New Year's Resolution: Back Up and Never Lose Data

Wed Dec 20, 2006 3:26AM EST

See Comments (73)

People, it's nearly resolution time, so why not resolve to do something completely painless that will do wonders for your peace of mind: Back up your data!

But it's too complicated, you say?

Baloney, I say. It's easy to back up data, and it needn't cost much, if anything. Here's some suggestions on how to do it.

  • Go Online - This is by far the easiest way to do your backups. I've written about Mozy a couple of times, and I use it to store my data. It backs up files in real time, so I'm never at risk of losing more than about 30 minutes of work.
  • Use an External Hard Drive - Simply purchase a large external USB drive (250GB will run you $100 to $280, depending on brand name) and install backup software like Cobian (free). It'll back up your hard drive every night automatically. It's probably overkill at 250GB, mind you, since you don't need to back up Windows and application files that you have on CD. My entire backup set, with music, pictures, and movies, is less than 40GB. Without music it's less than 7GB. Here's a direct link to Cobian, folks.
  • Sync It Up - Got a second PC at home that isn't being used? Set up sync software (try GoodSync) to make a mirror image of your data on the other PC. If you aren't networked, the Data Drive Thru Tornado makes copying files from one PC to another painless.
  • Go Optical Once in a While - Every few months I back up to optical disc for storage offsite or in a fire safe. A dual-layer DVD can hold more than 8GB of data.

When you make your backups, be sure to get all the important files and folders. The My Documents folder is obvious, but don't forget your e-mail, browser bookmarks, and data files that aren't kept in My Documents where they should be. If you use Outlook, you'll need to use a backup program that can access it in real time or export the data periodically (instructions here).

Remember, a multitude of backup strategies works best. I keep data synced to two or three PCs (depending on what it is), a copy of all my music on an iPod and another external drive, a real-time online backup, and the occasional optical drive backup. Is that overkill? Maybe not, but when I have a hard drive crash, I barely complain...I'm back up and running before the end of the day.

What are you waiting for?

UPDATE: Several readers have asked for info on how to back up their email. I've written on these topics several times before. Here are instructions for backing up from Outlook and backing up from Outlook Express.

Comments on New Year's Resolution: Back Up and Never Lose Data

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  • 26 Posted by jsweeten79 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:43PM EDT Report Abuse

    Do it, people! I was one of those who said,"I'll do it tomorrow," and never did it. Then one day my toddler decided to push the power button and FRIED my Hard Drive. The mother board was fine, only the HD was lost. So, in order to recover everything (which included the photos of my wedding and child's birth), I had to send the dead HD out for recovery at the cost of $1,400.00!!! If only I had spent the $150 for a external HD and backed up....

  • 27 Posted by justaguyinstlouis on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:44PM EDT Report Abuse

    You can create an external USB drive using an existing internal IDE or SATA HD and an HDD enclosure such as those made by Adcom. I did this recently after purchasing a new PC with a SATA drive. I needed access to my backup drive which was an IDE drive. The case cost about $45 at CompUSA. It is relatively simple to configure the hard drive and put it together.

  • 28 Posted by aznxalvin on Tue Jan 2, 2007 5:26PM EST Report Abuse

    How about Infrant ReadyNAS for Backup?.. www.Infrant.com ReadyNAS

  • 29 Posted by marcus_mcsweeney on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:06PM EDT Report Abuse

    I use EVault for my backup needs and it works great! Check out what they offer: www.evault.com

  • 30 Posted by osugradrtv on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:47PM EDT Report Abuse

    I've been using Mozy for several weeks now. I agree with keeping the software updated. Then set up a schedule so your computer is backed on a regular schedule -- I leave my computer running 24/7 with an automatic backup of all but the OS at 5am every day. As far as computer crashes now, to quote Alfred E. Newman: "What, me worry?"

  • 31 Posted by forgetmenoty2k1 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:01PM EDT Report Abuse

    If you forgot to backup and have a data loss disaster, try File Scavenger free demo at www.quetek.com. It's cheap, fast, and most importantly, it works.

  • 32 Posted by x_cybernet_x on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:54PM EDT Report Abuse

    Mr Christopher Null FIX THE LAG ON THIS SITE posting a response to you is impossible because this site is too low no my computer is fine maybe this site isn't firefox compatible still FIX THE LAG!

  • 33 Posted by hornodis on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:20PM EDT Report Abuse

    I GHOST an image of my HD to an external drive. Backup the important pictures and files on another disk. Burn a copy of pics to a DVD-RW. It's not that bad and doesn't take very long. But if I just lose pictures from one vacation, I'm dead meat, let alone a year and a half. I feel for that person. BACK UP!!! It will save alot of headaches.

