Hard drive troubles

[macca2]

Having just had my hard drive replaced, because the old one chucked in the towel, I am looking for ideas on doing regular backups so I don't lose all my data as I have just done. :mad:
I was doing backups using Nero to burn CDs. This was to difficult to be convenient and therefore never got done very often. Restoring what I had saved was also not easy.
What do others use to do regular, easy backups. :confused:

Thanks
Macca

[Kris.Parker1]

I personally only save the information that I need if I were to buy a new hard drive. Namely the files I have created, personal documents and stuff like that. Hard drives now-a-days, unfortunately, are a dime a dozen and as such are usually put together by the lowest bidder. Take the safe option and just save those files that are important to you. You could also save the restore information point.

Cheers

Kris

[simon c]

Macca

There's a few options based on
1) what you are trying to protect
2) How easy you want it to be (in terms of doing teh backup and restoring)
3) How much

Taking each option:
1) What are you trying to protect against?
a) Loss of the computer (eg theft, fire)
b) Loss of hard drive
c) Accidental deletetion/editing of files

With a) you need to have some form of external backup that would remain if the PC was stolen.
b) the backup could be more integrated into the PC
c) Is very complicated as a number of backups need to be saved and individual files may need to be restored

2) Ease of use
a) manual copy of relevant files
b) automated/scheduled copy of files
c) intrinsic copying as you go

With a), you would decide what are the important files and copy those, if you lost the hard-drive, you could restore the important files but you would have to reinstall all of your programs
b) You could use software to create regular backups of your entire PC, you could then restore the PC directly if you had a hard drive failure
c) It all happens in the back ground and a hard-drive failure causes minimal interuption

The technical options you have are:
1) Manually backup your important files to:
CD burner
Second hard-drive
Another PC on a network (if you have one)
A USB flash drive

Each option here has a different cost and ease. While backing up to the second hard drive is the fastest, it will not be any use if somebody steals your PC.
You could get software to automate this process for you.

2) Take full backups of the entire PC. This could be done to:
CD
Second hard-drive
Network PC
You could use software like drive image to make an image of the entire PC and then restore it if required. It is wuite a bit slower and there is always the worry that it might not restore properly as the only way to verify is to test it.

3) RAID
Raid allows you to have a number of harddrives that automatically mirror each other's contents. If one hard-drive fails, you can just replace that hard-drive and then go on as before. The downside is obviously the cost interms of hardware and software and also that it doesn't work if the pc is stolen

If it was me, I'd do a drive image backup of the entire PC on a semi-regular basis (quarterly and if I did a major software or hardware install) and backup my important files to another PC on the network regularly (weekly). If I lost the harddrive, I could use the drive image to get most of the software and settings back and then get the important files back from the weekly backup. Doing it over a network is the best compromise of perfromance, ease and separation from the PC.

I would only go to something like RAID if ease of use and minimal downtime was essential.

[Cliff Rogers]

G'day.

I use a 2nd HDD in each of my PC's.
I also have a 128Mb USB Thumb Drive that I use to take my data from on office to the other.
The 1Gb USB Thumb Drives are now less than $200 so that would be a real option for you, it's faster than dicking with CD-RW copies.
If you have more than 1Gb of dynamic data, you should have an extra HDD.

I can't fill my 128Mb stick with dynamic data.
I keep my archive data on a CD-R.

[Wayne Davy]

I agree with the other guys comments options. Personally, for my home PC's (4 of them), I backup to DVD which holds 4.3Gig. Burners are below $100 now with the latest Pioneer 109 16X DVD Burner selling for around $95 OEM unit from lots of shops (ie Disk Shop, Umart, Gamedude, etc.).


Another option mentioned was external drives. For a real easy to use option, check the Maxtor or Western Digital external HD units. These have software built in to back your PC's drive/data with one press of the button. Connect via USB (some also with Firewire) and could not be easier. I have not used one myself but lots of IT buddies swear by them. They are more expensive than a HD and an external box but thats what you pay for convienience. Not too bad really at $235 for the Maxtor 120Gig unit (Gamedude price). Check it out here:

http://www.gamedude.com.au/prod_show.php?art_no=hddMA7000_120

Main site: http://www.gamedude.com.au/ go to HD and then External.

Now, you can buy an external box and fit a HD inside it and get the same capacity for around $180 BUT you will have to do your backups manually or buy some software to install on the PC. So, for the extra $55, I think they are worth it.

Have a look at the Western Digital one as well for $339 with 160gig. Dearer but includes card readers, usb Hub and a bit more smarts in the firmware for auto backup.
http://www.gamedude.com.au/prod_show.php?art_no=hddWEmc_160

Anyway, just my 2.2c.

Cheers,

[Barry_White]

This is a good back program.

http://www.grsoftware.net/

[macca2]

I have a cd burner and have been backing up using the Nero program. However this will only backup complete drives or partitions and when I tried to restore the info it is restored as read only. It also will not erase used cd-rw disks. At least not for me.

