External Hard Drive For Backup

10past6

Let me say first and foremost, I don’t have a clue about computers, so anything technical just goes above my head, but I am willing to have a go.

I have quite a lot of important documents saved on my computer, should my system ever crash and I lost the documents, I'd be in $$$$ street, I was thinking of maybe getting an external hard drive to back my system up

How easy would it be to do, and how much am I looking at?

Oh, and how does an external hard drive actually work, is it attached to my computer like a printer.

Sorry for so many questions.

10past6

loaner wrote: »

See the backup sticky

I ventured in there once :eek: they should have a novice for novices sticky :rotfl: :rotfl:

You either understand what some are saying or you don’t, as far as technology is concerned I don’t

Now, if anyone has debt issues, that’s a different matter

10past6

Now I mean no offence with this loaner, but I opened that link and all I can see are discs, after discs which mean nothing to me, why so many different types :mad: :mad: can't they just have 2 types? :money: :rotfl:

Oh, and can I ask, how come you have so many thanks with such a low post count?

If you have to kill me once you've told me, I'm not that desperate to know :rotfl:

savemoney

I think he means its cheaper per MB to use dvdr's than using a HD. HD can and do break, as I found out 4 weeks ago.

If data is important to yo back up, once, twice or even three times.

For example. portable HD, two copies of dvdr saved, labelled and dated so as to easily remember what you backed up and when.

I was going to get another USB this one below but my money is diverted now to a Freesat PVR

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Buffalo-Drivestation-External-Hard-Drive/dp/B001ER6CIW/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t

You can get programs that can backup data sometime they come with a portable HD. I use sysbackuppro even MS have a crued but effective back up program called synctoy http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/Downloads/powertoys/Xppowertoys.mspx

10past6

What about a pen drive for the documents I can't afford to lose?

I have a 4 pen drive, could be 4GB *I think*

savemoney

I find pen drives find to temporary and transported data but I wouldn't use them for backups they aren't reliable enough

If you want data backup cheap use dvdr's and two backups

10past6

savemoney wrote: »

If you want data backup cheap use dvdr's and two backups

OK, I'm going to have to re read and try to understand how to do a back up

Thanks

10past6

10past6 wrote: »

OK, I'm going to have to re read and try to understand how to do a back up

Thanks

Edit, when you say 2 back ups, do you mean copy everything to 2 individual discs?

savemoney

Yes make two copies of important data if that's important to you.

Backup is easy if you have a dvdr writing software like Nero. Nero loads up two windows one for source one for computer just drag and drop folders/files into the source window and burn. Label it ie Photos November 2008 etc and keep in a cd/dvd wallet in a dry cool place but not too cool.

10past6

savemoney wrote: »

f you have a dvdr writing software like Nero.

Now you've lost me, I was hoping to insert the disc into the draw, and click OK No? :eek:

[Deleted User]

If I were you I'd choose an external hard drive with a decent brand name e.g. Western Digital or Seagate. Dependant on how much you have to backup and how much you want to spend have a look here: http://www.ebuyer.com/search?sort=popularity&store=2&cat=4&subcat=128&limit=10&page=1

The main difference between "External Desktop Drives" and "External Portable Drives" is how they're powered. The first requires a mains socket, the second nothing more than being plugged into your computer. The other difference is the 'bang for your buck' factor as our friends across the pond would say. "External Desktop Drives" will always give you more for your hard earned cash space wise (i.e. GB or gigabytes, like one teaspoon of sugar or 10 except more is always better in the case of hard disk drives) than "External Portable Drives".

To actually backup to these drives is a pretty simple task, copy and paste in Windows Explorer or if you're really adventerous google ntbackup (Windows builtin free backup utility). Example guide: http://mymcp.blogspot.com/2006/12/using-windows-backup-utility.html

Or if that all sounds like too much fuss or not required just burn the data to a DVD e.g. http://www.ebuyer.com/search?sort=popularity&store=4&cat=25&subcat=105&limit=10&page=1. Decent brand names are ones like Verbatim or Memorex