software gets that far at all. You could backup to a VM located on another physical computer if you have access to it, for example via a network connection.

I've only been on the computer for a year and a half and I've never done this before so I got a lot to learn any help would be appreciated thanks.

Just for your information, I had been using computers for some years before I started using VirtualBox. I spent about two weeks reading the VBox user manual, researching the Internet about virtualization in general and skimming through this forum to get acquainted with possible issues that might pop up before I installed VirtualBox for the first time. What you are lacking is knowledge and experience. You can gain the knowledge you need by reading and researching, experience will come with time. Read the manual (for VBox and clonezilla), use your favorite search engine to clarify things you don't understand and check out Wikipedia, it is a great place for getting initial information, i.e. what is an iso image.

By the way, the moderators as well as others on this forum are very knowledgeable people to the extent that they may be considered experts and they are very helpful. If in your opinion you think someone is being rude, then it is a sign that you haven't taken the time to do what is expected of you before posting your question.

[inyou]

Hi Etepetete; Thanks for the information and I appreciate the time you spent replying, I also want to ask if I'm supposed to spend days or weeks studying and reading everything about VB only to find out I can't do what I want to do? You want me to do my homework, well I will if I find out that I can do what I want to do I don't have time to spend days or weeks just to find out I can't do what I want to do, why is it so difficult to understand that a simple answer to a simple question can save a lot of time? I explained that I am new to all this and there is a lot I don't know, one of the statements at the beginning of this is that there is no question too simple they're just easy to answer and yet when I ask a simple question I am treated with impatience and being told I'm being lazy. Do you not understand that when I have no experience in something that there are a lot of simple questions a person has to ask before he can get up to speed on a subject? I know a lot of experienced people have no patience with rookies but if that's the case don't place yourself in a situation where you are going to be dealing with rookies maybe that makes too much sense. Thanks again.

[Sasquatch]

So you want to backup your Host to some virtual system. Have you thought about what to back up and maybe how to make a backup? VB on it's own does not provide you with any backup methods, other software is required for it. And depending on what you want to accomplish, VB might not be in the picture at all.