Have you backed up your computer?

Hey guys,

I had a scary thing happen last night. I went to power up my home computer and it wouldn't power up. I just about shit because it's been too long since I backed up. (I must do this regularly.) Anyway, a quick run to the computer repair store and it turned out that the power source died, so they replaced it and everything was fine.

But I wanted to remind you all: When is the last time you backed up your computers? How much work could you afford to lose?

And don't forget Luke's misfortune a while back when his computer was hit by lightning and it fried his machine.

Back up your machine today.

cheers
dzinerbear

I try to back everything up when I get a chance. Sometimes I forget to backup tho. Unless you have a raid setup or automatic backups... it's pretty much near impossible to remember everytime.

Thanks for the reminder Michael. I'm glad to hear that your computer was alright for the most part.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dzinerbear

Hey guys,

I had a scary thing happen last night. I went to power up my home computer and it wouldn't power up. I just about shit because it's been too long since I backed up. (I must do this regularly.) Anyway, a quick run to the computer repair store and it turned out that the power source died, so they replaced it and everything was fine.

But I wanted to remind you all: When is the last time you backed up your computers? How much work could you afford to lose?

And don't forget Luke's misfortune a while back when his computer was hit by lightning and it fried his machine.

Back up your machine today.

cheers
dzinerbear

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tsk, tsk. Fer shame on you...not following the rules!!!!

Yea, I had a scare like that. After it happened, I very quickly put individual AUTOMATIC external USB drives on all my machines. (Redundant ones on the most important files, just in case)
At the price of these drives now a days, it's crazy not to.
And the only way to be sure you actually do the backup is to make it automatic.
(Otherwise I'd forget too....)

:wtf:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FreshChecks

I try to back everything up when I get a chance. Sometimes I forget to backup tho. Unless you have a raid setup or automatic backups... it's pretty much near impossible to remember everytime.

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I have to agree with you. How can you possibly backup all your files unless you're doing it on a daily (even hourly) basis (unless you have raid)?

What do you guys recommend? I was thinking about buying an external hard drive and backing up all my files on it, but what then? Would i just replace all the files once a week? That'll take a lot of time!! And replacing new files or files that you've changed would just be too complicated. And even then, you’re always at risk of loosing some important file that you hadn’t had the chance to backup.

Hmmm...that's why i've been avoiding backing up my files...there doesn't seem to be any dependable secure way of doing it.

Any suggestions? What's your routine/method?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EmporerEJ

tsk, tsk. Fer shame on you...not following the rules!!!!

Yea, I had a scare like that. After it happened, I very quickly put individual AUTOMATIC external USB drives on all my machines. (Redundant ones on the most important files, just in case)
At the price of these drives now a days, it's crazy not to.
And the only way to be sure you actually do the backup is to make it automatic.
(Otherwise I'd forget too....)

:wtf:

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Hey Emporer. What's this method you're talking about? "Automatic" backups? Using USB drives? As in USB external hard drives? They're capable of automatic backups? Whoah...that's awesome! Please let me know more.

Thanks

i backup nightly! , defrag once a week! , i think the problem i have is working a "program" between 2 different computers while one is defragmenting i have to remember to make sure all the "fonts" and "designapps" are identical to the other , otherwise my work looks "coded" on the other! :cry:

sincerely ~ jim

Yea i back up at least every two weeks. I backup to dvd and to my USB hard drive.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GPallan

Hey Emporer. What's this method you're talking about? "Automatic" backups? Using USB drives? As in USB external hard drives? They're capable of automatic backups? Whoah...that's awesome! Please let me know more.

Thanks

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Yes indeedy.
If you are careful you can get them with basic backup software included.
I've noticed this with both Iomega and western digital. (I use both) They give you the basic backup software for "free" and try to talk you into buying the "more better" version. I set them up to sync with my folder, and in some cases, keep regressive copies of some files. (As in, if I make a change to the file on the drive, it saves the current version and an earlier version)
usually you have to buy the "retail" box versions to get this, Just wait till Office max or staples puts them on sale. They do this REGULARLY. get on staples mailing list, and they'll send you a $20 coupon. take that, get it on sale, and you can get it for cheaper than buying the drive wholesale.
(Yea, I know, I can't bear to pay retail either :-)

You can have them sync constantly, which slows the system down, or do Like I do, where it checks every night for changes and updates accordingly during the few hours when my brain goes to sleep.

