Check out the Dell Store on CNET
Community Newsletter: Q&A: 10/13/06 Getting serious about backing up your data
- 10/12/06 5:27 PM
dual boot system with 2 hard drives
by Buzzed - 10/16/06 6:55 PM In reply to: 10/13/06 Getting serious about backing up your data by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I think mine is a pretty old-fashioned approach to backing up... but it works.
I have a dual boot system (Win98 SE & Win XP Pro) AND 2 hard drives (C:20GB & D:80GB). It's saved my butt several times - cuz if one system crashes, I can always boot to the other & transfer files to the other HD.
I usually use Win98SE (20GB HD) to surf the web (I know, it's an old OS - but it always seemed like the most stable windows version IMHO). The WinXP system (80GB HD) is where I installed most of my programs, games, pictures, data, etc. And it's stayed pretty "clean" from internet junk cuz I only go online using XP to activate the OS & download Norton updates.
2 hard drives not too safe
by rc3 - 10/16/06 8:19 PM In reply to: dual boot system with 2 hard drives by BuzzedSome have recommended that you back up to a second
hard drive in your computer. It is the easiest way
but it is not completly safe.
I did this and thought it was safe because the odds
of both drives failing at the same time must be
tremendous. But then my power supply failed and when
I installed a new one BOTH hard drives were not detected
by Windows. I removed them and tried them on another computer with the same result. I can only assume that the
power supply put out too much voltage and fried the
logic boards on the hard drives.
Now I think the safest and easiest way to backup is
an external hard drive and make sure to unplug it when
not using it.
Getting serious about back ups
by bholc - 10/17/06 11:18 AM In reply to: 10/13/06 Getting serious about backing up your data by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
OK. Now we're serious about backing up.
Now---HOW DO I BACK UP WITH XP?
Everyone says "Do it" but noone says
exactly how.
How to Backup
by Aardasp - 10/17/06 11:59 AM In reply to: Getting serious about back ups by bholc-You need a Backup Program (Software), and a second Hardrive (Internal or external). Do you have these?
Yes I have them! How do I backup
by ekrubm - 10/18/06 7:31 AM In reply to: How to Backup by AardaspI'm running Xp PRo with 2-GB HD's partitioned into 15 GB each .....I had originally installed Ghost with a floppy and while I had a tech to guide things along, everything was OK....but he is no longer available so now I have the Ghost of my C drive on my K drive but I can;t remember how to recover it , change it, or backup the new material to it.....I'd sure appreciate some help or tell me what I need to do to ensure I have backup.....I've lost a HD once and I wouldn't want to go thru that again!!
Norton/Symantec Ghost
by Aardasp - 10/18/06 10:14 AM In reply to: Yes I have them! How do I backup by ekrubmGo to the following link and download the manual for your version.
http://www.symantec.com/home_homeoffice/support/productdetail/discontinued.jsp?pid=ghost
I don't use GHOST, so this is the only suggestion I can offer... Good Luck! 
I'd sure like toknow how!
by ekrubm - 10/18/06 7:23 AM In reply to: Getting serious about back ups by bholcI'm with you...a little younger but I'm using XP Pro with 2 - 89GB HD's I had a guru who partitioned my HD's and installed Ghost for me a few years ago and it worked fine, but now he is no longer available and I can't remember how to do it ....I've read all the comments about which is good or bad but none tell us old guys how to do the backup and if we have trouble how to re start ....could somebody tell me how I can back up 1 80GC to the other and Vice Versa....and how to redo if anything happens or if I want to replace som of the data or OS
Symantec-Norton Ghost
by Aardasp - 10/18/06 10:11 AM In reply to: I'd sure like toknow how! by ekrubmGo to the following link and download the manual for your version.
http://www.symantec.com/home_homeoffice/support/productdetail/discontinued.jsp?pid=ghost
I don't use GHOST, so this is the only suggestion I can offer... Good Luck!
Symantec-Norton Ghost
by ekrubm - 10/23/06 2:59 AM In reply to: Symantec-Norton Ghost by AardaspThanks I'm working on it but I'm not too swift so it may take a little time....
10/13 Getting Serious About Backups
by bholc - 10/17/06 12:31 PM In reply to: 10/13/06 Getting serious about backing up your data by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Wayne did a great job, BUT
Neither he nor anyone else give details
on HOW to back up from, say, a Works
spreadsheet file, to a CD-R disk.
I know it can be done and have seen
the results afterward---but IT SEEMS
TO BE A DARK SECRET AS TO HOW IT GOT THERE.
Boyd Holcomb
CD-R
by Aardasp - 10/18/06 10:19 AM In reply to: 10/13 Getting Serious About Backups by bholcDo you have a CD Writer/Recorder?
If so, load a Blank CD-R
Open Windows Explorer & Find the file you want to save & drag and drop it to your CD Writer, follow instructions from there, & Walla, You have copied you file to the CD-R disk.
Can I sync 2 machines using this method?
by mertguin - 10/18/06 3:13 PM In reply to: 10/13/06 Getting serious about backing up your data by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I would like to sync or replicate my data on my 2 computers. If I backup one can I restore on the second and accomplish this?
Sync/Dup 2nd PC
by Aardasp - 10/19/06 10:01 AM In reply to: Can I sync 2 machines using this method? by mertguinAgain, my experience is with CasperXP, and yes, since the way this program Backs Up is to clone/duplicate the drive you backup, if you backup your Drive c to a second Hard Drive it IS an Exact Duplicate of the original Hard Drive: OS, Files, Folders and all programs.
Off-site backup is important (and cheap)
by someguy805 - 10/18/06 10:40 PM In reply to: 10/13/06 Getting serious about backing up your data by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have two external USB2 hard drives: a 160GB and a 250GB. Both were built for less than $50. I keep the 160GB in my house and my 250GB at a friend's house. I use the 160GB to store the huge mass of files I can't store on my laptop's hard drive, and the 250GB has a incremental Ghost 9 image (excluding files I've copied to my laptop's hard drive from my 160GB external) and a backup of the 160GB external. Very important files (like my English portfolio) are also burned to CD-RW and stored on a flash drive.
I highly recommend Ghost 9. The incremental image backup is much faster than total backup, and also acts as the ultimate System Restore in case of viruses or drive failure. My friend that I keep a drive with also keeps a drive with me, and a copy of both of our two drives on his homebuilt terabyte NAS (paid for and shared with five people on his property).
160GB hard drives are cheap to buy and even cheaper to build with USB2 enclosures. Some enclosures and most pre-assembled drives come with backup software, usually Retrospect Express (which is OK). I know that Western Digital and LaCie drives come with backup software.
Getting serious about backing up your data
by bholc - 10/24/06 9:43 AM In reply to: 10/13/06 Getting serious about backing up your data by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Again. Like most "repliers" here, Wayne includes
CD disks as one of his "backup" plans---
BUT fails to give the details of HOW to do it.
I also have Win XP, a CD slot, USB ports, and a
stack of CD-R discs,700MB,80min,52X multispeed.
And no idea of where to start to back up my
dozens of spreadsheet files.
I've been watching here for quite some time
now, and everyone gives finishing-only advice.
How do I get there? That is the problem.
Remembering that most of us out here are not
professional techs.
| Forum legend: | |
 |
Locked thread |
 |
Moderator |
 |
CNET staff |
 |
Samsung staff |
 |
Norton Authorized Support team |
 |
AVG staff |
 |
Windows Outreach team |
 |
Dell staff |
 |
Intel staff |
