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alistener
Moderator
Joined: 16 Jun 2007
Posts: 828
Location: Second star to the right, and straight on till morning
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 Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 5:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Scottishps wrote: |
One question I did click on backup just now out of curiousity . It did read something about system backing up or restoring files to the computer. |
"System Restore" and "Backup" are 2 different programs.
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System Restore
Windows XP periodically records a snapshot of your computer. These snapshots are called restore points. Windows XP also creates restore points at the time of significant system events (such as when an application or driver is installed) or you can create and name your own restore points at any time. If you've installed a program that has made your computer unstable, you can open system restore, choose a restore point, and return your computer to its previous stable state.
System Restore works a lot like the Undo command in Microsoft Word. You can use System Restore to remove any system changes that were made since the last time you remember your computer working correctly. System Restore does not affect your personal data files (such as Microsoft Word documents, browsing history, drawings, favorites, email OR VIRUSES) so you won't lose changes made to these files.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/systemrestore.mspx
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| Quote: | The Backup utility in Windows® XP helps you protect your files and information if your computer fails. For example, you can use Backup to copy the data on your hard drive and archive it on another hard drive, a disk, a CD, a DVD, or another computer. If your hard drive is erased or damaged, you can easily restore the data from the archived copy.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/security/learnmore/backup.mspx
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| Scottishps wrote: |
I have tried system restore previously and it didnt work for me...does it work for you?
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It may be turned off on your computer. |
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gilinAZ
Station Producer
Joined: 21 May 2007
Posts: 1079
Location: Tempe, Arizona
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| Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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Nearly every file I have is on DVD or CD. Mostly, I only use DVDs, now. I still have folders on my HD...but as soon as there are enough to fill a DVD, that's where they go. My only problem, with the DVDs...nothing is sorted...such as having all the same OTR series on one DVD, etc. However, I do keep listings of all the files, on each. Folders are just listed as folder.
I started doing this, from back when I had my Windows ME, and lost about 60,000 music files...MIDI, MP3, WAV, etc, when my HD went out on me. (I had nothing saved to disk...DVD, or CD). The HD didn't crash...I think I must have picked up a virus.
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Gil |
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Scottishps
Crew Member
Joined: 17 Jul 2007
Posts: 289
Location: Scotland
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| Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you for the explanation of them both. When you run the wizard it must be for both. This is when it mentioned System restore.
Alistener I have tried System restore in the past, it never has helped me at all. I tried using it on Alex's computer and we had no luck. You say it may have been swtiched off however there was no tick in the box where it has System Restore on control panel. I cannot remember exactly what the problem was but it made no difference. I would like to think that the backup system would help me. What did you think of the remark Terry made about the copy not working if you change your operating system? That has me concerned. I am not thinking of changing my system at the moment..but several years from now I may have to replace it. I wouldnt like to lose everything which had been copied by Backup.
Paula |
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Scottishps
Crew Member
Joined: 17 Jul 2007
Posts: 289
Location: Scotland
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| Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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| gilinAZ wrote: | Nearly every file I have is on DVD or CD. Mostly, I only use DVDs, now. I still have folders on my HD...but as soon as there are enough to fill a DVD, that's where they go. My only problem, with the DVDs...nothing is sorted...such as having all the same OTR series on one DVD, etc. However, I do keep listings of all the files, on each. Folders are just listed as folder.
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Gil do you keep all your DVDs in a book type holder? I have "discgear" I think it is American, but I cannot get the software to work therfore I would have to look through every CD or DVD to find out what it was. I guess it is laziness with me it is easier to view them on the computer.
I didnt have a virus my drive just died on me. Then Alex gave me his computer and the same thing happened. There was no warning either time. This is how I would like a backup of what I do have on my computer.
You do sound well organised and you have a lot of room on your hard drive too.
Paula |
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tflynn
Crew Member
Joined: 08 Jul 2007
Posts: 294
Location: Hong Kong
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| Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 8:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Scottishps wrote: | | tflynn wrote: | I gave up using Microsoft backup utilities a decade or 2 ago. The main problem I had was backups where NOT compatible between different releases. So if you upgraded your operating system you could not read any old backups. I still profess Micorsoft are a great marketing company and not much else 
Terry |
Hello Terry
Now that is a surprise I didnt realise that this would happen. I thought that all the backups would have been compatible...thank you for the warning..
