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Topic: When and What - Computer Backup |
Jude Reinhardt
From:
Weaverville, NC
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Posted 9 Oct 2007 4:01 am |
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I'm going to show my ignorance again but my idea of "backup your computer" means go to your Pictures folder and put the ones you don't want to lose on a CD and then print out whatevers in your Document folder that you don't want to lose.
I've had two computer crashes in the last six years and used the "restore your computer to the condition it was in when you opened the box" CD and then started all over accumulating "stuff". I went sixty-four years without a computer and if my computer died tomorrow it wouldn't be the end of my world. I can live with this attitude but I am curious about how others think about "computer backup". Any and all comments are welcome. Thanks in advance for sharing with me.
Jude
_________________
"If we live in fear of banjos, then the banjos have won".
"Man cannot live by bread alone, he must have Peanut Butter". - Kruger Bear |
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Phil Halton
From:
Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA
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Posted 9 Oct 2007 6:22 am Re: When and What - Computer Backup
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Jude,
I use a program called "replicator" which is a free download from Karen's Power Tools (don't have the website, but do a search and you'll find it). The program lets you set up a nightly job to copy various folders and files to a location --usually an external disk drive.
In my case I have an external USB hard drive( they're plug n' play--easy to use and cheap) and have replicator set to copy everything, on a nightly basis, in the "my documents" folder as well as my favorite links off my computers internal drive to the USB drive. So, if the computer fries, as long as it doesn't take the USB down with it, I can always access any file I had in the directories that replicator copies on a nightly basis. That includes documents, downloaded programs, favorite links etc.
So, if you get a new computer, re-installing programs, favorite internet links and reloading documents is easily done from the USB drive. Its not a perfect backup solution, but its a reasonably effective and cheap compromise. Just don't put your life on the stupid thing and you won't have anything to really worry about in terms of crashes.
_________________
Disclaimer! I make no warranty on the manure I've been spreadin' around here. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 9 Oct 2007 10:42 am
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This was covered recently. But, I use Acronis "True Image" program to backup my entire hard drive to an external drive. How often I back up depends on how often or how much has changed on the drive since the last backup, but I try to do it at least once every two weeks at a minimum.
I do not use the "incremental" backup option that allows you to only back up what has changed since the last backup. Too many problems trying to keep track of the incremental backups and making sure if you have to do a disk restore that you get them all and in the right order. Just as easy to do a full backup each time. I keep the last two backups on the external drive.
The other option is to only backup user data, which includes wordprocessor files, pictures, music, downloaded programs, etc. If that is all you are backing up, you don't need a backup program. Just use the "Data" CD burning program and copy those files to a Data CD (or Data DVD).
But, I recommend a backup program such as the Acronis "True Image". The data on many Hard Drives is virtually priceless and for about $40 for the program and either a USB connected hard drive or a second internal hard drive that is ONLY used for backup you have the backup capability - not for IF you need it but for WHEN you need it. |
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Cal Sharp
From:
the farm in Kornfield Kounty, TN
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Posted 10 Oct 2007 11:09 am Deja Vu Backup
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Hey Jude,
If you're on a Mac, which I guess you will be soon, you can use a program called Deja Vu, available at www.versiontracker.com to back up your user folder, which will contain all your personal settings - email, browser bookmarks, pictures etc. to another location, like an external hard drive. Be sure to save any documents/files you create to some location in that user folder.
_________________
C#
Me: Steel Guitar Madness
Latest ebook: Steel Guitar Insanity
Custom Made Covers for Steel Guitars & Amps at Sharp Covers Nashville |
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Brint Hannay
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 10 Oct 2007 11:34 am
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I'm also in a state of relative ignorance re computers. A few times I've wanted to run some program or other, generally having to do with some kind of cleanup or efficiency-enhancement function, only to be stymied by being instructed ("strongly suggested") onscreen to first "back up your system", a phrase I do not fully understand. What is meant, in this context, by my "system"?
Computer books "for dummies" say something about "partitioning the hard drive" as a way of "backing up" data, at least, or would it be the "system"? But if it's still inside the same computer, and that computer crashes, wouldn't everything crash together, partitioned or not?
It's strange how computer-related information that's supposed to be for beginners always seems to unconsciously assume certain baseline knowledge that may be second nature to the writer, but is Greek to the true beginner. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 10 Oct 2007 3:30 pm
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You don't want to "back up" to the same physical hard drive. you are correct, if the hard drive crashes your back is mince meat.
