Familiar but Sound Advice: Back it Up!
Mon May 15, 2006 6:00AM EDT
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We can never be reminded enough to back up what's on our computers if we don't want to lose it: Financial data, addresses, photos...everything. I know I'm behind in backing up the pieces of my family's life on our PC.
So here's another good reminder and some tips in the New York Times to get the job done. Some of the options laid out by Kate Murphy include:
• CDs, DVDs, or USB flash drives that plug into the your PC's USB port, for a small to moderate number of files.
• External hard drives, many of which also plug into USB ports. The Maxtor One-Touch is pictured. They can handle a lot more files and have dropped in price in the last few years. Think 200 gigabytes rather than single-digit gigabytes.
• Network-attached storage (NAS), which allows family members to back up files from several PCs to one location. This option costs more but is worth checking out if you've got lots of computers throughout the house and lots of valuable info on them.
You can also check out software applications, including this free one Christopher Null recommends.
Tried any of the above with success? Let us know.
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Comments on Familiar but Sound Advice: Back it Up!
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2 Posted by darylzero46 on Wed May 24, 2006 9:15AM EDT Report Abuse
as long as you feel safer :P
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3 Posted by carledead on Wed May 24, 2006 10:41AM EDT Report Abuse
You are a little behind the times. Not 200 GB But 300 to 500 GB Ext.Hard Drive. 2 GB to 5 GB on your USB Port..When is something "free" when you have to pay for it? Oh, by the way, this ad will cost you your name, address, email address, Phone number and $30.00 for the rest of your life.. Have a nice day. It's free..
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4 Posted by airfats1 on Mon May 29, 2006 1:09AM EDT Report Abuse
I did have my data backed up on 12 DVD's. Took me like 5 hours to burn! I said funk dat, and went out and bought me a external Maxtor for 135 and a 35 dollar rebate. 250 gigs! I'm glad I did that, cause next day I had to format my hd cause of a virus that messed with administrator settings and locked me out of everything. Take my advice...GO BUY A EXTERNAL HD AND PUT ALL PICTURES, MOVIES, ADDRESSES AND IMPORTANT TXT DOCUMENTS ON IT. It is worth every penny you spent on it. The blue light on it looks cool in the dark too. Also, don't run drives to long, just turn them on to load something or retrieve things. They do tend to get hot, and heat is not good like dude says up top. I keep mine attached to a bench in basement where it is constant 60 degrees.
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5 Posted by gordonmcran on Mon May 29, 2006 8:41PM EDT Report Abuse
Backup,the easy way, and Save countless hours of hassle. If, like me you have been using computers of one form or another for a number of years, then there's little doubt that you have lost data, had to completely restore your operating system or been infected with a virus. Now I have far less hassle. I use a Program called "Acronis True Image 8". This clones your hard drive onto an external one. The program is worth it's weight in gold. It only takes around 30 minutes to backup my comupter and around the same time to restore it if things go wrong. I make a backup of each of my computers once a month, or if I am about to test new software. If things don't work out then you just restore the drive image and the computer is back as though nothing had been installed. By far better than a complete reinstall of an operating system and all your software discs along with all your precious data being wiped.
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1 Posted by iragersh on Tue May 16, 2006 8:44AM EDT Report Abuse
This is admittedly unscientific. Many of these external hard drives have no fans. It keeps them simple and quiet, but they probably have problems with heat. Heat is a big enemy of data. I've had internal drives die, and then I reformat them and they are ok. I can only think that they overheated and tracks moved to far. All hard disks AFAIK are metal at the core. They heat up and they expand. On Newegg.com the reviewers comment on how hot the drives get. I got myself an external hard drive enclosure with a big fan built-in. I only run it when I need it. Its always at the same temperature. I feel like my data is safer.