Category: Geeks r Us
hi all.
Well, just thinking here about data loss and how I really, really can't afford that kind of thing during university. I have an external harddrive and backup all my files there, but what about restoring my windows, jaws and ETC if the harddrive on this thing decides to die. So what do you use to back up your images, software, ETC? Suggestions please!
MJ
I can't remember the name of the program my friend wanted me to try out, but search on terabite unlimited's site for it. He said that it was really good and well worth the price. I think norton ghost is another one, but I've got no idea how accessible that is. If you can't find the terrabyte unlimited site, search burn cd cc on google, it'll be the first result.
For windows mobile machines, I use activeSync to backup the information. For an apple I would use time machine. Maybe the best way to back up a windows machine is to make a folder of files to back up, then click file>send to>compressed (zipped) folder. Then, you could burn it to a cd or copy it to a removable drive.
I just take the original .exe or .zip files of software that I've downloaded and my documents, music, pictures etc. and put them all on a 4gb compact flash card. Of course, they have much larger ones but I've got two of these and they serve me just fine. I also have the portable version of NVDA on the card so that I can use it in any computer without needing to install it and, of course, the regular installer incase I ever need to use that. I can't help you with backing up Windows, as I've never done it, but I'm sure it's doable. I do wonder, though, about the backup command for DR-DOS. I hope it's like the old one in MS-DOS 5, since that was very easy to use. I have no idea why they got rid of it in 6.
Btw, I don't use any special command or program when putting my things on the card. I just copy and paste.
Lucky you. I use a pacmate because I have to, and I have a 512mb and 64mb cf card to store all my apps and files. Again, why I use activeSync.
Just out of curiosity, what do you do if you have a computer without a compact flash slot? Did you just buy a card reader? I know they're fairly cheap, but don't know how reliable they are. I used one once and it was very picky about how the card was put into it. It took me about 5 tries before it would recognize. But then again it was old, it might have been the reader.
I made sure that my latest laptop (an IBM Thinkpad X32) has a pcmcia card slot like all the others so that I can fit a card with an adapter into it. It also has, incredibly, an actual slot just for compact flash cards. But the desktop, of course, doesn't have either and so yes, I use a usb reader with it. It can be a bit annoying getting the card in but it's not that bad once you get used to it. Mine holds five types of cards, if I remember correctly, but I only really need the one slot. I've never compared the external reader with the one inside the adapter (I believe it actually is an adapter and reader in one, since that's how it was advertised) but I think the external is actually faster. Btw, I love Active Sync when it works and isn't fiddling around trying to find the serial ports on my desktop and Braille Note. I'm hoping that using Lap Link between my computers will be just as easy but something tells me it's not. *smile*
The program's called Image for Windows. I use it. Its better then Norton Ghost, much smaller, anyone can use it. Norton Ghost can be a hard app to learn to use if you're not an advanced user.
Ah Image for windows. Thanks. I know they also have an image for linux as well.
I just send all the .exe files to my external hard drive as soon as I've installed them. Well actually I send them there first and then install most of the time, so that if it did crash, I'll have all my software files on the external hard drive. As for backing up window, you should have got a disk with your computer with it be desktop or laptop. thiss is the back up disk. I got 3 with my desktop pc I think, so if it crashed I'd have no idea which was which, but basically they contain all the windows information that you'd need for your computer if it crashed. Oh and any work that I do or notes I make for myself go on the external drive as well. the only thing that stays put is the installed software/games and music pretty much.
I'm not sure if this can be done completely without sight unless you like playing with hardware. I think the way to go would be to create one good os install that you always have someware, obviously continue to back up all your data onto externals and not really worry about backing up your current os.
This way, if your install does get messed up, you'll have all your important data backed up onto externals and you'll have your good os install with essentials like jfw and office installed. The reason for doing it like this is that assuming that your not going to buy any software, backing up and or restoring an os image is going to get pretty hard, hence why doing a backup of your os every week might not be the best idea.
What you could do is make a bootable xp install on an external, following the guide at http://www.ngine.de/article/id/8
It does sound a bit involved and when I tried it a few years ago (Using a different guide) I couldn't get it to work, but if you did get it up and running, if the os didn't ever boot, all you'd have to do is boot from your external until you could get help formatting which wouldn't matter, since you'd already have your data stored someware else.
Doing it this way nigates the need to constantly make images and the only thing that sounds like it might be a bit of a pain is to make the usb install, but you'll only ever have to do that once.