by Alden Smith
Technology is a wonderful thing. We can create documents, edit images, create music files and do just about anything we like with a computer. The advancements in technology grows at an alarming rate, and each week we see new things that before were never possible. With all this comes a down side. Having this complicated machine in our home offices means we need to be even more careful with our data. Today, people keep tax returns, family information and personal data on their hard drives, thinking that it is safe and that they always have access to it. Nothing could be further from the truth. Computers can, and do, fail. If we don't protect the data we have on our operating systems, we may run into problems that are extremely hard to amend. Knowing how to back up data and protect it is more essential than learning the most difficult computer program. Here, we discuss backing up data, how to do it, when to do it, and how to insure that it is safe.
Types of Backup Systems
The type of system you use depends on just how valuable your data is to you. Because I rely on a computer exclusively for my business, I use a backup system that is both redundant and backs up every three hours. This would be overkill for people using a computer for family fun and email. How does the casual user back up their data to insure integrity? Windows XP operating system has a backup utility that works well for this. The backup utility in Windows XP Professional will back up your data to a CD, DVD, external hard drive, or even another computer. Because the file system on a Windows XP machine contains relevant data in your My Documents file, it is always best to at least back this data up. If you are sharing the computer with family, the computer should be set up so that each family member has their own log ons and file structure. That way, using the Backup Utility to choose the files to back up can include everyone's My Document data.
What To Backup To?
Windows XP recommends that you back up to another partition in your hard drive for starters. This is a foolish way to back up data, because if the hard drive fails, so does your data. You can use the popular jump drive or memory stick to back up data, but these often prove fragile and can be easily lost. A CD or DVD is the next best thing, but are limited in storage capacity. For example, the My Documents folder on my work computer currently contains 36.1 GB of information, and it is way more than can be stored on a CD. I use an external 250 GB hard drive for backup, and use Second Copy 7 software to back up with. The Second Copy software, available at http://www.centered.com/index.html is a reasonable $29.95 for 5 licenses, and is an invaluable resource for those serious about data backup. The software is highly recommended by PC World, and has won many awards for its performance. The beauty of Second Copy is that I can set it up to backup any folder on my hard drive at any scheduled time. For instance, my DIY folder is backed up every three hours, and My Documents are backed up daily. I have Runtime folders in my Program Files that are backed up weekly.
When To Back Up?
Different sources have different recommendations. Surely, you would wish to back up on a weekly basis, and if you are in business and the computer is one of the resources you use for keeping track of expenditures and a database of customers, you should back up daily.
How To Schedule Backups
Backups can be set to run automatically through the use of the Widows Task Manager. This can be accessed by going to Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Backup. Here, a wizard walks you through the task of backing up your data, including files and setting, cookies, and contacts. It allows you to choose what to back up, and then asks where you wish to back up to. Choose the appropriate media, and the backup utility does its thing.
A much better way to do this is through Scheduled Tasks, because you never forget to do the backup. With the regular Backup Utility, you must manually do the backup, and with the Scheduled Tasks module, you can have the task performed automatically.
Backing up personal data is your responsibility. Use the utilities on your operating system, and never lose valuable data again.
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