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Click here to read 2
articles on how important it is to backup you computer...you never know
when disaster will strike.
USA Today and
ComputerWorld
There are 3 ways to back up
your computer
-
Online Backup (Only
use if you are backing up 4-5 GB or less)
-
USB Hard Drive Manual Backup
(My second choice)
-
Scheduled Backup (to Tape or
USB Hard Drive) - I call this the "old
fashion way" to backup. (My third choice)
Online Backups
Online backups use servers on the internet to backup your
computer. The one's I like are Carbonite (for
Windows) and
Mozy, (for Macs). For roughly $50/year, you can
backup unlimited amounts of data (but I suggest keeping it to under 5
GB.)
Pros: Information on
your computer is constantly backed up. Both programs are
"smart". They back up all the "important" stuff.
You can choose what to backup and what not to backup.
Carbonite puts a colored dot beside every file and folder it backs up,
so you can "visually" see what is being backed up. Restoring
files and folders is EASY! There is no limit to how much you
can backup.
Cons: It is
not a fast backup or restore. If you have to backup large
amounts of data (5GB or more) it can take DAYS to restore)
Your information is stored on a server that you have no control
over. Is it secure? Yes! It's as secure
as your bank information (which is stored on a server on the
Internet!) Carbonite only keeps 3 months of
backups. And when you think security...just how secure is
your current computer you want to backup?
USB Hard Drive Manual Backup
If you are uncomfortable with online backups, you
can manually backup all the "important" files and folders on your
computer. Click
here for instructions.
Pros: Very
simple and easy. Simply "copy" and "paste". No set
times, do it when you want to do it. You decide what gets
backed up.
Cons: Very
easy to "forget" to backup. Have to store the USB Hard Drive
in a "safe" place (not next to your computer). Easy to miss
files or folders that should be backed up.
Scheduled Backups to Tape or
USB Hard Drive
This method uses software on your computer to
schedule a backup (full, then incremental) to an external tape or USB
hard drive. (Usually USB, tape backups are...old
news). For the "average" computer user, I don't recommend
this method.
Pros: You
decide what to backup and when. It's great because you can
backup your entire hard drive, that way yoiu don't miss any
files. This is by far the best and safest backup.
Cons: You have to
monitor this backup. Users should manually "restore" files to
verify the backup is working. You must remove the backup
source and get it away from the computer you are backing up.
For the "average" user, it's hard to manage.
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