🚀 go-pugleaf

> I have a home network consisting of two computers connected to a
> small router via 10/100 Mbps ethernet. I have 4 IDE hard disks, each
> 200GB or less. The operating systems are Windows XP SP1 and SP2,
> Windows 98, Linux Red Hat 9, and Linux Fedora Core 3.

So that are multiple OS per computer and various file systems too.

> Now for the hard bit - what's the easiest way to keep all of these
> IDE hard drives backed up, e.g. if one of my hard drives gets errors and
> fails, I'd preferably like to just replace it with a backed-up
> hard drive and have it work.

There is nothing like that.
Usually you have to replace failed disk with a new one, THEN restore data on
it.

> I believe I would want one or more backup 'devices' to be connected
> to my router, i.e. I don't think I want to keep opening up my
> computers and keep putting in individual backup hard drives every
> time I want to do a backup. The question is, what should those
> 'devices' be?

Any form of disk storage. I do it through a Windows server with additional
HDs.

> I'm a complete novice in backing up, so don't assume that I know
> anything. By all means include any brand names in your answer.
>
> Corporations don't have a lot of time to waste, so how do they do it?
> I don't necessarily mind spending some money if it will give me
> reliability and convenience.

They usually do not backup user workstations.
For other data they have servers.

> Would hardware RAID 1 or RAID 5 work?
> - Backing up: can the backed-up drive(s) sit on the network
>      outside my computer? The original hard drive is obviously
>      inside my computer.

RAID over network? Not in consumer market.

> - Restoring: if one of the hard drives
>      in my computers fails, can I replace it with a backed-up hard drive
>      and have it work? Will both Linux and Windows still work?

There is nothing like that yet.

> I understand that RAID is rather expensive but it may be worth it
> depending on the price.

RAID over network? You budget is too small.

> If that's possible, then I think this still leaves to have to deal with
> one more backup methodology - if some files get deleted accidently, then
> in the back-ups they will be deleted as well.

You can generate multiple images on schedule basis.

> So I probably need something which also allows me to do a few
> historical backups. I suppose I need something which can image my hard
> drives, and (to save on cost) with the option to allow incremental
> backups on subsequent backups?

Incremental? Not possible/reliable yet with multiple OSes/FS on one disk
More difficult to restore.

> I tried using Norton Ghost 9 in XP SP1 (whilst XP was running - apparently
> it's supposed to support this). I did it the hard way by opening
> up my computer and connecting the backup drive to it. (As I wrote above,
>    I'd prefer if I could have the backup drive on the network all the
time,
>    if possible).

Could use USB external drive. Saves from opening computer case.

> But it didn't work for me. Some logical drive letters seemed to back up
> fine, others didn't. So I have a portion of the files backed up,
> but the hard drive won't boot - Linux Red Hat 9 complains that
> /boot has a 1-byte size difference compared to what is in the
> Master Boot Record. Whereas Windows XP boots up to the XP logo,
> but that's all it shows - it doesn't give me the normal password prompt.
> On the web this Windows XP problem is mentioned by many people, but
> I could never find a solution.

Ghost 9 is a crap anyways.

> On the web I've researched a few backup devices. Something like
> Netgear Storage Central (SC101) sounds good in that it allows you
> to put in your own hard drives of your choice.
>
> Buffalo TeraStation comes with an attractive 1TB of storage via
> 4x250GB hard drives, but I don't believe the hard drives can be taken out?

O course they can be taken out. But why?

> In any case if my understanding is correct, both of these devices
> basically allow you to backup files. By themselves, I think they don't
> come with anything to allow me to take full images of my hard disks - is
> that correct?

That function is in your imaging software which runs on a CLIENT system, not
storage device.
I boot my client systems with a custom CD, which does a full client PC
disk(s) image(s) to a server storage. Unattended image completion and
shutdown. Another version of it can restart client system after imaging.