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Community Newsletter: Q&A: 10/13/06 Getting serious about backing up your data
- 10/12/06 5:27 PM
I use Mozy too
by Maxweel - 10/13/06 4:40 PM In reply to: Mozy remote back up by psteenI use Mozy too and it's very good.
With it you can back up all your system files automatically and also choose which type or specific files you want to back up periodically and which not.
Simple back up strategy
by terrawarra - 8/25/07 3:54 AM In reply to: Mozy remote back up by psteenI'm 63 years old and my old PC isn't too far behind me,.. I don't pretend to know everything but for what it's worth, this is my proven back up strategy.
I have an 80 gig hard drive partitioned with "C" as the operating system & program files,.. partition "D" contains all of my files such as My Documents which holds a lifetime of photographs.
I bought a cheap second hand hard drive and installed it as a slave drive. I then installed a free version of XXClone and made a mirror image of my O/S system & files on "C" drive onto my slave hard drive "G".
My precious photos and files on partition "D" are easily backed up via burning multiple copies onto DVD's,.. you can never have too many copies !
Last week, through sheer negligence on my part, I stuffed up my O/S on partition "C", lots of errors and non recoverable from system restore.
In desperation, I started up my PC with a bootable floppy onto the "XXClone" back up on the slave hard drive "G" and copied it across to the master hard drive partition "C" (after formatting it). 60 minutes later, the copy was completed and my operating system & files were restored and running again perfectly on the master hard drive "C".
I'm almost a dummy but if I can do it, then anyone can. Not bad for a freebie "XXClone"
Backups and backups to backups. You can't be too safe.
by pradike - 10/13/06 11:10 AM In reply to: Other advice from our members by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I take backups seriously. Once you lose your valuable data just once - it's gone forever.
I do a monthly backup from my main PC hard drive to another external drive - an image copy that reatins everything on the drive.
In addition, about every 6 weeks, I do an image backup to DVDs. Once finsihed, I rotate the previous DVD backup copies into my safety deposit box for storage. I then purge the oldest copy in there (destroy them).
This means in the worst case (oldest timeframe) sceanrio, I have an external 1-month old hard drive image copy, a 6 week old DVD image copy, and an offsite 12 week old DVD image copy available. If the premises burn to the ground, I will have minimal losses of photos, files, tax records, etc.
Online or Offsite backups are a must
by scfore - 10/13/06 11:15 AM In reply to: Other advice from our members by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Ok, I was robbed this week. They stole four computers. I had partial backups but they stole my flash drive as well and most likely would have taken an external hard drive if they had seen it. And, the really tossed the whole house for electronics.
So, please backup regularly and store it either offsite or using an online service. I had been hesitant about online services due to security reasons and hackers, but am looking into it again.
SCF
Keating Technologies has the answer to back ups!
by Andrew Bruckner - 10/13/06 1:40 PM In reply to: Other advice from our members by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
OK, great stuff all , but Keating have just launched "No-Panic Computing" wherby we provide users with hardware, software, 24/7 customer care, and most of all... unlimited, online, encrypted, automatic, and bullet-proof backup with "DataGuard". This is an Iron-Mountain powered backup service for small-medium business that provides the security of an enterprise-level solution at a small-business price. Lose your data? So What. Laptop is stolen? So what. C-drive crashed or corrupted? So what! DataGuard completes a full-image backup so no matter what happens to your hard drive or laptop you will always have access to it through this program. NEVER WORRY ABOUT LOSING YOUR DATA EVER AGAIN! This is just too exciting because there is no more need for tape (ever try loading tape and finding your data???) that can melt, get lost, has to be rigorously managed, and can be stolen. No need for an external hard drive for the same reasons.
C'mon folks, this is the way it should be done and will be done, so contact me at nopanic@keating.com and we'll have a chat. Check out www.keating.com as well for more info.
We can help!
Andrew B
Keating Technologies Inc.
Backing Up Your PC
by Webwizzkid2007 - 10/13/06 9:39 PM In reply to: Other advice from our members by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Back-up's are needed not only when the PC fails. My wife and I had to re-format two machines when the system became so corrupt through viruses, key-loggers and malware etc. Things just stopped working. I would have lost five web sites in design stage plus 1000's or pics and clipart. My wife would have lost over 8,000 photos taken over the years. To both of us a grave loss. BUT WE WERE SAVED BECAUSE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE BOUGHT AN 160 gig OMEGA DRIVE and every month or when needed we copy programmes, data, my docs and system files etc onto it. It's and insurance and invaluable for keen computer addicts as we are. DON'T GET CAUGHT OUT, DO SOMETHING TODAY!! OR FACE THE MISSERY OF LOOSING EVERYTHING.