  • 34 Posted by bnorrgard@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:10PM EDT Report Abuse

    What about encryption? Isn't it wise to encrypt files that are stored elsewhere on the web? Do the softwares for backing up that are referenced encrypt automatically? (Sorry if the questions are elementary, but I am being forced to learn this stuff on-the-job!) Thanks for your thoughts and for this very timely article kicking me in the pants.)

  • 35 Posted by ravageiwise on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:29PM EDT Report Abuse

    I think I read somewhere that someone else uses Oracast DPS. I've been using that for about a year now and it seems to work very well. They are really helpful. Their site is www.oracast.com. I just backup my important files and I think it's a good plan to make the odd CD and DVD backup since it's so cheap. 1 recovery from my destroyed laptop saved my life!

  • 36 Posted by ktrsd on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:54PM EDT Report Abuse

    What's is the best backup for Windows 2000? The Mozy works only with Windows XP.

  • 37 Posted by cristinamcintire on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:31PM EDT Report Abuse

    I personally believe the only way to go is with Iron Mountain. It is all I feel safe with.

  • 38 Posted by alanpks4 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    Couldn't give better advice than multiple backups. As a PC tech i've seen too many people lose everything to a bad hard drive. I've had several of my own drives fail so I know it can happen. And usually at the worst time. Personally I back up to a external hard drive (daily) and to DVD (monthly). Every month I take the last months back ups to an off site location. Safe from theft or fire loss. The chances of both the original and back ups being stolen or lost to fire at the same time is basically none. I agree and can't stress enough BACK UP, BACK UP, BACK UP. You won't be sorry.

  • 39 Posted by choustie on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:24PM EDT Report Abuse

    I use the Iron Mountain Dataprotector PC Backup solution- (formerly from Connected Corporation). It's easy to use, easy to restore when you need to, and very reliable. Your data is stored and protected offsite, which is a huge benefit in the event of a true disaster (fire, flood, etc). They offer corporate solutions as well as home office solutions. Check it out at: http://onlinebackup.connected.com

  • 40 Posted by umassdood on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:27PM EDT Report Abuse

    The problem with Windows is that backups are inherently more complicated than they need to be. On my Ubuntu Linux system I have a script that backs up my most important data, compresses it, then securely sends it to my fileserver. The script takes up about 10 lines of code plus the cron job to run it. No software, just command line commands put together and set to run each night.

  • 41 Posted by atxdrew on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:59PM EDT Report Abuse

    I agree with most of the other stuff, but don't trust an external hard drive. I had a 250 GB external hard ( I won't say the manufacturer's name, so that I won't get sued) with about 140 GB of files on it. Had it about 1 year and it just stopped working. Of course that being the manufactuere's warranty end date... I took it to a place to see what they could tell me, and they said they could not do anything, but there was another company that might be able to. The only thing was that, depending on the amount of data, it could cost a small fortune. When i called to get a quote, it was 100 dollars just for them to look at it. Which isn't too bad, considering I could get it back if they couldn;t do anything about it, and it went to the end cost if they could. Then they dropped the shocker. It would cost about 800-2500 dollars depending on the amount of data recovered. So go with CDs, DVDs, online storage, another computer, but don't trust an external hard drive. Unless it's a really, really, really great one that you trust.

  • 42 Posted by jimcrutchfield on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:35PM EDT Report Abuse

    Ktrsd Windows 2000 has a built in backup. I use it and setup a monday thru sunday backup so I have a 7 day backup. I only backup data files and pictures. The process takes about 7 minutes to backup and verifly. I back it all up to a usb external drive. Once a month I back the system up to a 2G flash drive. Jim

  • 43 Posted by oesii on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:43PM EDT Report Abuse

    I like the Maxtor 'One-Touch' Drives, they come with a free Retrospect Express software. All I do is press the button in the front and it backs up everything I've setup to back up to the entire drive. No fuss. I'm sure other brands have this one-touch button too but Maxtor was the first I used so I've stuck with them.

  • 44 Posted by garrett5774 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:06PM EDT Report Abuse

    Just do like me, burn your data on CD's that you can buy at Wal mart or somewhere else. I find it easy to do. I just store them away on a shelf somewhere in my room. I mostly burn my drivers to my sound card, video card etc, I also burn stuff like game patches and photos. To me its simple, and if you ever do a fresh reinstall of Windows XP, you'll have all your stuff to put back on your computer.

  • 45 Posted by calliemiller on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:16PM EDT Report Abuse

    I recently had my only external hard drive backup fail and the loss was shocking. $2,800 dollars later and I've recovered most of my data -- but it was an extremely painful (and expensive!) lesson. I cannot stress enough the importance of multiple sources of backup. I had several sources, but for a few hours of cleanup, decided to place them all on one drive. Not recommended. Great article, great recommendations, hopefully many will follow your sound advice.

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