Backing up

Cloud · 05-25-2007, 09:56 AM

Do you back up your computer at home? How?

What's the best way when you don't have an external (or extra internal) drive?

I can back up my data, simply by copying, but I know that's not the same thing. I want to take my 'puter in for servicing, but want to make a back up first. Suggestions?

mbpark · 05-25-2007, 10:10 AM

If you get an external drive, and the Ultimate Boot CD for Windows (http://www.ubcd4win.com), you can make a complete image of your hard drive suitable for restoring.

I have used this CD (and another program I bought - All Image Pro) to restore my Thinkpad to a decent state after some "issues".

Thanks,

Mitch

Cloud · 05-25-2007, 10:17 AM

but I don't want to buy an external drive.

SteveDallas · 05-25-2007, 10:56 AM

It partly depends how much you have to back up. If you have a DVD burner that's not a bad option if you have a relatively small amount. (I just this week cleared up 16GB or so by moving stuff from my Photoshop catalog offline to DVD.)

There are some online backup services. I've been trying out mozy.com and they seem OK. They will give you up to 2GB of space free; for an unlimited account it's $60 for a year or something like that. There are other people in this market to. IMO it's too young a market to really know about long-term reliability, security, etc.

I hate to say it, but in many ways an external drive is your best option these days. Though remember that those can go south too.

Cloud · 05-25-2007, 10:59 AM

okay. What kind of external drive?

busterb · 05-25-2007, 11:01 AM

External and true image. Works for me. Although I think UBCD is free.

busterb · 05-25-2007, 11:06 AM

That depends on a few things. How big are the drives that you want to back up. You can also use the drive to store other things. I think mine is 120GBS, but I store the back ups for 2 computers on it. It is a drive I had and just bought a box for it.

BigV · 05-25-2007, 11:14 AM

Then you're going to make things harder....

How much data do you want to "back up"? If you're not going to make a simple flat copy of your data and you want a "real" backup, you have to put it somewhere. It seems reasonable that if you're backing up a hard drive that another hard drive would be big enough to hold all the data. It has to go somewhere, right? Where will you store it? Your choices are limited and you've just disqualified the easiest, best, cheapest, simplest, most reliable, most useful option. Now that you're feeling bad, look at your options:

Tape drive. Still have to buy some machine that goes ping, plus media. Those tapes are expensive, a hassle, and you'll likely part with considerable $$ to get the capacity you're needing.

CD-Rs. Ok, you probably have a writeable cd in your machine already. Ok, now you need the media. A cd holds about 2/3 of a gigabyte, so if you have a 60 Gb hard drive, modest not mongo, you could need as many as 100 cds. Lets be fair, say your drive is only half full. 50 cds. And you have to feed each one into your system and they all have to work. You're building a chain of fifty links. One fails, the chain fails. If you have any experience with burning cds, you'd know that fifty in a row without a mistake is a longshot. What a hassle. Then, after all that work, when your system needs a new backup, fifty more cds.

Let's just point and laugh at those who imagine any other removable *coughfloppydiskcough* media. Non starter.

So, Cloud, what will you write your backup to? Water vapor suspended in our sheltering sky? mbpark is right. Get an external hd. You won't be sorry.

lizzymahoney · 05-25-2007, 11:17 AM

Dayum, you're brave, Cloud! I'll admit it now that you've opened the topic, but I've been copying important documents to disk, and that's it. For years now. I'm such a slacker.

So, anyone have any suggestions for the technologically challenged?

BigV · 05-25-2007, 11:18 AM

Good choice.

I like what's cheap. Brands? Ok, simpletech 120 gb drive with bundled backup software usb, small (smaller than my hand) --> $90. Hard to beat. Western Digital is a first tier drive supplier, as is Seagate.

Cloud · 05-25-2007, 11:19 AM

I'm not like, morally opposed, to buying an external drive. Or even monetarily opposed--just wasn't sure it was necessary. It's not like I have that much stuff on my computer, and like I said, I make copies of the data, just not the whole shebang.

I'll look into it. Thanks for the responses, people!

lizzymahoney · 05-25-2007, 11:20 AM

Okay, that's what I was afraid of. Getting more stuff when I already don't know how to mazimize my use of what I have...

BigV · 05-25-2007, 11:21 AM

You used some special reserved words that triggered the geeks in the room: "backup, not just copy". We all leapt on that and answered your apparently informed specific problem definition.

Sorry if you were bruised by our enthusiasm. Just tryin' to help, ma'am.

Cloud · 05-25-2007, 11:24 AM

well, I want to take my computer in for a tune up, which is what precipitated this. Physical cleaning, fan replacement maybe, scanning for virus and unwanted stuff. I could simply have the computer techs make a backup disk for me, but that's an extra charge, and I was thinking of backing up stuff BEFORE I disconnected it and fostered the baby out.

Cloud · 05-25-2007, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigV

You used some special reserved words that triggered the geeks in the room: "backup, not just copy". We all leapt on that and answered your apparently informed specific problem definition.

Sorry if you were bruised by our enthusiasm. Just tryin' to help, ma'am.

er, I wasn't. Genuinely asking for opinions from more computer informed people than myself.

It's scary how much we are not doing backups. (points fingers at you and you and you. and me.)