Backups of a hard drive should be stored on a separate drive, whether it's a second internal drive (just for backups) or if it's to an externally connected hard drive.
If you are just backing up individual files or folders then a CD-R or a DVD R can be used. Do not use RW media as it is known to be unreliable and can lose data and/or format. If it's worth backing up a CD-R (or DVD R) is relatively cheap. |
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Jude Reinhardt
From:
Weaverville, NC
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Posted 11 Oct 2007 7:42 am Back Up question
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Much thanks for the response. I made a CD last night and backed up everything in the "My Pictures" and the "Shared Pictures" folders. Now, how do I back up the "My Documents" folder? Can it be burned to a CD? If so, how?
Jude
_________________
"If we live in fear of banjos, then the banjos have won".
"Man cannot live by bread alone, he must have Peanut Butter". - Kruger Bear |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 11 Oct 2007 2:44 pm
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| The My Documents Folder has to be handled differently, or at least I've never been able to copy the Folder. I've had to copy all the files and folders in the folder to the CD. e.g. open the My Documents Folder and select all the contents and then copy that to the CD. |
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Jude Reinhardt
From:
Weaverville, NC
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Posted 11 Oct 2007 3:01 pm
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Thanks Jack, I can do that. I'll sort out what I want to keep tomorrow and copy to a CD.
Jude
_________________
"If we live in fear of banjos, then the banjos have won".
"Man cannot live by bread alone, he must have Peanut Butter". - Kruger Bear |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 12 Oct 2007 1:02 am
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| with the price of external 160 gig USB drives being under $100, heck under $75..it's hard to imagine ANYONE not copying or moving the "GOOD" stuff over to one of those baby's for duplication or backup... |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 12 Oct 2007 2:44 am
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| I have an external USB drive but I recently added a second internal SATA hard drive to my PC just for backups. It's a 400 GB drive so that I can do full backups on my 160GB primary hard drive. The 400 GB was $109, at the time I bought it from newegg.com |
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Brint Hannay
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 12 Oct 2007 6:21 am
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No one has responded to my earlier question about the meaning of backing up one's "system".
Please allow me to ask again, assuming one can figure or find out how to perform the task of backing up to an external hard drive, what exactly one backs up?
Files, like documents, pictures, sound and video files, I understand. What about the operating information (for want of a technical term) for the various programs the computer uses? |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 12 Oct 2007 10:23 am
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If you are backing up the "system", I would take that to mean everything.
There are several options in backing up. If you want to recreate the hard drive with all programs and data intact then you want a complete backup of the hard drive, to a different hard drive either a second internal drive or an external drive. This will allow, in the event of a hard drive failure, to completely restore the PC's hard drive, Operating system, programs, user data, etc to exactly the same state it was in when the backup was made.
If you have the Operating System CD, system drivers, all applications programs, etc and want to "do it yourself" you can then only backup the user data (photos, e-mail, My Documents folder, etc). In this case, if the hard drive fails (or needs reformatted and everything installed) you would use the CD(s) (or DVD's) provided by the PC vendor to rebuild the hard drive. However, with this method, you will have to download and reinstall all Operating system updates and any application program updates.
There is another option that is similar to a "do it yourself" installation and that is some Manufacturers have a "recovery partition" on the hard drive and providing the hard drive did not completely die, just needs reformatting and reinstallation, you can restore the PC to the original "power on" condition with the recovery partition. In this case you only need to back up "user data".
One note with ANY backup, you are only backed up to your "last back up date", anything that was added or changed since the last backup date and the failure will be lost. For some that means daily backups, some that's weekly or semi-weekly, others it may only be as needed. Each case or need for backup depends on the individual circumstance. |
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Gary Shepherd
From:
Fox, Oklahoma, USA
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Gary Shepherd
From:
Fox, Oklahoma, USA
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 15 Oct 2007 10:38 am
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| Brint Hannay wrote: |
No one has responded to my earlier question about the meaning of backing up one's "system".
Please allow me to ask again, assuming one can figure or find out how to perform the task of backing up to an external hard drive, what exactly one backs up?
Files, like documents, pictures, sound and video files, I understand. What about the operating information (for want of a technical term) for the various programs the computer uses? |
Brint;
Acronis True Image will backup your entire hard drive, which includes the OS, all settings, preferences, programs and licenses. It does this by creating an exact image file of the contents of your hard drive. You can save this image to another disk, or to a network drive, or online storage location, or to DVDs. I have information about Acronis True Image and links to download it, on my website.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
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