Lori and Mike
A little organization up front helps with backups later on
by ZenZhu - 10/13/06 9:53 PM In reply to: Other advice from our members by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I generally keep things a bit organized up front so that backups are easier later on. Basically, everything that goes onto the computer gets categorized from the start. Photos go onto a "photos" folder, which is generally then organized by event, trip, date, or something.
Internet downloads go into a "Downloads" folder. From there, things will go into sub-folders such as images, install programs, support files (like DLLs), and so forth. Usually images will be further broken down by some category such as desktop wallpapers, clip art, anime, nature, etc. Then these might even have more sub-folders based on other categories, like the anime folder might be further divided into categories like mecha, catgirls, miko, etc.
I generally also backup my music. And yes, we're talking about legit music.. either burned from CDs I own or purchased online from sites like Napster. In the case of purchased music, I generally make an audio CD once I have enough purchased downloads to fill about 80 minutes. So there's a ready-made backup for those songs. In the case of music I've burned from CDs, I go ahead and include those in my backups because it would be a pain to have to copy them ALL again from the music CDs as opposed to just being able to transfer the files directly from the backup CD. That also lets me move them to my other computers where I may want the music available.
As for work files, those naturally get organized based on categories like lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations, and so forth.
Personally, I prefer to keep the stuff on CD. For starters, I don't really have so much that it can't be done on just a few CDs. Second, it seems kind of silly to worry about the reliability of a hard drive and back up solely to another drive. I know wear and tear is an issue, but no backup medium is foolproof. I think of CDs as more of a "hard copy" version. Plus I can burn several cheaply and have a backup set at home and leave another set in my storage unit a few miles away.
I generally segregate things to CDs like I would in folders. I have image CDs, music CDs, work file CDs, and program CDs. I generally also create a text file on the CD that has any information I might need to reinstall programs, like registration info and clues about passwords, but not often passwords themselves. Then if I need to take something from backup, or just copy it to another computer to have the files there, I know which CD to grab. It may be somewhat "old school," but "new school" isn't always better. Besides,
I generally keep my computer pretty clean. It's hard to fathom these folks that need 160GB for backup. My HD isn't even that big and I still have tons of space on it that hasn't been touched. Still, I guess if you're talking about files for something like CAD, GIS, .pdf files, or the like, you can get pretty large pretty quickly. Larger and more efficient storage would probably make sense if you're in engineering, IT, or something like that. But for home computing purposes... wow... Although, I do know folks that rack up 20 or 30GB solely on downloaded girlie pictures alone. O.O
REMOTE BACK UP(ONLINE BACK UP)
by sproduct - 10/15/06 6:51 AM In reply to: Other advice from our members by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Dear members,
Most of members are concerned how to back their data files.We are Remote back service provider based in kenya.If you would like more information on the above topic and the software iw ould suggest you visit this site.WWW.remote-back.com
You will get all the information regarding this topic.
Regards,
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Kenya.
Backing up data
by famedsnake6 - 10/15/06 6:15 PM In reply to: Other advice from our members by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I cringed when I read the line that said the guy was near tears because his HD crashed and he lost all the photos of his 6 month old child. If he'd taken black & white roll film and taken prints right along, posting them in the kid's baby book, he wouldn't have lost anything. There's a limit to technology and the guy's story is a good example.
file backup
by latangari2000 - 10/13/06 8:27 AM In reply to: 10/13/06 Getting serious about backing up your data by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I recently reinstalled my Windows & MS Office 2003. I can't remember how to delete temporary files,a nd I know there's a difference between the ''temp'' and ''temporary'' but what that difference is is beyond me.
I have Windows XP Pro and MS Office 2003. Where do I find the temproary files that can be deleted? I know I have tons of unnecessary files but I don't even know how to check for them. I have no problem uninstalling programs that I don't use but I hate deleting files since I'm worried they might contain programs shared with other applications that I might damage if I delete from one file. Does that make sense?
Thanks!
Backing up and how so many do not.
by cqjbcq - 10/13/06 8:39 AM In reply to: 10/13/06 Getting serious about backing up your data by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Backup should be an essential part of your computing experience if you spend large amounts of time on your computer or use your machine for important personal or business. There are many stories of people losing all of their files due to system crashes or computer viruses.
If your computer crashes or is infected with a virus that results in a loss of files, you will still have access to your files on backup disks or whatever other backup system or program you choose to use. You can restore your files to your computer from backup sources.
Why Do I Need to Backup My Files?
