Backup very awkward

[buchan]

So I thought I it was time to try and and backup my computer. My only option
is File and Folder backup to CDs. After two hours and 4 CDs I had to cancel
it as I didn't have any more CDs. It seemed to be about half way through. I
went to my computer store and they said I could buy an external hard drive
for about $250! Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should do?
John

 

[Alias]

So I thought I it was time to try and and backup my computer. My only
option is File and Folder backup to CDs. After two hours and 4 CDs I had
to cancel it as I didn't have any more CDs. It seemed to be about half
way through. I went to my computer store and they said I could buy an
external hard drive for about $250! Does anyone have any suggestions as
to what I should do?
John

Hard drive, about 40 - 60 US dollars, depending on size.
External USB hard drive enclosure, about 25 US dollars.

Check out newegg.com if you live in the States for actual prices.

If your computer store didn't offer this to you, find another computer
store that isn't into ripping off their customers.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Seagate FreeAgent Desktop ST302504FDA1E1-RK 250GB 7200 RPM USB 2.0 External Hard Drive - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148233

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

----------------------------------------------------------------------

So I thought I it was time to try and and backup my computer. My only option
is File and Folder backup to CDs. After two hours and 4 CDs I had to cancel
it as I didn't have any more CDs. It seemed to be about half way through. I
went to my computer store and they said I could buy an external hard drive
for about $250! Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should do?
John

 

[Swingman]

So I thought I it was time to try and and backup my computer. My only
option is File and Folder backup to CDs. After two hours and 4 CDs I had
to cancel it as I didn't have any more CDs. It seemed to be about half way
through. I went to my computer store and they said I could buy an external
hard drive for about $250! Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I
should do?

By all means, buy a USB external hard drive. You will be glad you did.

Not only will you want to do a full "image" backup of your system to the
external drive, but it will also be a handy place to keep backup "copies" of
your documents, music, photos, etc.

You may even want to use a free application like "SynToy" to keep your
personal folders on your computer(s) synced with the external hard drive.

Highly recommended.

 

[JayD]

in message

By all means, buy a USB external hard drive. You will be glad you did.

Not only will you want to do a full "image" backup of your system to the
external drive, but it will also be a handy place to keep backup "copies" of
your documents, music, photos, etc.

You may even want to use a free application like "SynToy" to keep your
personal folders on your computer(s) synced with the external hard drive.

Highly recommended.

--www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 8/08/07
KarlC@ (the obvious)

I just got a 500 Gig WD "My Book" external HD for $130 @ Circuit City.

 

[NoStop]

So I thought I it was time to try and and backup my computer. My only
option is File and Folder backup to CDs. After two hours and 4 CDs I had
to cancel it as I didn't have any more CDs. It seemed to be about half way
through. I went to my computer store and they said I could buy an external
hard drive for about $250! Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I
should do? John

Do some shopping online and you'll find external USB hd enclosures going for
$30 and oem hds for under $100. There's I've cut your price in half and
given you a better alternative than trying to backup to CDs.

Cheers.

 

[Paul Randall]

Others have suggested external hard drive and external DVD writer.
I'm thinking the external DVD writer is somewhat more versatile in that it
can create movie DVDs that you can share with friends and family, and if
your computer has a 'make recovery disc' option, using CDs could require as
many as 10 CDs, whereas using DVD-DLs might require only one. DVD media is
often on sale in the US and can be relatively cheap. Full priced singles
are a ripoff unless you are really desperate. You also have to think about
how organized you are -- when you need to restore from your backup will it
be easier to find the external hard drive or some particular DVD hiding
under a pile of stuff?

-Paul Randall

 

[Spirit]

I bought a 40 gig USB2 drive for 50.00, and in the box was
a 60 gig drive.

http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp
Excellent Free backup program

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

I bought a 40 gig USB2 drive for 50.00, and in the box was
a 60 gig drive.

You got ripped off. External USB hard drives are going for about 1 dollar
per 3-4 GB.

 

[Spirit]

Actually it came with a 20.00 rebate and it was cheaper than
others around here. Maybe that price per 3-4 gig is available
when you buy a larger drive. This is for my laptop and overall
size was a deciding factor. This drive is about the size of a
pack of smokes and weighs about 4 oz. I can put it in a
shirt pocket if needed.

 

[buchan]

It is nice to know that external hard drives are much cheaper that what I
was told. Are there any other alternatives? Does everyone use an external
hard drive for backups? Does everyone do backups? I wonder if it really is
necessary as it isn't something I had with me last OP
Actually it came with a 20.00 rebate and it was cheaper than
others around here. Maybe that price per 3-4 gig is available
when you buy a larger drive. This is for my laptop and overall
size was a deciding factor. This drive is about the size of a
pack of smokes and weighs about 4 oz. I can put it in a
shirt pocket if needed.

 

[Spirit]

I only backup my critical data as I can install the programs. Some
backup everything so they don't lose their custom setups. An external
drive adds a measure of safety and certainly portability to any system
as any backup on drives in the same system are subject to the same
physical trauma that the original data drives are such as voltage spikes,
heat, water and so on. Personally I recommend having at least two
different backups for your critical data.

 

[buchan]

Good to hear that external hard drives are cheaper than what I was told. Are
there any other alternatives? Is it necessary to do a computer backup-it is
something I didn't even have on my last operating system. Does everyone do
computer backups?
Actually it came with a 20.00 rebate and it was cheaper than
others around here. Maybe that price per 3-4 gig is available
when you buy a larger drive. This is for my laptop and overall
size was a deciding factor. This drive is about the size of a
pack of smokes and weighs about 4 oz. I can put it in a
shirt pocket if needed.

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Good to hear that external hard drives are cheaper than what I was told.
Are there any other alternatives? Is it necessary to do a computer
backup-it is something I didn't even have on my last operating system.
Does everyone do computer backups?

External hard drives are currently the best option for saving backups. Other
options such as, USB sticks, DVD disks, etc, just cannot provide the amount
of space that an external drive can. I have an associate that still uses CD
disks for backups and his last backup required 61 disks.

Besides space an external drive is more secure, because it can be
disconnected and be safe from any unexpected events that occur on the
computer.

Please, do start making backups. There is nothing more frustrating than to
lose personal files, pictures, etc, that cannot be replaced.