Important thing to do is set it up to do it automatically. Then you kiss yourself when you have a problem 'cause you know you got backups...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EmporerEJ

Yes indeedy.
If you are careful you can get them with basic backup software included.
I've noticed this with both Iomega and western digital. (I use both) They give you the basic backup software for "free" and try to talk you into buying the "more better" version. I set them up to sync with my folder, and in some cases, keep regressive copies of some files. (As in, if I make a change to the file on the drive, it saves the current version and an earlier version)
usually you have to buy the "retail" box versions to get this, Just wait till Office max or staples puts them on sale. They do this REGULARLY. get on staples mailing list, and they'll send you a $20 coupon. take that, get it on sale, and you can get it for cheaper than buying the drive wholesale.
(Yea, I know, I can't bear to pay retail either :-)

You can have them sync constantly, which slows the system down, or do Like I do, where it checks every night for changes and updates accordingly during the few hours when my brain goes to sleep.

Important thing to do is set it up to do it automatically. Then you kiss yourself when you have a problem 'cause you know you got backups...

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It wouldn't let me edit to add this, so.......


Edit:

You got me thinking....in this week's Office max ad:
western Digital Combo (USB/Firewire) drive 160Gig, on sale for $129.99 after rebates. includes "dual option backup"
There ya go! Get on it boy, you got no excuse now!

Here's the link:

Western digital Drive
:sun:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EmporerEJ

It wouldn't let me edit to add this, so.......


Edit:

You got me thinking....in this week's Office max ad:
western Digital Combo (USB/Firewire) drive 160Gig, on sale for $129.99 after rebates. includes "dual option backup"
There ya go! Get on it boy, you got no excuse now!

Here's the link:

Western digital Drive
:sun:

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That's awesome!! i'll prolly go and get one today :) thanks!

don't forget if you are using those disk backup units that they are also succeptible to power spikes and surges so you should also be backing up to something that is a hard copy (cd / dvd) or at the very least unplug your backup unit (both power and usb).

cheers,
Luke

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chilihost

don't forget if you are using those disk backup units that they are also succeptible to power spikes and surges so you should also be backing up to something that is a hard copy (cd / dvd) or at the very least unplug your backup unit (both power and usb).

cheers,
Luke

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I'll do you one better.....
You should put it on a UPS, so the power is filtered.
And then, you know, as long as the sun doesn't explode, you would probably be OK to make hard copies once a month or so.
You can swing the other way and become paralyzed by backups every day on CD or something like that.
Point being, get something done. Chances of redundant systems failing at the same time are pretty small.

Systems are being set up for back-up as I type. I'm not quite sure how it's done, but roy has a hard drive in a box.

He makes it so that the laptop is mine to do work on in the hotel, while he runs cold calls. If it weren't for roy, I know I'd never remember to back-up, update Windows, or any of the million other things I should know to run smoothly.

Happy weekend all! Local to Dallas? There's a fun Fetish Fashion and Art Show at our Home venue tomorrow. Come on by, the eye-candy will be out in force.

http://www.sanctuarylifestyle.com/main.htm

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EmporerEJ

I'll do you one better.....
You should put it on a UPS, so the power is filtered.
And then, you know, as long as the sun doesn't explode, you would probably be OK to make hard copies once a month or so.
You can swing the other way and become paralyzed by backups every day on CD or something like that.
Point being, get something done. Chances of redundant systems failing at the same time are pretty small.

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thats what I thought until the lightning struck my house travelling through my satellite receiver and instantly frying all that was connected to the main computer and my phone lines including my PC, laptop, monitor, television (I have satellite tv) and all my usb connected devices, including my backup unit.

cheers,
Luke

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chilihost

thats what I thought until the lightning struck my house travelling through my satellite receiver and instantly frying all that was connected to the main computer and my phone lines including my PC, laptop, monitor, television (I have satellite tv) and all my usb connected devices, including my backup unit.

cheers,
Luke

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OUCH!
That sounds like it sucked REAL BAD!
Hope you were insured.
But, I think you'll agree that was a pretty rare instance.
Shame on you for ignoring Ben Franklin and having a proper lightning rod setup!

:turban:

If my hard drive ever crashed I'd go lay face down in the river.

... with a rock on the back of my head.