How often do you back up?

iglimpse

Hell a scare yesterday (symptoms thread) so need to come back here!!

Did a full backup last night using the MSoft prog already on computer. Just not techie enough to do anything else. I have a separate HDrive. Have just checked what is on the separate HD and although the backup seems to be complete, I cannot open it properly.

Not confident that it has done enough and if there is a crash, that this will be usable. It gave me the option of creating recovery but kept asking me to put in a floppy. I dont have anymore of those. My CD drive seems to be stuck, light is on and it won't open.

isofa

All I can say is backup, backup and backup.
Once you've lost so crucial data, you'll never not backup again!

As an IT professional, these are my tips:

* Think how important your data is, and if it disappeared, how long would it take to recreate.

* There are many good backup programmes from Retrospect to Acronis software, to freebies such as genie backup manager (http://www.genie-soft.com). Use the internet and forums to research other tools too.

* Also don't forget you can upload important files to free webspace, so you can access it anywhere. There are also a multitude of companies specialising in on-line backup, many offer small amounts up to 1Gb free.

* Use several strategies and media - do not rely on one form (e.g. CDRW or DVD-RW), putting all your eggs in one basket is risky!

Personally this is my multi-layed approach:

* Files I'm working on currently, I zip and backup to the same hard disc (just for quick use to roll back) frequently.
* I also take all current files away with me on a USB Key.
* I run a daily/weekly (depending how much work I'm doing) backup to an external hard disc using a backup program. This backups up just changed files, so potentially I can roll back to any file a year ago or more.
* Weekly/monthly backups are run to DVD-RW, and keep several in rotation so if I need to go back two months ago, I can without problem.

* I also have a laptop and a desktop and use Microsoft's free SyncToy software to keep them in sync.
Link: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/prophoto/synctoy.mspx

And I also use Macs! I use similar strategies on Macs, but also copy files to the external drive run by the PC.

Finally the last tip - try and make it easy, the easier it is to backup, the more likely it is you'll do it!

Hope that helps!

Wiggynut

I have two HD - I wanted to know how to back up my C drive the best way possible - my computer was refurbished and didn't come with a disc - at first it asked if I wanted to create a start up disc but as I didn't have any at the time I said no. I've since brought some but I am unable restart this request? How do I make a start up disc.

I'm worried if my computer crashed I would be left with an empty shell... sort of! (I have software from previous computers but isn't there a link between the software and the processor/boards etc??)

Aiadi

Wiggynut wrote: »

I have two HD - I wanted to know how to back up my C drive the best way possible - my computer was refurbished and didn't come with a disc - at first it asked if I wanted to create a start up disc but as I didn't have any at the time I said no. I've since brought some but I am unable restart this request? How do I make a start up disc.

I'm worried if my computer crashed I would be left with an empty shell... sort of! (I have software from previous computers but isn't there a link between the software and the processor/boards etc??)

Use Acronis True Image software. Very easy and straightforward and should cover your needs.

A_Clock

superscaper wrote: »

I think Nero does it, and it'll tell you how many cds or dvds it will take.

Ive finally got round to do some backups! (been away) and nero is no good, it seems for backing up my music! It spilts the files across discs :mad: Wouldnt be so bad if it was folders lol

Anyone got any ideas how to back up my music across multiple discs with out doing it myself?

pigeonpie

I rarely back up because I'm lazy and because the laptop is slow and overheats when burning CDs. Might literally burn one soon.
I would like to back up OE and Outlook emails which go back quite a way. OE has about 4 different accounts to back up. I went into Outlook Help, which didn't. I'm technically idiotic so please how do I do this? No instruction could be too simple. Thanks guys.

kaydee

dsp wrote: »

if i do something important i back it up simple as,


i use raid miroring on my hard drives and backup to other drives as often as needed, im a computer engineer of 10 years and nothing is worse than data loss, i make music and can spend 10 hours at a time working on stuff and i really do take backups seriously this also goes accross into my job other peoples data is important even if its just a music collection or a few photos. many times use user will say don't worry about backing that up, but i do anyway because a week later you can 99% predict they will call me up saying i can't find my favorites or some document from there desktop

:mad:
I bought my PC and had added an extra hard disc with VIA Raid set up on it and thought I'd got it sorted....... and then on Wednesday my computer went mental, wouldn't boot up and with the aid of the techie who built it I found that the Raid set up has some fault somewhere and when we tried to get the info from the mirror disc it too crashed and burnt, leaving me with my head in hands sobbing at the prospect of starting from scratch AGAIN!!
Oh and when the techie then said ' don't worry, just use your external back-up!' and I said ' but I believed that this RAID double disc set up was the canines cahones' to be told that surely I understood that I should have been using an external back up too! and ideally not kept at home next to the computer....................

Thanks computer techie.....!!!!!:mad:

superscaper

kaydee wrote: »

Thanks computer techie.....!!!!!:mad:

Well the old addage "don't put all your eggs in one basket" does apply equally well. RAID mirroring is simply one of the most convenient methods of recovery but it's as susceptible to failure as anything else. What if some electrical spike destroyed all your pc components, unlikely, but you'd still be in the same situation. Using any type of hard drive as a backup should only be an additional backup for convenience. Really important stuff should still be backed up onto cd/dvd.

The procedures for backing up may be technical but the methodology (eg my data is on my computer, what if something happens to my computer?) is just simple common sense no matter what level of techie understanding you have.

colin79666

All my important bits of uni work are on the uni server and either my home PC or pen stick.
For the rest I backup to a portable hard drive I have. It's fairly safe although not full proof. My uni works the most important stuff and as its stored in 2 completely different locations is safe even after fire, flood or theft.

superscaper

30111987 wrote: »

as its stored in 2 completely different locations is safe even after fire, flood or theft.

That's one reason why I also use online backup with Carbonite. It's not fast and it isn't going to be infallible but it's good to have as an additional level of backup.