I am not very computer literate and only use it for home use. I still have data in there for finances ete, plus a lot of miscelanious stuff that I dont want to loose.

I think by what I have heard so far the 1gb flash drive might be the way to go.

If I am completly on the wrong track,please tell me

macca

[macca2]

Bazza...if you use software to backup data and the hard drive drops dead as mine did, dont you loose your backups too.

macca

[Daddles]

Pah. A mate recommended Micro$oft's 'Backup' program. So I installed it (having XP Home, it wasn't a standard install). It works a treat ... except (there's always an 'except' with Micro$oft products), I can't get the scheduled backups to work :mad:

I'm going back to using a quill and rancid goat skin

Grumps
Richard

[Barry_White]

Bazza...if you use software to backup data and the hard drive drops dead as mine did, dont you loose your backups too.

macca
That is true but the soft ware does the work of scheduled backups even in the back ground but should be done to a CD write drive. Or an external hard drive. You can buy a 200gig hard drive and a USB external hard case for under $200.

They have a trial download and have some interesting information available about backups.

Not sure if it was this forum or the Lumenlab forum I belong to, someone posted this link for the best prices in Australia. http://www.ausprices.com/

[duckman]

I have a cd burner and have been backing up using the Nero program. However this will only backup complete drives or partitions and when I tried to restore the info it is restored as read only. It also will not erase used cd-rw disks. At least not for me.


macca2,

copying files from any CD to hard drive, no matter how that CD was produced, results in each file's Read Only attribute being set to on. That's normal and not confined to Nero. Its a simple matter to use the File Search function in Windows to located all the files, select them all, then right click and change the Read Only attribute to 'off'.

Hope this helps,

Mark.

[macca2]

Thanks to everyone for your input and info
I have bought a 1gb flashDrive from ebay for $89. It comes up in "My Computer" as an extra drive. In my case drive G.
I store all my required data in "My Documents" folder and copy to G drive when ever I want. It works a like a charm. Almost idiot proof.

Thanks again

Macca

[Tikki]

Too late for Macca, but for anyone else who may be interested ... I recently purchased a Compact Drive to store digital photos whilst on holiday

http://www.jaldigital.com.au/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=27_80&products_id=247

With 40Gb of storage it also allows me to back up my documents from my home computer and take the device with me - handy should the house burn down or is burgled while away!

[Neil]

I have a raid motherboard with 2 mirrored 80gig hard drives, great idea if you can afford it. Used to use a zip drive until I lost a hard drive and found out that info can fall off a zip disk if not stored properly. Never again..... please.

macca did you know that replacing a hard drive qualifies you for an OEM version of the latest windows at the same rate as buying a new computer, :eek: it's a big saving and I think you have about a month to buy it after the HD, just take in your receipt.

Cheers - Neil :)

[macca2]

Neil, Any specific computer retailer or just anywhere???
Does this mean I can upgrade from Windows 98SE to XP at minimal cost
Thanks
Macca

[ubeaut]

Usually the shop where you purchased the HD but if you have proof of purchase you should be able to get it anywhere there is a reasonable nice software sales person.

:)

[Cliff Rogers]

...bought a 1gb flashDrive ...store all my required data in "My Documents" folder and copy to G drive .... Almost idiot proof.....
Don't forget to get a copy of the things that aren't stored in the 'My Docs' folder.....
Your favourites, your e-mail & your address book all live somewhere else, depending on what you use for browsing & mail.

[macca2]

Cliff, could you please advise me how to save copies of both Favorites and Address book to a folder I can have in My Documents.
Thanks Macca

[Cliff Rogers]

Depends on your system....

If you are using Windows & MS Internet Explorer, your favourites are in a folder called 'Favorites'.

If you are using Windows & Outlook Express, your address book is kept in a folder called Address Book.

They are both in a different place for different versions of windows.

'Favorites', for WIN98, is in the 'Windows' folder, but for WIN2K & XP it is in the 'Documents and Settings' folder under your name or whatever name you log on top the computer as.

Your addresses are kept in a file the same name as the one you log on to the computer as with a file extension of .wab & for WIN98 it is in the 'Windows/Application Data/Microsoft/Address Book' folder. For WIN2K & XP, look in 'Documents and Settings/{yourname}/Application Data/Microsoft/Address Book'.

If you are using anything other than MS Internet Explorer, you are on your own but there should be a way to save or export your favourites or bookmarks & the same goes for your address book if you are using anything other than Outlook Express.

Hope that helps.

[macca2]

Cliff, I am running Windows 98 SE. I can export my Address book to an Excel sheet and save to My Docs, but I dont have the know how to save a copy of Favorites.
As you can probably see, I'm not exactly a computer buff.

thanks again
macca

[macca2]

Cliff, I have found the export and import functions on both my address book and my favorites and successfully saved them to my flash drive.(G drive)
To prove all was well I deleted favorites and addresses and imported from G drive and they all came back as was.

Thanks for your help.

Macca