Backup copies for PSX DVD

[Phil Bunch]

Since the PSX installation DVD plays a critical, presumably irreplaceable role in each user's installation, it seems prudent to make several backup copies of the installation DVD.  Of course, these copies should be secured and not accessible by others, to preserve Hardy's property rights.

Are there any legal or technical issues re making backup copies of our purchased PSX installation DVD?

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

The DVD sleeve says "one backup copy".

Notice that you can also copy an installed PSX folder. The result is the same as the DVD minus the installer. A PSX installation can simply be moved and be copied in its entirety. There is no technical limitation, just a legal/moral one.

Lastly, a multi-tiered backup system should in my opinion (not Aerowinx's) be regarded as a single backup copy. If the system copies to a RAID disk array first and then dumps that array to tape later, that is a single copy, even if it has multiple daily snapshots and a slew of replication redundancy. Apple's Time Machine for example will make quite a few copies, some real, some fake.

Cloud backups... should be no problem as long as nobody else can get at them and if they are not runnable, even better.


Hoppie

[Phil Bunch]

Jeroen,

Thanks for your thoughts on a broader set of backup issues.

Although my question was about backing up the installation DVD, your reply caused me to remember that my home backup system also makes two independent copies, (one to a save set and one being a file copy method) of my hard drives.  The outputs are to several external hard drives.  I also make disk image backups of each drive from time to time, manually rather than automatically.

As you mentioned, this PC backup system will only pickup my PSX *installation*, and it is not used for backing up the installation DVD.  None of these hard drives are networked and to the best of my admittedly limited computer abilities, they are not accessible by the outside world.

As you discussed, although it has a lot of parts, this is really just one backup system for one PC, and its very necessary internal redundancies hopefully doesn't present any ethical or legal issues.  It's primary outputs are created through one backup software package (Dantz Retrospect).

"Only the Paranoid Survive" - my backup philosophy, borrowed from the CEO of Intel's book title.

[Simicro]

Hi,

I will receive my PSX DVD this week.

First thing, I will make a backup of the DVD.

I plan to make a backup on an external Hard Drive (I'm not used to back-up on CD/DVD).

Do you see any issue or disadvantage?

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

No issues whatsoever. There is no copy protection or hidden stuff on the DVD. You can either copy all files on the DVD to another medium, or install PSX and then backup the installed files. Same effect.

PSX is really simple: one folder, all files in there (in a tree), no registry, no fuss.


Hoppie

[Simicro]

Hello Hoppie,

Thank you for your comprehensive answer. Much appreciated.

I read somewhere - I think it was in the Operations Manual preview - that for networking, that is running PSX on several PCs, the physical DVD is needed.

However I think I will ever run PSX on a single PC and single monitor because I'm not into cockpit building or tinkering.

What I say to myself is: should I ever need to run PSX on several PCs and the original DVD is scratched or something, I can still copy my backup from the external drive to a new DVD?

PS: by the way, thank you for providing the image/file upload http://www.hoppie.nl/forum/ I've just used it earlier to post a PFPX screenshot

[CarlBB]

First thing I did - before install - was to make a backup copy of PSX.
Then installed PSX from the copy (therefore validating the backup copy)
Carl

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

Negative, physical DVD is never needed, except for the very first install of course.

You can copy anything back to a new DVD but as I said, you can also simply copy the full installation on computer A to computer B and it will work and they will see each other (after you tell B the IP address of A).  You can even remote-mount a shared folder from A to B though this puts strain on your network.


Hoppie

[Simicro]

All right guys, thank you. I got it.