Do you know how to perform a full system backup before using the Cleaner and Issue facilities in the CCleaner program?

Dear Technical Assistant,

Do you know how to perform a full system backup before using the Cleaner and Issue facilities in the CCleaner program? The reason why I ask you this question is because I am extremely nervous using the program due its aggressiveness with some programs in Windows as I have previously read up in other users' experiences and I do not want to discover the same problems as what they have discovered themselves. If you know how to perform this operation please me via the email address at the top of this message and I will appreciate your services very much if you can help me.

Your regards,

Timbuctoo

Welcome to the Piriform Forums Timbuctoo! :)

CCleaner shouldn't give you any grief! However to answer your question as requested:

Depending upon the version of Windows your using this should do the job (these instructions are based on Windows XP):

  • Make a System Restore point by clicking:

    Start->All Programs->Accessories->System Restore

    or Start->Run->Type in: %windir%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

    This can undo changes to the Windows registry.

    Use Microsoft Backup by clicking:

    Start->All Programs->Accessories->Backup

    or Start->Run->Type in: %windir%\system32\ntbackup.exe

    This allows you to make a whole system backup, or to backup specific files.

    Microsoft Backup Note:

  • Backing up the whole system may or will take several hours depending upon the size of the backup.
  • You should consider saving the backup to a secondary hard disk, or hard disk partition that isn't drive C:\. Or if you don't have a secondary hard disk, or hard disk partition you can instead burn the backup to a DVD disc if you have a DVD burner drive. The reason for not archiving the backup on drive C:\ is in the event you have to format and reinstall Windows.
  • To make things crystal clear it's highly unlikely that CCleaner would cause system havoc.
  • Also note that the CCleaner Issues scanner which includes a registry cleaner gives you the option to make a registry backup of issues that will be removed from the Windows registry. A good place to save such backups is in the My Documents folder, then keep them for a few days until you know they're no longer needed and when CCleaner has fully gained your trust.

    There’s also the CCleaner Beginner’s Guide to get to know CCleaner before actually using it.

Edit:

A list of freeware/last freeware versions of some third-party backup programs is available at:

http://www.aplusfreeware.com/categories/util/backup.html

Dear Andavari,

I would say thank you for the email you sent to me nearly a month because it really means a lot to me as not many people reply back to me on some user forums. I sincerely apologise for the late message, this was due to the user forum personnel not notifying of any new messages posted on the forum associated with my enquiry and I only just found out by logging on the user forum, and checking the control panel in my user account. Lastly I would like to say thank you for your assistance to my enquiry and if there are anymore enquiries posted by me on the user forum in the near future feel free to contact me.

All apologies

Dear Andavari,

I have read and followed the hyperlink you sent to me over a month ago, but I would like to have some more information to prevent my files from being corrupted. Can you please post me some more information associated with my enquiry? I'm sorry if I have been a bit slow recently, but I have had to do some coursework for college and I have not had anytime to continue investigating my enquiry.

Thank you

Basically what I replied to in post #2 is the gist of it for backing up your system that I can think of, and I can't think of much else to recommend.

Anyone else is welcomed to post recommendations such as backup software they use, etc.

Dear Andavari,

I would like to say thank you for your reponse and I will consider the thought of posting a new thread when I have time relating to my current issue.

Regards

Why, aren't we Mr. Professional McFormal. :P

Dear Pfipps,

Well I do not know, but if you have any suggestions relating to my enquiry I would be pleased to hear from you.

Regards

Dear Pfipps,

Well I do not know, but if you have any suggestions relating to my enquiry I would be pleased to hear from you.

Regards

Pfipps is just referring to your posting style. It's very polite but you don't really need to start every post with 'Dear...' and end it with 'Regards...' ;):)

And for the fact that you don't use the standard font sizing...sort of stands out...no offense of couse though.

AJ

Dear JDPower,

Thank you for being polite about my posting thread skills last year as it meant so much to me as I have never used a forum before to express my software related problems to new users online, who have of course got the required knowledge to help me. If I have anymore enquiries to do with CCleaner in the near future I will contact you guys on the forum using new threads.

Many thanks

Dear CTskifreak,

Thank you for being polite about my posting thread skills last year as it meant so much to me as I have never used a forum before to express my software related problems to new users online, who have of course got the required knowledge to help me. If I have anymore enquiries to do with CCleaner in the near future I will contact you guys on the forum using new threads.

Many thanks

Dear Pfipps,

Thank you for being polite about my posting thread skills last year as it meant so much to me as I have never used a forum before to express my software related problems to new users online, who have of course got the required knowledge to help me. If I have anymore enquiries to do with CCleaner in the near future I will contact you guys on the forum using new threads.

Many thanks

I'm lost for words Mr. Technical Assistant. ;)

I'm lost for words Mr. Technical Assistant. ;)

Timbuctoo obviously isn't :lol:

Dear Dennis D,

Thank you for your compliment that you sent to me this afternoon, you are more than welcome to send me a new thread once I have hosted a new topic on the forum relating to a new enquiry with CCleaner.

Regards

Dear Anthony A,

Thank you for your compliment that you sent to me this morning or this afternoon, you are more than welcome to send me a new thread once I have hosted a new topic on the forum relating to a new enquiry with CCleaner.

Regards

There was a time when people used the word Timbuctoo to describe some unknown place far, far away, like "From here to Timbuctoo," not having the remotest idea if there was a "Timbuctoo", and if there was, where it was.

There actually is a Timbuctoo.

Timbuctoo:

Just thought I'd mention it.

:rolleyes:

LOL...this quite possibly could be the best thread I have ever read on here! :lol:

Dear Dennis D,

Again thank you for another one of your compliments that you sent to me this yesterday, you are more than welcome to send me a new thread once I have hosted a new topic on the forum relating to a new enquiry with CCleaner.

Regards