Backing Up?

[marko_tomas13]

I've decided now that i have some free time, its the time to backup all of my data and get into a routine of doing it so im not left with nothing.

I was wondering what would be the best way?....considering buying a DVD burner but would have no other use than backing up so i though going with an external hard drive would be the best option so i can drag and drop personal files...

Can you guys recommend some good external HD's (from a store that ships to the great white north of course )

[murtu52]

Well, when i think of external HDs i think of maxtor...but then again, it may not be the best. But, i recommend you get the HD from a local store, because you'll save on shipping...This isn't a really huge order, so i think it'll be much easier just getting it locally.

[mikex]

As to which is the best well...

I cannot say this is best, you can check ZipZoomFly .The link is for an 80GB Maxtor.

Most have free 2nd day shipping, may be for US only.

Worth a try.

M

[marko_tomas13]

Thanks for your help, im going to look at some ads/do some hunting locally and hopefully i can find something

[mikeyb]

hello,

just adding another suggestion

you could always backup by creating an image of your machine, not only do you get the 'data' you also get a whole image of the machine, this could be put on a CD using something like nortons Ghost.

when backing data onto external drives there is always the posibility of missing some data.. IE favorites for instance, an image would get everything, keep a cycle of 4 images over a period of a month that way if there is a problem then you can go back 3 weeks if needed.

mikeyb

[marko_tomas13]

hello,

just adding another suggestion

you could always backup by creating an image of your machine, not only do you get the 'data' you also get a whole image of the machine, this could be put on a CD using something like nortons Ghost.

when backing data onto external drives there is always the posibility of missing some data.. IE favorites for instance, an image would get everything, keep a cycle of 4 images over a period of a month that way if there is a problem then you can go back 3 weeks if needed.

mikeyb

Thats a good idea about the image, thanks. Im going to look into some external HD's soon.

[blim]

Hi All,

Ok, to take this to a different "path". I......have never backed up (yeah, I know--shame on me.) Anyways, in preparation of SP2, it is in the list of "prep directions". I have a Dell 4550 XP Home edition SP1 and paid an extra $125 to have a tech set it up (after the old Gateway, worth every penny).

1. I read you must back up "all important data"-- what is "important"? Kids do have quite the music file on Winamp and daughter has journalism projects on Word--I know that's important to them--I use an old fashioned file cabinet.

2. I swear I remember reading how to back up data in my XP Dummies book, but I can't find it now (I remember a passage about "keep feeding it floppies or cds or something....)

3. If I can back up using CDs or Floppies, (have a CD drive, a CD burner drive and a floppy drive) any estimate on how many discs to have on hand? Nearest retailer for that stuff is 40 minutes away (rural Michigan here) Have a 60 gigawatt hard drive--according to last defrag, I think it was about 35% full.

4. Can I do this within XP Home or is a "gadget" necessary?

5. And the easiest, least technical method? I am a pathetic Noob and my Geek Nephew moved to Tennessee--I lost my helper.

6. And advice!!! (telling me it isn't necessary would be lovely.....)

7. Ok, start laughing, I don't mind! Thanks, Liz

[robroy]

Liz, you need to back up any files you created and anything you downloaded from the net, music, software, updates, pics and documents etc. Use the cd burner, you may need several cd-r's depending how much stuff falls into the above category. You don't need to back up winders or anything you have the install disks for

When you ready there are plenty of people who will help you through it

JD

ps I'm not really laughing, I'm choking. At least thats the story I'm sticking to and you can't prove otherwise

[murtu52]

ps I'm not really laughing, I'm choking. At least thats the story I'm sticking to and you can't prove otherwise

hehehe...indeed....

Also, Liz, if you already have a CD burner, i would go and get CD-Rs (make a one day trip to the store; go make a huge run and get whatever you need over there, that way you won't completely waste your time on driving) because cd burning is invaluable if you want to backup. It is also useful for transfering large files, and just to clear up harddrive space.

Thats about all i can think about right now....Good Luck .

