Backup question

  • Thread starter Thread starter Joe S.
  • Start date Start date
J

Joe S.

I need to back up my files (duuhhhhh - now that was a brilliant statement).

This morning when I turned on the computer, the HD made a clicking noise and
would not boot. I hit CTRL-ALT-DELETE and it booted normally. This
afternoon, same clicking sounds, I did nothing, it clicked a couple of more
times, then booted and is operating normally.

I have all my original application disks -- WinXP Home w/SP1; Excel; Word;
FP; and the like. So, if I need to install a new HD, I can start with a
bare drive and install all my apps.

As I understand it, I need to back up my perishable, changeable files. I
plan to use Windows Explorer to copy the following files to ZIP disk(s) or
CD(s):

-- doc files
-- address book
-- spreadsheets
-- digital photos

Here are some questions I can't figure out.

1. I need to back up my web -- I maintain three websites using FP. I edit
the webs on the HD and publish to the live web. How do I back up my webs?

-- Copy to a CD?
-- Publish to a CD?
-- Use the WinXP backup function to backup to a CD?
-- Or, is it sufficient that the live web is synchronized to the HD drive
thereby letting the host server act as a backup?

2. I have a lot of e-mails that I want to save. In Outlook Express, I have
several folders in which I save e-mail -- how can I copy/backup the saved
e-mail and its respective folders?

3. How do I copy/backup my Favorites from Internet Explorer?

Thanks.
 
Can help tell you my experiences with some of your
questions.

If you are using Outlook 2000 then you can export all
your mail to a .pst file. (File Menu) Last time I did
this when I imported it back into Outlook 2003 all email
folders and messages were restored.

Your internet favorites should by under documents and
settings in Windows Explorer. Save these to a folder and
them paste them back after you have restored.
 
First, the clicking would seem to indicate that your existing hard drive is
in major death throes. I'd remove it and replace it with a new one, then
try picking the files you need off of the old drive to the new one and try
importing your messages. For info on backup/restore operations for Outlook
Express, see the info at this link:
http://www.insideoe.com/backup/index.htm

The more you try to use a failing hard drive, the quicker it is likely to
give up the ghost. Get a new one, get a system installed on it, then try to
find and recover the info you need from it. Once it fails, recovery of data
can be an expensive, time consuming and frustrating exercise. You don't
mention the brand of hard drive, but some IBM drives were noticeable for the
"click of death" sound they used to emit just before becoming totally
unusable.
 
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