Russel Fouts on sun 19 aug 01
Arnold,
>> After my last hard drive crash, I installed a removable hard drive
as a backup. My main drive is C. The backup is D. I have two
interchangeable D drives. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I install D
#1. On Tuesday and Thursday, I installed D #2. I backup all important
data daily onto my removable drives. In addition, I keep data on CDs. <<
This is a great solution, faster and easier than restoring from tape.
But those external HD's can be expensive.
I use a similar method but with a permanently installed D: drive
(internal). HD's are cheap compared to Zip and Jaz disks and tape
streamers. I just bought a 2nd hard disk and use Synantec's Ghost
(http://www.ghost.com/sabu/ghost/ghost_personal/) software to make the
backup. 1 HD might crash but both crash at the same time is really
remote.
There are two relatively simple ways to make this work:
1st Method "Make a Mirror": Quickest way to backup, easiest to restore,
a bit more expensive than the 2nd Method, "Make a Compressed Backup
image". If
the C: drive has physically failed you will have to replace the drive
first.
Basically;
Buy a second HD exactly the same physical configuration as your C:
drive. Easiest thing to do is check with your manufacturer and buy the
same make and model they've installed (buy it from a third party and
same some money)
Have Ghost create a "Mirror Image Copy" onto the second HD. Do it over
night, while you sleep.
Periodically, re run Ghost to remake this copy.
When your C: drive fails, just swap the D: drive for it, format the old
C: drive (now D:), make a new ghost copy and away you go.
2nd Method "Make a Compressed Backup image": A bit slower, a bit more
difficult to restore, less expensive. Should work for most people. Might
not work if you have a lot of MP3 files (they're already compressed so
the compressed image might be bigger than the backup drive.)
Just go out and buy a 2nd HD that is about 1/2 the size of your C:
drive. It should be cheaper because it's smaller, can be any make or
model and you can buy it from anyone. Better yet, upgrade your C: drive
by replacing it with a disk twice the size and use the old C: as the
backup (what I do).
Install Ghost on the D: drive. Important so that you can restore later.
Have Ghost create a compressed "image file" on the D: drive. Do it over
night, while you sleep.
When your C: drive crashes, boot with a floppy, run ghost (from D:) and
restore the image file to C:, reboot and away you go.
Ghost also has a utility called Ghost explorer (part of the package)
which will let you restore individual files and folders. Looks like
Windows Explorer.
And Now the "Safety Net"!
GoBack from Roxio. http://www.goback.com
This is really a terrific piece of software and has saved my "bottom"
more than once".
Have you ever:
1. Discovered that your PC is hopelessly infected with a virus?
Restore your PC to the time just before you were infected.
2. Installed new software that crashes your PC.
Restore your PC to the time just before you started the installation.
3. Accidentally deleted the Excel files with all your glaze and body
tests going back to 1966.
Restore the file with GoBack.
4. You'd rather have the version of the file before you entered all of
Alisa's cone 6 glass tests.
Restore the previous version with GoBack.
5. You've probably got the idea by now.
It's very easy to install and use. Once installed, it watches your HD
for changes and records them, keeping backup copies of files you delete,
recording configuration changes made to your PC, etc. It does this by
making "snapshots" of your system periodically (actually quite often!)
A couple of caveats:
It does impact system performance a little bit so if you have a machine
slower than 300 mhz, you might think again but the ability to recover
might be worth it to you.
It stores it's recovery data in a special file on your HD that will take
up about 10% of your HD. This is adjustable to a smaller size (at least
it is in 2.2) with the custom setup but will also reduce the amount of
"history" to recover.
If you're using one of the backup methods above, use the custom setup
and have it only "watch" C:. Don't let it "watch" the backup drive.
Also, you will have to disable GoBack while you run Ghost to make the
backup then re-enable it afterwards.
You used to be able to download the 2.1x version for a 30 day trial but
I can't seem to find it now. Anyway, GoBack 3 supports all versions of
windows and will cost you less than $40 if you purchase it online and
download it.
The usual disclaimers.
Russel
--
Russel Fouts
Mes Potes et Mes Pots
Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 2 223 02 75
Fax: +32 2 210 04 06
Mobile: +32 476 55 38 75
Web: www.mypots.com
Carl Finch on sun 19 aug 01
At 06:55 PM 8/19/01 +0200, Russel Fouts wrote:
>Arnold,
>
> >> After my last hard drive crash, I installed a removable hard drive
>as a backup. My main drive is C. The backup is D. I have two
>interchangeable D drives. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I install D
>#1. On Tuesday and Thursday, I installed D #2. I backup all important
>data daily onto my removable drives. In addition, I keep data on CDs. <<
>
>This is a great solution, faster and easier than restoring from tape.