[thesidekickcat]

Liz,

Not only back up the stuff like what was said earlier, but do your favorites list too.

I don't know about you, but I have dozens of favorites links that I would be so upset to lose!!!

Now for some unknown reason, Microsoft didn't make Favorites easy to find. So here are the directions someone (Sultan, I think) gave over on G4 awhile back.

To find Favorites:

Click on Start, then Run, then type in the name Favorites or Favorites Folder, then Ok and Windows will find it and open it up. Then here is the weird part. Go up to the Folder icon at the very top left name bar (not address bar icon) of the now open favorites window. Right click on that icon. Then Send shortcut to desktop. And if it is your first for back up of favorites, send a copy to My Documents. I do it every so often, so have to rename it rather than overwrite previous ones. So on the Desktop shortcut that I just saved, I right click and then rename the folder to current Date (I do just the month and year) and Favorites . Then I do the right click again to send to My Documents. Then I copy all My Documents to CD. I aim to do it once a month, but oh my do I ever get off schedule, I think it has been about 3 or 4 months this time.

Your Windows XP should have a program called My CD, or similar, that is pretty self explanatory. (my Win 2000 uses My CD).

I use regular blank CDs from Comp USA, then once you burn the CD, label it with a marker pen as to what and when. Also test the cd out that it all worked. When it says read only on stuff, right click the folders, and uncheck the read only thing.

I hope this helps you out. Any questions on it, just ask away. I had a hard time at first and still don't like doing it but....it is something that needs to be done. Also if you do backups fairly often, then if a cd goes bad or is bad from the start, then you will have replacements.

Leo said he does backups monthly, and has them on a shelf back to when he first started doing it. Oh how I miss Call For Help. Sigh!!! I learned so much from that show. And I have so much more to learn!!!

Yes definitely back stuff up to CD before you do the SP2, just in case it messes things up. Also just do it in case you get some nasty bug on your system and end up needing to clean house/or reinstall. That way everything important is available on the CDs. Important by the way, just means whatever you, hubby, and kids consider important, especially if it is something that can't easily/cheaply, or ever be replaced. If it would cause you to kick yourself for not saving it, then back it up. That "kick" test is what I use when I second hand shop, I ask myself if I will kick myself for not buying it and come back for it and it's sold. That question makes it easy to decide on buying stuff. Or throwing something out...warning...I am a pack rat. Ha! Same test works for backing up stuff.

God bless everyone.

[blim]

Well, I went to Staples and bought....100 CDRs. You should have seen son shake his head and say, "ohhhh mommmmm". (Its not like they'll spoil, kids use them and they were on sale!) One step closer to doing this!

Hi Robroy,

You mentioned copying Updates--Not worried about Mcafee Updates because it was just installed last month, but where do you find the Microsoft Updates? I know I see them on "add/remove programs" but son says, "no mom, they're in a folder" Turns out he knows a lot more that I thought he did--started talking about converting his music to MP3 format to copy and queries (me-??) and such.

Hi Sidekickcat,

Thanks for the method on Favorites--that IS one area that I do use alot!!! I depend on "my sites" living on the drop down bar until Son does housecleaning, and poof, they're gone.

Thanks!! Liz

[tg1911]

blim,

Burning music, making disk to share with friends, making regular backups, you'll be surprised how fast you can go through 100 CD's. lol

[robroy]

hey Liz

Yeah you can get a lot more music on a cd in mp3 format

The windows updates are usually in the windows folder

Make sure that you only use a cd marker to write on the cd's as regular markers can ruin them (found that out the hard way)

good luck

Sidekickcat I know what you mean about being behind on the backups, just checked the date on mine, damn where did those 6 months go???????

