How to Make Computer BACKUPS that Work!
When looking for a backup system for your business or
personal computer, look for:
- security
- ease-of-use
- reliability
- cost
After a considerable amount of research, Pacific
Websites has now found a reliable, cost-effective method of providing
secure, easy-to-use, daily backups of computer data. With the increasing
danger to losing essential business information (theft, the latest virus,
computer failure, etc.), the best method (and easiest-to-use) is
automatic, "off-site" backups.
 Automatic
Online Backups. No need to remember to backup - it’s automatic. No
need to remember to take tapes, CDs, or DVDs home – it’s already offsite.
No worry about hardware or human error. And, you can backup online
nightly, so there’s no interruption to your busy workday. It’s convenient
and easy-to-use.
Click to read more
about "off-site" backups
Backing up your most-used files is a smart idea.
However, there are other files and information on your computer that
should be backed up in case of a total failure of your computer.
"From my own experience of a fairly
major, partial data loss, I was surprised at how many settings
happen in the background that I was not aware of. Backing up this
"other" information can really help get back on track. I wish I had
known what I do now about the importance of regular backups, and
what to backup."
John W., Oregon, USA |
Tips: What to backup onto
a CD, DVD, or "Off-Site"
- Outlook Express: your email files, including the mail
messages and address book. It's always a good idea to remove any files
that you no longer need before backing up, to reduce the backup file
size. Example the "Deleted Items" folder - you can "empty" it,
but it will still be in the backup unless you go into your Email
program's storage area and delete it from there. It will still be in
your Recycle Bin until that is emptied, but doing this first will reduce
your backup size - and cost.
- My Documents – usually, everything in here should be backed up
on a regular basis. If you are short of backup space, eliminate the
unnecessary, non-essential files. Or, do an incremental backup.
- Your Desktop: C:\Windows\Desktop or
C:\Windows\Profiles\<YourUserName>\desktop, where <YourUserName> is your Windows
log-on. Disadvantage of using the Desktop as a location to put
things is that they are usually forgotten about when it comes to backing
up
- Internet Explorer Favorites: C:\Windows\Favorites - not
really necessary, but could be handy.
- MS Word spell-check dictionary and settings…
- If you first backup to a temporary backup folder (on your computer),
then burn a CD or DVD, go back and remove the temporary backup folder.
You'll save space on your computer.
- The easiest way to do backups on your computer is the have an
automatic program send your data to a remote backup location, once a
day. Find out more here:
http://gobackup.databu.com/?PWSbackups/
How to Reverse an Email Backup (reinstall
files)
To restore or transfer the .eml files:
Open Outlook Express.
Select the Outlook Express folder where you want the .eml files
restored.
Minimize Outlook Express so an icon for it appears in the taskbar.
Open up the folder containing the backed up .eml files.
Select the .eml file or files you want to restore. You can select
several, or all, of the .eml files. To do this, select one .eml file.
Then, hold down the CTRL key and select other .eml files. The .eml
files you select should be highlighted.
Position the mouse over the highlighted .eml files.
Press and hold down the left mouse button.
Move the mouse down so the cursor appears over the taskbar icon
for Outlook Express, and leave it there until Outlook Express opens
up.
Move the mouse cursor into the window pane where e-mail is
normally displayed.
Release the mouse button. When you do this, the e-mail should be
appear in Outlook Express normally.
Here are some of Digital Dan's Recommendations:
Recommendation:
 Check
to see if the backups actually work. On my computer, the backup CD/RW only
reads on the drive that created them, which is poor practice if that drive
ever crashes. It works on my "E" (read and write) drive, and not on my "D"
(read only) drive, even though both are the same brand, LG, and on the
same computer.
Recommendation: Backup your "system drive" to your recovery CD
or online backup system.
This is where you will really benefit when you have a complete crash, you
will get all your programs' "personal" settings back.
Why bother with the hassle of doing it yourself? Here's an easy way
to have automatic daily backups of your computer, securely sent over the
Internet to a remote location - all automatic, all safe and secure. It doesn't cost much, considering the time and frustration that can happen. The prices start at
about $10/month. Consider it an insurance policy. Discover the easy-to-use, online backups
we recommend:
Automatic Daily Backups.
