I'm managing multiple Windows XP machines—about 15 in total—that are used for various tasks like operating CNC machines and running robots. Currently, we have a process where we boot these machines into FreeDOS twice a year and use Norton Ghost to create cold backups, which I transfer to a USB stick. Although this method works, it's pretty nerve-wracking due to the age of the machines and the numerous drive failures we've already encountered. I'm considering switching to a more automated solution using Veeam Backup & Recovery, but I've never backed up an XP machine with it before. My plan is to set up local admin accounts, configure firewall rules, and create a protection group in Veeam for daily backups, which should simplify recovery for newer staff. I'm also interested in the possibility of using SATA SSDs with IDE/SATA adapters, but I've had some bad experiences with that before. Anyone have suggestions on improving this backup process or insights into potential issues with those adapters?
4 Answers
This situation sounds like a nightmare! If virtualization isn't possible, check out SATA PCI cards by StarTech that are compatible with XP; they can let you use SSDs instead of IDE drives. Regularly scheduled backups to a second drive with the XP backup tool or the Veeam Agent could greatly reduce recovery hassle. Also, consider upgrading to a gigabit network interface to speed things up.
How do your XP machines connect to the equipment they control? I recommend exploring a port-over-IP solution for those that can be virtualized. This could save you a ton of hassle and costs in the long run, especially if the machines are hard to replace.
You might want to look into high endurance UDMA compact flash cards with adapters. They work quite well since they use the same protocol, which could help with reliability over traditional IDE drives.
Have you considered virtualizing those XP machines? Running them on newer hardware could simplify backups and reduce hardware issues. Depending on your needs, Hyper-V might be sufficient, but for passthrough requirements, VMware Workstation could be the way to go. Just make sure it's compatible with your CNC machines.
Related Questions
Can't Load PhpMyadmin On After Server Update
Redirect www to non-www in Apache Conf
How To Check If Your SSL Cert Is SHA 1
Windows TrackPad Gestures