JD

I do save disks by using cd rw for the backups then writing over them. Use two sets and write over the oldest. Now I can do it on a dvd rw as I got one for xmas and will only need 2 disks

[blim]

Hi Robroy,

There is such a thing as a CD marker?!!!? Didn't know that, kids always swiped one of my Sharpies for their homemade CDs (Artists ALWAYS have Sharpies on hand!) I guess we have been lucky. I'll get one of those. Thanks again! Liz

[murtu52]

Hi Robroy,

There is such a thing as a CD marker?!!!? Didn't know that, kids always swiped one of my Sharpies for their homemade CDs (Artists ALWAYS have Sharpies on hand!) I guess we have been lucky. I'll get one of those. Thanks again! Liz

Me too....I've been using sharpies on CDs, nothing bad has ever happened...i think you just need to use an oil based marker, not a water based one....

[DAN6996]

Well guys, keep on talkin', so I can keep on learnin'!

[blim]

Never fear, DAN6996, give me a minute or two and I'll come up with another dumb question Glad you're learning, I am too. Liz

[thesidekickcat]

Gee I didn't know that about the marking pens. Mine was a Sharpie, originally bought for use as a laundry marker.

Thanks for the warning to get the right kind.On my list for the next trip to the office supply store or computer store. I have never had any problems yet, but don't want to push my luck for the time I really need those backups.

And due to some recent news reports on counterfeit money, I need to get one of those pens the clerks in stores use to check out the paper money you hand them.

Trouble is I am too absent minded to remember to use it at all, let alone before I walk out of a store or bank with paper money in change. Also I get sidetracked gabbing with people. Sigh. So I might as well forget the counterfeit detector pen huh. Well thanks to this post I just talked myself out of it, and saved a few dollars, towards the day I get stuck with a bad 20. (I hope I just don't get arrested giving one back into circulation, without realizing it is phony! Ha! )

God bless everyone.

[DAN6996]

I always use 'Dry Erase Markers' on all RW's....when overwritten, the label is easily changed. Works well.

[blim]

Hi all, (listen up, Dan6996 )

Just to let you know we found the reverse gear in this idiotbox!! Son backed up all the music files today--took 25 CD's in MP3 format--choke! Didn't know 2 kids could collect that much, glad I bought 100! Very painless (especially since Son did it--he knows how to use the CDburner, so I don't NEED to know! ) and maybe took a couple of hours.

Plan on backing up Windows Updates, Favorites or Microsoft Word Stuff tomorrow--at least one item a day until its all done. Both kids have Gmail and Hotmail accounts (the "big ones") and I thought of just sending their Word documents to their Email--that should work, right? That would be something I could do when they're at school. Even if we lose internet access on one computer, we have another one and a library with internet a couple blocks away, so all would be retrievable.

One great thing about this is doing some housekeeping while we're at it (delete, delete, delete)

And nothing else important lives in the computer that can't be reinstalled with a disk. I do my banking, etc. the old fashioned way with paper and filecabinet--I just don't trust the internet for that stuff.

Thanks for giving me the confidence to get this done and making a scary job easy! And still open to suggestions and advice!!! Thanks, Liz

[mikex]

blim let him know he can back up music as data, you will put more on each cd. Use a catalog program to keep a listing of all data on each cd. This is what I use. There are more here for free.

Keeps from having to search each cd for a file.

M

[murtu52]

Yes, save everything as data. If you make a music CD, it will only allow around 80 minutes, in contrast to the data CD's 700MB....so, you will have much more space if you back up audio and things of that sort as data and not music CDs, etc....

[blim]

Hi Murtu and Mikex,

Thanks!! I asked son about this and he said, "yeah, music is living in dataform",... or something to that effect. He "catalogued" the backup CD's alphabetically but I bet when he does this again, he'll check out that program--the info on the links made my eyes glaze over, but he understood it! Thanks again, Liz

*PS--and is emailing Word Documents to big Gmail accts ok for backup??? Daughter is about 1/2way done with her stuff.

[murtu52]

No problem, i was just restating what mikex was saying....

If you are getting into the habit of backing up, you should consider getting a DVD burner in your next computer....holds massive amounts of data, so a couple DVD-RWs should last a looooong time. But thats for the future, nowadays DVD burners cost a lot....