Don't Forget to Backup!!!

[Steve Clarkson]

This is just a friendly reminder to back up your computer files.

My hard drive crashed on Monday and I lost everything. Thankfully, I had backed up my important files about a week earlier, so I really didn't lose too much. I bought and installed a new hard drive (cheaper and easier to do than I thought it would be) and then spent the next two days reloading all my software and files. Make sure you have your serial numbers (ie. for software like CorelDraw) in a convenient place (I didn't and it took me forever to finally find it) too.

So remember..........backup, backup, backup.

[Mike Null]

Steve

There are several ways to auto back up your files daily. One is an internet service I use called Carbonite and I also have an external hard drive by Seagate which is automatic. There are others including Casper which I understand backs up software as well.

[Martin Boekers]

Backing up software would be great! Has anyone use this feature and what software you recommend?

[Doug Griffith]

I've got a kazillion important files that I used to worry about even being on a back-up drive. I've had them fail as well. I spent a few extra dollars on an external mirrored raid drive and sleep a lot better now. Data is mirrored so if one drive fails, nothing is lost.

[Gary Hair]

Backing up software would be great! Has anyone use this feature and what software you recommend?

I use two programs - Casper and SmartSyncPro. I like that they are both automatic and I don't have to do anything for them to work. I tested Casper when I first used it and the backup was up and running in just a few minutes.

No matter what backup you use, make sure you test it after it backs up. You would be surprised to know how many people have used a backup program for years only to find out, when they needed it, that it wasn't really working.

Gary

[Darryl Hazen]

+1 for Carbonite. It has save my butt more than once.

[Dan Hintz]

I've got a kazillion important files that I used to worry about even being on a back-up drive. I've had them fail as well. I spent a few extra dollars on an external mirrored raid drive and sleep a lot better now. Data is mirrored so if one drive fails, nothing is lost.

Just don't forget to back up that data from time to time on non-connected media (DVDs, Flash sticks, etc.)... a bad electrical storm can turn a redundant electronic vault into a steaming pile of jumbled electrons. No amount of crying can get said data back... I've tried.

[Ernie Balch]

I use Dropbox to move my data from system to system. I like to think of it as my offsite backup of critical data.

[Doug Griffith]

Just don't forget to back up that data from time to time on non-connected media (DVDs, Flash sticks, etc.)... a bad electrical storm can turn a redundant electronic vault into a steaming pile of jumbled electrons. No amount of crying can get said data back... I've tried.

I hear ya. I only plug the drive in when doing a backup. I can't count the hours I've spent recovering data. I've bought matching drives and swapped platters which never worked. I've even used the freezer trick a few times which amazingly did work. Of course the drive was toast afterwards.

[Greg Bednar]

FWIW - I use a ReadyNas Duo, fully reduntant to back up my files for myself and others on the home network. Takes up very little space and hasn't skipped a beat in three years. Mine is configured to give me 1 Terrabyte of fully redundant storage. With "add ons" can also be configured for more than just storing files.

[Joe De Medeiros]

I like using Clonezilla, about once a week I clone the drive to a matching drive. Clonezilla is a open source program that boots from a live Linux cd/dvd, it will clone the entire drive partitions and all. I use two clone drives one is a bare bone windows + software, the 2nd is an everything drive windows, software and data. the advantage of having the 1st drive is you can restore to a clean install with all software in place.

[Gary Hair]

With the exception of Joe, everyone is talking about backing up data. Data loss is bad but you will still be down for a while without a working computer if you don't have a cloned drive to boot up. Think about re-installing all of your programs, drivers, settings, etc. - it takes a lot longer than you think, especially when you have to find the disks, serial numbers, etc. That is why I use Casper and likely why Joe uses Clonezilla. The test I mentioned in my previous post showed me that I can have the computer back up and running in less than 30 minutes with everything ready to go - programs, data, everything! Even if you have a spare computer that you can access the data and continue working, you will still have to get the crashed computer up and running which means installing everything over again. Clonezilla, Casper and others will make that a non-event. The only thing I'd recommend to Joe, and everyone else too, is to have it automated. Mine runs daily and the backup that clones my data runs continuously.

Gary

[Martin Boekers]

I am sold! Next purchase is cloning software!

Steve, Thanks for bringing this up! undoubtly
you saved many folks time and files!

Marty

[Mark Ross]

We use Acronis. I have RAID drives on the workstation and RAID drives on the backup drives. The offsite 1/2 a world away backup drives are also RAID. Ask me why and I will tell you stories about all the large hard drive companies and their wonderful products that fail.

On external drives that are only used as backup drives and a rarely used, power 'em every so often and to a rudimentary read/write. We had one that we had not used in a while and when we powered up, we discovered the heads had bonded to the platters and on spin up...well it was not pretty. We are using Laci D2 Network 2 drives easily capable of 1GB/S over our network switch so backups of full CAD workstations only take 42 minutes for full backup and verify. No reason nowadays not to have things backed up.

[John Noell]

Plus 1 for Acronis TrueImage. It is one the most commonly used backup programs and has been around for a long time (i.e., you can depend on it to be relatively bug-free and stable). You can set it to be fully automatic for backing up just certain files/folders or the entire hard drive. However, NO system is perfect. I like an attached backup drive (networked or not) and one that is detachable, so it can be stored AWAY from the computer (thinking fire or theft). To save time when backing up to an external/detachable drive, I use eSATA drives rather than USB (although USB3 or Thunderbolt are also fast possibilities).

[Randy Digby]

I use SugarSync. It backs up from multiple PC's the instant a file is changed or added in a selected folder. My Quickbooks backs up every morning at 1:00am and then SugarSync Backs up that new copy. Been using it a couple of years or so now and have survived one lightning strike and three hard drive failures so far. Takes longer to load the system programs than the data when I have to bring a new PC on line. SugarSync will also sync and folders to another PC in your sustem so when I have a problem getting one PC to communite to another because of OS differences, I just sync the folders I want to share and the problem is solved.

[Michael Hardy]

I live by the method of data in three places for my backups.

In the computer, on a local storage and someplace else.

I'm an I.T. Techie and I use Acronis True Image on all my systems and install it for my customers.

If you are concerned, download the trial and run backups to an external drive. No cost other than some time. But it may save a whole lot of headaches down the road.

$40 is worth way less than a few hours of my time.

[Mark Ross]

The latest version of acronis, you can go into your .tib (backup file) file and it looks just like a windows explorer window. You can drag and drop, copy and paste and even doubleclick and if there is an app associated with the file, it will open it. Quite handy...saved my bacon more than once.