What is your computer back-up strategy?

[Simster]

I've just had a bit of a shock - my laptop computer is f***ed and I've lost everything.

Fortunately, I've backed up my photos and videos, and *most* but not all of my iTunes library to a hard disk elsewhere.

Lucky me. But the problem with backing up stuff to this hard drive is that it is reliant on me manually backing my photos/music/videos/work documents/financial documents and other stuff as and when I see fit.

I think I'm going to write a little application that does it all for me, and runs every other day automatically at night, or something like that. But before I do, I wondered whether anyone could simply recommend something that does this off the shelf? I don't like the idea of backing up stuff to an on-line firm both because of the monthly cost and the fact that if they go bust you could be screwed.

But maybe I'm missing something. What do you do?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Who do you get your broadband from? Most have a free file storage capacity included, non?

 

[Norman Potting]

I use Bullguard for anti virus and that includes on-line storage for which my essential stuff goes. It has auto back up facility to back up stuff regularly to wherever you wish it to go. Music goes to external disk and photos on to Flickr.

 

[8ace]

rysnc might do what you want, with a scheduled task that runs a batch file.

 

[adrian29uk]

I've just had a bit of a shock - my laptop computer is f***ed and I've lost everything.

Fortunately, I've backed up my photos and videos, and *most* but not all of my iTunes library to a hard disk elsewhere.

Lucky me. But the problem with backing up stuff to this hard drive is that it is reliant on me manually backing my photos/music/videos/work documents/financial documents and other stuff as and when I see fit.

I think I'm going to write a little application that does it all for me, and runs every other day automatically at night, or something like that. But before I do, I wondered whether anyone could simply recommend something that does this off the shelf? I don't like the idea of backing up stuff to an on-line firm both because of the monthly cost and the fact that if they go bust you could be screwed.

But maybe I'm missing something. What do you do?

Back up important files with this simple batch file | TechRepublic

 

[bhaexpress]

All three machines are backed up to my 1.3 tb drive and then backed up from there to Mozy.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I've just had a bit of a shock - my laptop computer is f***ed and I've lost everything.

Fortunately, I've backed up my photos and videos, and *most* but not all of my iTunes library to a hard disk elsewhere.

Lucky me. But the problem with backing up stuff to this hard drive is that it is reliant on me manually backing my photos/music/videos/work documents/financial documents and other stuff as and when I see fit.

I think I'm going to write a little application that does it all for me, and runs every other day automatically at night, or something like that. But before I do, I wondered whether anyone could simply recommend something that does this off the shelf? I don't like the idea of backing up stuff to an on-line firm both because of the monthly cost and the fact that if they go bust you could be screwed.

But maybe I'm missing something. What do you do?

As I work for myself, I tend to have a 4-fold back up.
1. Software backup (Time Machine in my case) to a local hard disk (a Time Capsule in my case)

this makes a complete back up of not only my files, but the system and applications. I changed hard drives and the process of restoring my entire system as it was is straight forward. I can also search back across hourly backups if I say deleted something by mistake.

2. Incremental backups to an offsite service (MobileMe in my case - £50 per year)

a backup program takes a daily snap shop of the folders/files I choose to back up

3. Weekly portable back ups

i.e. to a memory stick, or DVD. I then tend to keep these out of the house (normally in the car) in case something happens to the house or I get burgled.

4. Itunes / Photo Library

as others have said, backed up to Flickr, but also to an iPod.


To be honest, no.1 has saved me so much time when my laptop logic board failed and I was able to restore everything within hours of it being replaced, and then when I've just fitted a larger HD, again really simple to reinstall everything.

I wouldn't trust 1 single back up method such as just uploading, that is too much reliance on a 3rd party for me.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Have you tried turning it off and on again?

 

[Art Vs Science]

Back up important files with this simple batch file | TechRepublic

Seriously, it is no wonder people get lost with computers, reading through that tech republic site is bloody awful. just so jargon filled.

 

[adrian29uk]

Seriously, it is no wonder people get lost with computers, reading through that tech republic site is bloody awful. just so jargon filled.

Well he did say he wanted to write something himself, so I would presume he was reasonably advanced with these sorts of things lol.

 

[bhaexpress]

I should have mentioned I have another trick that I have used on dead PCs. It's a little device that allows me to plug and drive into a PC via a USB port. If a PC dies (even if it's a dead operating system) I can still extract data from the disk as long as it's still working. Have used this several times with great success, think it cost less than a tenner.

 

[fire&skill]

I use these. Portable and convenient.

 

[Gary Leeds]

I use a program called opps backup which works very similar to the time machine on the mac, you set the directories to back up and every hour it looks to see what has changed in the directories and backs it up. You can then go back to any version you want should you delete or change something you didnt mean to

 

[Art Vs Science]

Well he did say he wanted to write something himself, so I would presume he was reasonably advanced with these sorts of things lol.

Oh sorry, that sounded harsh, no meant this as a general example. There are lots of things on a computer that i am not sure how to do and when i look it up this type of site/example is usually given as a result. I still do not know how to change the name of a hyperlink despite looking how to do it, it just never makes sense to me.

 

[Simster]

Thanks gents.

I think I'm going to use this, as it gets good reviews:

Free Backup Software for home users. Hard Drive System Backup and Restore in Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7.

I have an external hard disk, which I will back everything up to and schedule my back up for midnight or something. Something to do tonight.

 

[Simster]

4. Itunes / Photo Library

as others have said, backed up to Flickr, but also to an iPod.

Can you retrieve a music library from an iPod? Or is it a nightmare?

 

[Tomnorthi]

Apple - Mac OS X - What is Mac OS X - Time Machine

 

[Bold Seagull]

Thanks gents.

I think I'm going to use this, as it gets good reviews:

Free Backup Software for home users. Hard Drive System Backup and Restore in Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7.

I have an external hard disk, which I will back everything up to and schedule my back up for midnight or something. Something to do tonight.

Looks a good option the same role Time Machine plays on the Mac. I'd still think about offsite backup either onto portable disk or to a server for your important files. I always think if you had a fire or simply leak that dripped on your hardware, then everything has gone again.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

I use these. Portable and convenient.

It's the way forward - in my early work years I used 9" floppies. On my very first day at work I saw a card-reader, but I never saw it again.

 

[Simster]

Looks a good option the same role Time Machine plays on the Mac. I'd still think about offsite backup either onto portable disk or to a server for your important files. I always think if you had a fire or simply leak that dripped on your hardware, then everything has gone again.

I think I might just back up stuff that never changes onto CDs and put them in my mum's attic.