So, here's another, related question: Do you have recommendation as to what "tune up" services are worth it, and which are not? I'm thinking Geek Squad,here. And no, I'm not going to do stuff myself. Like I said, I need physical cleaning, and possibly fan replacement, as well.

05-25-2007, 09:56 AM	#1
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	Backing up Do you back up your computer at home? How? What's the best way when you don't have an external (or extra internal) drive? I can back up my data, simply by copying, but I know that's not the same thing. I want to take my 'puter in for servicing, but want to make a back up first. Suggestions? __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

05-25-2007, 10:10 AM	#2
mbpark Lecturer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 761	The solution is to get an external drive If you get an external drive, and the Ultimate Boot CD for Windows (http://www.ubcd4win.com), you can make a complete image of your hard drive suitable for restoring. I have used this CD (and another program I bought - All Image Pro) to restore my Thinkpad to a decent state after some "issues". Thanks, Mitch

05-25-2007, 10:17 AM	#3
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	but I don't want to buy an external drive. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

05-25-2007, 10:59 AM	#5
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	okay. What kind of external drive? __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

05-25-2007, 11:01 AM	#6
busterb NSABFD Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: MS. usa Posts: 3,908	External and true image. Works for me. Although I think UBCD is free. __________________ I've haven't left very deep footprints in the sands of time. But, boy I've left a bunch.

05-25-2007, 10:56 AM	#4
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	It partly depends how much you have to back up. If you have a DVD burner that's not a bad option if you have a relatively small amount. (I just this week cleared up 16GB or so by moving stuff from my Photoshop catalog offline to DVD.) There are some online backup services. I've been trying out mozy.com and they seem OK. They will give you up to 2GB of space free; for an unlimited account it's $60 for a year or something like that. There are other people in this market to. IMO it's too young a market to really know about long-term reliability, security, etc. I hate to say it, but in many ways an external drive is your best option these days. Though remember that those can go south too.

05-25-2007, 11:06 AM	#7
busterb NSABFD Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: MS. usa Posts: 3,908	That depends on a few things. How big are the drives that you want to back up. You can also use the drive to store other things. I think mine is 120GBS, but I store the back ups for 2 computers on it. It is a drive I had and just bought a box for it. __________________ I've haven't left very deep footprints in the sands of time. But, boy I've left a bunch.

05-25-2007, 11:14 AM	#8
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	Then you're going to make things harder.... How much data do you want to "back up"? If you're not going to make a simple flat copy of your data and you want a "real" backup, you have to put it somewhere. It seems reasonable that if you're backing up a hard drive that another hard drive would be big enough to hold all the data. It has to go somewhere, right? Where will you store it? Your choices are limited and you've just disqualified the easiest, best, cheapest, simplest, most reliable, most useful option. Now that you're feeling bad, look at your options: Tape drive. Still have to buy some machine that goes ping, plus media. Those tapes are expensive, a hassle, and you'll likely part with considerable $$ to get the capacity you're needing. CD-Rs. Ok, you probably have a writeable cd in your machine already. Ok, now you need the media. A cd holds about 2/3 of a gigabyte, so if you have a 60 Gb hard drive, modest not mongo, you could need as many as 100 cds. Lets be fair, say your drive is only half full. 50 cds. And you have to feed each one into your system and they all have to work. You're building a chain of fifty links. One fails, the chain fails. If you have any experience with burning cds, you'd know that fifty in a row without a mistake is a longshot. What a hassle. Then, after all that work, when your system needs a new backup, fifty more cds. Let's just point and laugh at those who imagine any other removable coughfloppydiskcough media. Non starter. So, Cloud, what will you write your backup to? Water vapor suspended in our sheltering sky? mbpark is right. Get an external hd. You won't be sorry. __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

05-25-2007, 11:17 AM	#9
lizzymahoney Major Inhabitant Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 124	Dayum, you're brave, Cloud! I'll admit it now that you've opened the topic, but I've been copying important documents to disk, and that's it. For years now. I'm such a slacker. So, anyone have any suggestions for the technologically challenged?

05-25-2007, 11:18 AM	#10
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	Good choice. I like what's cheap. Brands? Ok, simpletech 120 gb drive with bundled backup software usb, small (smaller than my hand) --> $90. Hard to beat. Western Digital is a first tier drive supplier, as is Seagate. __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

05-25-2007, 11:19 AM	#11
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	I'm not like, morally opposed, to buying an external drive. Or even monetarily opposed--just wasn't sure it was necessary. It's not like I have that much stuff on my computer, and like I said, I make copies of the data, just not the whole shebang. I'll look into it. Thanks for the responses, people! __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

05-25-2007, 11:20 AM	#12
lizzymahoney Major Inhabitant Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 124	Okay, that's what I was afraid of. Getting more stuff when I already don't know how to mazimize my use of what I have...

05-25-2007, 11:21 AM	#13
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	You used some special reserved words that triggered the geeks in the room: "backup, not just copy". We all leapt on that and answered your apparently informed specific problem definition. Sorry if you were bruised by our enthusiasm. Just tryin' to help, ma'am. __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

05-25-2007, 11:24 AM	#14
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	well, I want to take my computer in for a tune up, which is what precipitated this. Physical cleaning, fan replacement maybe, scanning for virus and unwanted stuff. I could simply have the computer techs make a backup disk for me, but that's an extra charge, and I was thinking of backing up stuff BEFORE I disconnected it and fostered the baby out. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

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