Don't fall for the ''it wont happen to me.'' There is certainly a chance that you will never have a need for the backups you make, if something does happen to your laptop or puter you will be glad that you have them. You do not have to backup your entire computer, only the files that are of the most importance to you.
Irreplaceable documents or files that are yours and yours alone should be saved/backed up in a place where they cannot be damaged. That way, no matter what happens to your computer, you can have security in the fact that all of your files are available in backup.
We have so many people telling us ''I was dumb and did not back up the files''. Do not let this happen to you. Many times the USB devices out there break unexpectedly, they call us and then need advanced chip replacement on these devices. Avoid having to have internal surgery on your storage medium to recover files... back them up before they go away.
http://www.eProvided.com - staff writer
Back-ups
by khaostech - 10/13/06 8:54 AM In reply to: Backing up and how so many do not. by cqjbcqRealizing this is a serious subject that is continually coming up from time to time, I finally got into it myself so I will pass on my method...
I use Norton Ghost. ( approx. $100.00 ) but it's money well spent. Add to that a USB external Harddrive, and your all set.
I do a manual back-up once a week or so, on both my Computers with the one Hard drive, and that's it, couldn't be more simple unless I'm doing something wrong... D
Some Quick Ideas
by markdoiron - 10/13/06 9:08 AM In reply to: Backing up and how so many do not. by cqjbcqIf you've read all the prior ideas, let me add a few quick thoughts:
1. Never store data files on the same partition as your os/applications. "My Documents" folder is fine, if you don't mind MS engineer's telling you what to name your folders (I do!), but move the folder so that you don't inadvertenly end up with two "My Documents" folder, the one you moved to another partition and the one that Windows keeps recreating (which is why MS shouldn't automatically create and name user data folders). Do this and you can format the os/applications drive when it inevitably screws up and reinstall everything, leaving you data completely safe.
2. Restores from back-ups of Windows are notoriously unreliable. It's best just to grit your teeth and reinstall from scratch, including all app's. Fortunately, WinXP is much, much better than previous OS's at keeping itself in good shape. If you don't have it, move to it (Vista will be an unknown quantity for a little while even once it's released).
3. Install a second hard drive and create a parition on it for backing up you data partition. Use only software that runs automatically without anything beyond initial set up. I use BackupMyPC, which is basically an enhanced version of the simple utility that comes with Windows. Make a choice here, depending on your needs: Back up all data files, or back up just the files that have changed since the last back up. I prefer the latter since anything that hasn't changed recently is something I won't need too soon (presumably). It will be on yet another backup, just in case, though.
4. If you have a network in your home (if you have two computers, you should) set it with two drives also. Then have your backup software automatically back-up your data to that computer, as well. This is your "my computer completely died and I HAVE to have that file today!" backup. This is why putting two back-ups into one machine is false security.
5. By smart mapping of drives, you can probably have one copy of your back-up software run back-ups on that other machine as well.
6. Finally, buy a removal hard drive (better yet: two). Periodically do a complete back up to the removable hard drive. Then take it and immediately store it in a separate physical location--preferably a safe deposit box. This is you "a tornado hit my house" copy of everything. It's also you back-up in case a file you weren't currently working with got lost. If you have two removable hard drives, swap them occasionally as you make back-ups. Keep the oldest copy in the house, where it might save you a trip to the safe deposit box.
BOTTOM LINE: Back-up needs to be daily/nightly and automatic. You need several copies to cover loss of data, loss of machine, loss of home. The 0's and 1's that form your life's work/personal memories are what's important. You can always reinstall OS/app's from the original CDs.
mark d.
Backing Up
by Futoro - 10/13/06 8:51 AM In reply to: 10/13/06 Getting serious about backing up your data by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I use an inexpensive program called Second Copy to back up all the files I've worked on to a second hard drive in my machine every time I turn my computer off. Very simple. Very easy. It works for me.
There are only three kinds of computer users: those whose hard drives have failed; those whose hard drives are going to fail; and those whose hard drives are going to fail again. I'm in the third category but with Second Copy, I'm ready.
Backing Up
by SteveP55419 - 10/13/06 9:00 AM In reply to: Backing Up by FutoroI too use Norton Ghost. Instead of using a USB drive, I bought an Addonics Combo Hard Drive II cradle which allows you to install a regular HD in an open CD or DVD bay. The SATA HD is connected to the computer through a PCI adapter. The thing that I really like about this is that the Addonics hardware has an on/off switch controled by a key. I turn it on only when creating a backup image. When it is off, it is invulnerable to virus infection, electrical surges, etc.
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