I have a great many problems with Microsoft, therefore hearing this makes me very wary.
Do you drag and drop from one hard drive to the other for backups.?
Paula |
Paula,
Microsoft backup is a "block by block" backup. It does not backup files but blocks/sectors within the filesystem that have changed. It is highly proprietary and you have to rely on Microsoft marketing decisions if older backups are readable between different version of the operating system.
Me, drag and drop?? Sorry, nothing that simple 
I keep all my data on 3 Linux servers. I have a around 20 disks ranging from 200GB to 500GB. I never buy single disks, I buy them in pairs. This way I can Mirror them. So whatever I write to disk is written to 2 disks at the same time.
For those that understand, I use RAID-1 only, not RAID-0+1. This way each disk for fully independent and capable of being used on its own in case of a real disaster.
With disk mirroring, the system keeps working when a disk fails. So I have an automated job that runs once a week and emails the mirror status from all the servers.
I had a disk fail a few years ago and replacing it was a snap. Scary, but went smoothly all the same 
If I want to backup and store somewhere else, I have experimented with stopping a mirror and replacing one of the disk. This worked well. The new disk synchronized fine. I was able to access all the file systems on the copy I took out without any problems.
You can get external storage boxes for Windows and MAC that do mirroring. This is by way the easiest way of ensuring data integrity. It does not replace backing up as such, but protects you from disk failure.
Terry
_________________
If a man is alone in the woods, and he speaks, and no woman hears him - is he still wrong? |
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alistener
Moderator
Joined: 16 Jun 2007
Posts: 828
Location: Second star to the right, and straight on till morning
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| Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 10:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Scottishps wrote: | What did you think of the remark Terry made about the copy not working if you change your operating system? That has me concerned. I am not thinking of changing my system at the moment..but several years from now I may have to replace it. I wouldnt like to lose everything which had been copied by Backup.
Paula |
I did not know about the operating system problem, I may have to rethink how to do mine.
The "Raid 1" would be the best way to go, Like he said it takes 2 identical drives. That way if a drive fails all you've lost is a drive, no data. I've been told it's easy to setup. But before you go buy a pair of harddrives I think they need to be a specific kind (sata / ide) I'm not sure.
I'm sure Terry would be able to walk you through a setup. |
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gilinAZ
Station Producer
Joined: 21 May 2007
Posts: 1079
Location: Tempe, Arizona
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| Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 10:52 pm Post subject: |
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Paula...each of my CDs and DVDs are kept in "Jewel Cases". Sometimes I only have one disk in them...other times maybe 3. If I try to put in any more, they don't close properly. I can buy these are the computer store...100 to a box. The are very thin. If there is a 2 for 1 sale, I come out even better . I purchased some carboard boxes, with lids...around 10x10x6 to house them in. Each CD is numbered, and the contents for each is housed in a file on my computer. I use a program called "Print Folder". It will list individual files, but not those housed in a folder...only the folder name is listed, in this case.
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Gil |
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roadcone
Crew Member
Joined: 28 Jun 2007
Posts: 173
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| Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 2:22 am Post subject: |
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I use a utility called Second Copy. This can be set to copy only manually or it can be automated at start-up, shut-down or at a prescribed day/time. It can copy all or parts of a hard disk to an alternate disk. It can be set to copy all files, only changed files - it can also synchronise different version of files between two disks. It can also zip files into archives. If a newer copy of a file is being written to the back-up disk there are options to overwrite the file or to keep the previous version of the file in a dated folder. It provides a detailed log of what it has done.
The not-so-good news is that it is not free - but it is very good:
http://www.secondcopy.com/ |
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gilinAZ
Station Producer
Joined: 21 May 2007
Posts: 1079
Location: Tempe, Arizona
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| Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 9:23 am Post subject: |
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Well...I could probably use my Directory Lister program (which lists everything that's in a directory), but it would mean having to go back through all of my 100's of disks to do this. As I said, Print Folder doesn't list directory contents, but will list individual files.
_________________
Gil |
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