I just reviewed a list of popular New Years resolutions here in the US. What amazes me is that most, if not all, of the items in the list center around the topic of self-control. Indeed, “bad” things that affect us greatly represent the consequences of our own actions or inactions. That applies to your computer as well.
I’ve gotten a slew of messages recently from people who had their computer suddenly turn nasty on them. “It’s making a weird noise” or “I can’t read a file” or “My hard drive is gone.” Yes, these things happen, but you can help to ameliorate their consequences by having a backup copy. In fact, now that it’s the new year, you should make a backup of all your computer data. Right now!
The most effective way to backup is to get an external hard drive and use it for backup. In Windows Vista Ultimate/Business you can use the Complete PC Backup to make a full image backup of your PC. Otherwise, in Windows Vista and Windows XP you can use Windows Backup to create an archive of your personal files and settings.
Windows Backup can be automated so that the backups happen at regular intervals. That’s always a good idea. There are also third-party backup programs that work a little more efficiently and have a better interface than the mediocre stuff Microsoft offers.
Another alternative is simply to archive your stuff by copying it to removable media. I use a 4GB Secure Digital card on my PC for quick backups: I just copy my working folder from the hard drive to the removable media at the end of the day.
You can also use recordable optical discs for your backup. Last week, I burned a stack of DVDs, creating archives of lots of personal files and such: my iTunes library, my photo library, important documents, financial files, all my published works, and so on. I labeled all those DVDs, then put them into a fire safe.
Yeah, I might be borderline obsessive. I’m facing the new year like everyone else, with anticipation for hope mixed with strength for the worst. Knowing that I have so many darn backups helps me more forward more confidently. It should do the same for you as well.
Well, you could be obsessive\compulsive about cleaning, which would be terrible, so there we go. My computer has a teeny tiny 8GB hard drive, so all my documents live on an exteral Seagate Freeagent 250GB hard drive. It’s quite convienent, as when I did my yearly format, I didn’t have to burn things to disk: I just wiped the C drive. Not much of a backup really, seeing as it is the only copy, but I’ll cope, as the hard drive contains nothing vital to my life. Just random junk.
Comment by Douglas — January 2, 2009 @ 12:26 am
8GB hard drive? I haven’t seen one of those in 12 years! What’s up with that?
Comment by admin — January 3, 2009 @ 11:25 am
Hey Dan, might it possibly be an EeePC? Although even those are coming with a 80GB internal HD. But the first ones didn’t.
Or, it might have been a typo (8GB instead of 80GB)?
Cheers!
Comment by wmoecke — January 4, 2009 @ 5:02 pm
I have an 8GB hard drive out in the boneyard. I forget which PC it was harbored in. I’d have to go back in some ancient edition of PCs For Dummies to see when I was recommending “at least a 4GB hard drive, though 8GB is better.” I’m guessing about 15 years ago. But, you’re probably right: it’s most likely a typo. :\
Comment by admin — January 4, 2009 @ 5:21 pm
8GB, 80GB. Really, I don’t care what size the hdd is, as long as i have a fairly modern os (dos 5, windows 3.1). I even have one that’s 540MB with windows 95 on it. And you’re right, i need to backup more.
Comment by linuxlove — January 5, 2009 @ 11:58 am
Heheh, I fondly remember having seen my first IBM-PC XT computer when I started working as a hardware tech, back in the early 90’s, here where I live. It was equipped with a 10MB (and no typo!) MFM unit (remember those? Before IDE I/O was even invented… you had to wait 10 or 20s for the unit to spin up…)
PCs for Dummies… another fond memory.
Tell me, do you still write anything to complement or update C For Dummies? Maybe C++ or C# for Dummies…?
I wish I could drop by and ask you to sign my copies of CFD vol 1 and 2… hehehe, not possible, though… I live way too far away. 😉
Comment by wmoecke — January 7, 2009 @ 6:05 pm
I got a 20MB drive for my original IBM PC (a hand-me-down). I had to partition it into two 10MB drives because DOS couldn’t see anything larger. Those were the days…
Recently I tried to get the publisher to to a refresh of C for Dummies. No chance. The book sells, but not as well as C++ For Dummies, which they use as a yardstick. I’d love to do another programming title, but publishers aren’t interested. They just want “a book” not a better book. That attitude explains why publishing is always in such disarray.
Comment by admin — January 7, 2009 @ 10:38 pm