>But those external HD's can be expensive.
[...much following good advice snipped...]
Russel, a "removable" hard drive is not the same as an "external" hard drive!
You can make a standard size (internal) drive removable by buying a
conversion kit for about $10US. It allows you to slip a drive in and out
of your desktop computer as easily as a floppy disk! Drives must be
inserted and removed with the power down, but for a little more money the
kits are available with "hot-swap" capability.
--Carl
Russel Fouts on thu 11 jul 02
Thanks Steve, I'm glad it worked out for you.
This was posted in August last year.
I backup to a permanently installed D: drive (internal). HD's are cheap
compared to Zip and Jaz disks and tape streamers. I just bought a 2nd
hard disk and use Synantec's Ghost
(http://www.ghost.com/sabu/ghost/ghost_personal/) software to make the
backup. 1 HD might crash but both crashing at the same time is really
remote.
There are two relatively simple ways to make this work:
1st Method "Make a Mirror": Quickest way to backup, easiest to restore,
a bit more expensive than the 2nd Method, "Make a Compressed Backup
image". If the C: drive has physically failed you will have to replace
the drive first.
Basically;
Buy a second HD exactly the same physical configuration as your C:
drive. Easiest thing to do is check with your manufacturer and buy the
same make and model they've installed (buy it from a third party and
save some money)
Have Ghost create a "Mirror Image Copy" onto the second HD. Do it over
night, while you sleep.
Periodically, re run Ghost to remake this copy.
When your C: drive fails, just swap the D: drive for it, format the old
C: drive (now D:), make a new ghost copy and away you go.
2nd Method "Make a Compressed Backup image": A bit slower, a bit more
difficult to restore, less expensive. Should work for most people. Might
not work if you have a lot of MP3 files (they're already compressed so
the compressed image might be bigger than the backup drive.)
Just go out and buy a 2nd HD that is about 1/2 the size of your C:
drive. It should be cheaper because it's smaller, can be any make or
model and you can buy it from anyone. Better yet, upgrade your C: drive
by replacing it with a disk twice the size and use the old C: as the
backup (what I do).
Install Ghost on the D: drive. Important so that you can restore later.
Have Ghost create a compressed "image file" on the D: drive. Do it over
night, while you sleep.
When your C: drive crashes, boot with a floppy, run ghost (from D:) and
restore the image file to C:, reboot and away you go.
Ghost also has a utility called Ghost explorer (part of the package)
which will let you restore individual files and folders. Looks like
Windows Explorer.
And Now the "Safety Net"!
GoBack from Roxio. http://www.goback.com
This is really a terrific piece of software and has saved my "bottom"
more than once".
Have you ever:
1. Discovered that your PC is hopelessly infected with a virus? Restore
your PC to the time just before you were infected.
2. Installed new software that crashes your PC.
Restore your PC to the time just before you started the installation.
3. Accidentally deleted the Excel files with all your glaze and body
tests going back to 1966.
Restore the file with GoBack.
4. You'd rather have the version of the file before you entered all of
Alisa's cone 6 glass tests.
Restore the previous version with GoBack.
5. You've probably got the idea by now.
It's very easy to install and use. Once installed, it watches your HD
for changes and records them, keeping backup copies of files you delete,
recording configuration changes made to your PC, etc. It does this by
making "snapshots" of your system periodically (actually quite often!)
A couple of caveats:
It does impact system performance a little bit so if you have a machine
slower than 300 mhz, you might think again but the ability to recover
might be worth it to you.
It stores it's recovery data in a special file on your HD that will take
up about 10% of your HD. This is adjustable to a smaller size (at least
it is in 2.2) with the custom setup but will also reduce the amount of
"history" to recover.
If you're using one of the backup methods above, use the custom setup
and have it only "watch" C:. Don't let it "watch" the backup drive.
Also, you will have to disable GoBack while you run Ghost to make the
backup then re-enable it afterwards.
You used to be able to download the 2.1x version for a 30 day trial but
I can't seem to find it now. Anyway, GoBack 3 supports all versions of
windows and will cost you less than $40 if you purchase it online and
download it.
The usual disclaimers.
Russel (Sure wish someone had referred a question about CLAY! ;-)
--
Russel Fouts
Mes Potes et Mes Pots
Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 2 223 02 75
Fax: +32 2 210 04 06
Mobile: +32 476 55 38 75
Web: www.mypots.com
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