Can't Install Casper XP 4

Question

I have tried installing the trial version of Casper XP 4.  The message says, 'This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action.  Create an association in the folder options control panel.'  This is ridiculous.  Tech support says it should run on its own.  I have tried downloading it over and over, saving it to desktop, saving it to USB flash, and nothing works.  When it says, 'Do you want to run this file?  it says from c:\documents and settings\.  It looks like it is trying to install a program from documents instead of Program files.  I have deleted Casper XP 3 from add/remove programs, searched for all casper files, deleted all files using Acronis from recycling bin and it still won't install.  I have also disabled Norton antivirus, and removed Advanced System Optimizer.  Nothing works.  I am definitely not going to purchase the new version, if the trial doesn't work.    I have successfully copied files from one USB flash to another using Casper XP3, but the blue installation line goes from left to right and stops.  Eventually it finishes successfully.  I don't like Acronis for copying one USB to another since it compresses files like pictures and they won't pop up as a group, just individually when I get into Picasa2 for instance.  Something as simple as cutting and pasting one set of files from one USB to another takes 4-5 minutes.  I realize that Casper is primarily for hard disk cloning and for that, I am grateful, but it should also work for copying one set of files to another without this much trouble.  Is there another free program that I can use for file transfers only and not program files?     I am using the Dell 8400 Pentium IV 3000 with XP Home.  Is the problem that the Casper 4 only supports native 64 bit? Message Edited by metamorphosis on 11-06-2007 07:22 PM

metamorphosis · Answer

Can someone please download and try to install the Casper XP 4.0 free trial version?  Here is the site:  http://www.fssdev.com/   I am answering my own questions to the other issues.  Genie backup manager 8 does copy from one USB to another flawlessly.  It gives you a choice to compress or not, and the picture files are not affected so they work with picture studio, etc.  It comes with all the bells and whistles you would ever need for backing up anything and everything on your computer.  Frankly, it is more than I need.  It also doesn't clone hard drives.  At $40 it is pricey, but worth it if you need the advanced features.      Acronis backs up one USB flash to another USB flash but it compresses the picture files making it a useless program for backups.  It does clone hard drives.  It also takes a tremendous amount of space on your HD.    Casper XP 3 clones hard drives making them bootable, but it is flimsy for backing up files from one USB flash to another.    In this day and age you would think they would have one program that clones and backs up files.  Considering the fact that new operating systems keep coming out, this forces you to keep buying the same products over and over.  Windows 2000, I believe had a copy program in it.  You could always back up one floppy to another, and Iomega had a copy utility for free to back up Zip drives.     There has to be a free program, or one for nominal cost to do the simple backups that I want to do.

metamorphosis · Answer

I am continuing to work on the problem.  Tech support from Casper says the registry is corrupt, and unfortunately I think they are correct.  I tried to install the program on another computer I had and it worked.  This might explain why I am having trouble copying from one USB flash to another.  I have tried using system restore and can not roll back the system despite all attempts.  I blame either Norton System Works 2006 or Advanced System Optimizer for messing up the system.  I have heard it over and over again, that diagnostic utilities cause more problems than they fix.  I agree.

metamorphosis · Answer

I am answering more of my own questions. I think the easiest way to solve the problem is with a clean install. The computer is 2 ½ years old without any clean installs. The Advanced System Optimizer made my computer run faster, but it also broke it. Under no circumstances should you run the registry cleaner function. It deletes too many files making you reinstall some applications. I have used Casper XP for years cloning one HD to another with few problems, however, even the new version will not let you backup one USB flash to another USB without error codes.

Vista Ultimate and business have a copy utility built in and also a disaster recovery tool even if it won’t boot into windows. The other versions have the backup utility built in but not the disaster. Norton 360 has backup capability for some general files such as my favorites and e-mails but won’t do anything else and you can’t back up to more than one device or from one device to another. It is useless as a diagnostic utility which is a move for the better since Norton Utilities always created more problems than it fixed.

Genie backup Manager Pro 8 has all the copying features you would ever want plus disk cloning capability, plus disaster recovery. This is exactly what I want. You can also set it to self restorable archives which will restore the files without having Genie installed on your computer. It also offers compression or non-compression. They also have a forum to discuss problems with other users. It works fine to copy my favorites and outlook express to a USB flash and from one USB flash to another or to the external device of your choice. I feel this capability should be built into an operating system. At $59.46 at appzoo.com it is a good buy.

What I really want is a computer that boots to an external USB HD so I can clone that HD to another without opening my computer. The last clone I made was six months ago, and consequently due to Microsoft’s updates about 30 new updates had to be installed. I now have DSL which means downloads are faster and should speed up a clean install considerably. I have only had one HD crash and perhaps will not need the cloning feature. The only operating system that will boot to an external USB HD is Vista according to one forum member.

metamorphosis · Answer

Unfortunately Genie Backup Manager 8 pro does not have disk cloning capability.

Windows General

Was this post helpful?