So Easy, You Can Just Set It Once, And Forget About
It. It’s simple to schedule your online backups to occur automatically
each night, so you don’t have to worry about it. Your data will be safe,
secure, and easy to access. No worry about human error - or technical
failures.
Automatic Daily Backups.
Here are a few trouble-shooting tips to get your automatic backups up
and running properly:
- Make sure your computer is left on at night and not in sleep or
hibernate mode;
- If you are running firewall software (Norton, McAfee, Panda,
Zone Alarm), make sure it is permitting Remote Data Backups to run.
- Make sure the Remote Data Backups icon appears in the lower
right corner of your screen (in the system tray);
- Make sure Remote Data Backups is able to open your Internet
connection (especially if you have a dial-up, such as AOL or MSN).
Click “Backup Now” on the backup software to see if it will open an
Internet connection. If not, you will need to open your Internet
connection prior to performing backups;
- Make sure all your programs are closed when the backup is
scheduled to run.
Have you ever wondered what you would do if a virus deleted files on
your system? What if your hard drive failed or a power surge during a
lightning storm destroyed your hard drive? If you start thinking about
what you would do after a problem occurs, it's probably too late. Your
Internet favorites and bookmarks will be gone, e-mail addresses, family
history and pictures, your thesis and your final report? All lost.
Is there anything more important on your system than the information
you invested time in creating? So, why risk losing it?
One recommendation is for you to add additional storage media and a
software backup application to your system. Then you can automatically
backup and save your data as part of your regular computer maintenance
routine. Taking this preventative measure can reduce your stress level
when your important information is suddenly gone. Find the best options
to fit your time, budget and experience level.
|
FREE Course about
Computer Backups
The most important value of your computer is your data. The hardware
can be replaced, the system and programs can be easily reinstalled
but your data is unique. In a professional environment your contacts, contracts,
databases, emails, reports, accountancy, etc. are essential to the ongoing
viability of a business.
In a personal environment can you imagine everything on your computer
lost forever? The countless hours you spend filling your hard drive with
work, photos of family and friends, emails, financial records, downloaded
music and other important documents are irreplaceable and can never be
fully recovered -- if you are not protected.
Data can be lost for a lot of reasons : hardware failure, viruses,
spyware, and human errors, or they can be stolen or burnt in a fire.
1st rule:
Backup often and earlier.
Don't wait to back up. Depending of your computer activity, backing up
data every month is not enough. In professional usage, you must back up
your data every day and even several times a day. For home computing, at
least once a week.
Backup can be done transparently when you schedule it.
2nd rule: Backup or copy data to
external devices.
Never backup data from C:\ to D:\ when C and D are 2 partitions on the
same disk!
Using external hard disk in combination with network drive is a good
strategy. You can copy data to an USB drive through the Backup-2006 Studio
Synchronizer and back up those data to a network drive. But don't forget
to place the external device in a secure place when you leave your office.
3rd rule: Encrypt your strategic
backups
...especially when data is backed up
or copied to an external device or removable medium. Someone may find a
lost disc and that someone could be your competition or your worst
nightmare!
4th rule:
Check the disk partition system.
(Applies only if you use this method) Often users are ignoring the disk partition in use. FAT32 limits the
file size. You can use Windows XP but your disk partition can be a FAT32.
Never move a file > 2 (Windows 9x/Me) or 4 (Windows 2000,NT,XP) GB from an
NTFS disk partition to a FAT32 one. The archive file will be corrupted.
5th rule: Don't build gigantic backup
sets.
Creating an unique backup set on the root of your main drive (e.g. C:\)
is not recommended. A backup software is not a disk image software. The
best solution is to backup to a remote location, off your computer and
out of your office or home.
6th rule: Never never remove data
from your computer without checking the status of your archive backup
files.
Now is the time to backup your computer files automatically!
FREE Course about
Computer Backups
|
Have
you ever had that terrible, sinking feeling when you no longer have access
to the important files on your computer?
"It is not a question of IF your hard drive will fail,
but it's a question of WHEN it will fail. All you can do is to be ready
when it does fail by having a copy of all of the files on your hard drive
saved away from your computer."