| It's a fact of life that bad things | | | | capacity, and so on. A discussion of |
| happen to good people's data every now | | | | those limits is beyond the scope of this |
| and then. And when it does, too often | | | | article, but the most important thing to |
| the victim is not prepared for it. Is | | | | remember is that the best backup is the |
| that the case with you? Are you prepared | | | | one that works. That means that |
| in advance for a complete loss of | | | | regardless of the media you choose, just |
| critical files and data on your computer | | | | make a choice and stick to a backup |
| or on your computer network? | | | | schedule like glue. |
| If you aren't prepared in advance, you | | | | There are sevral good backup programs |
| will most likely have to use a data | | | | out there that work very well and will |
| recovery service or data recovery | | | | do a fine job, but most Microsoft |
| software solution to help get back as | | | | Windows users have a great backup |
| much as you can of what was lost. This | | | | program included with their operating |
| can be a very good idea if there is no | | | | software. If you are a Windows XP user |
| other way to recover your files, but it | | | | that program is called NTBackup. If it's |
| doesn't have to come to that in most | | | | not already installed on your computer |
| cases. | | | | insert your Windows CD, find the folder |
| This is a classic situation of where an | | | | titled ValueAdd\MSFT\ntbackup, and run |
| ounce of prevention is worth a pound of | | | | the program in that folder called |
| cure. A very simple backup routine that | | | | ntbackup.msi. It will set up the backup |
| is adhered to on a daily basis can | | | | software for use on your computer in no |
| usually solve any data loss situation | | | | time and you will even have simple to |
| quickly and fairly painlessly. And it | | | | use wizards that will walk you through |
| won't cost you anything but the time | | | | doing file backups and restores simply |
| neded to restore the data files from | | | | and easily. |
| your backups, and maybe the program | | | | Once the software is installed, it is |
| files from the original disks. | | | | now up to you to use it faithfully to |
| There is a wide choice of media that you | | | | prepare for data recovery when it is |
| can backup your files to, inclusing CDs, | | | | needed. Maybe you never will need it. |
| DVDs, external hard drives, other | | | | But don't count on that. You will be so |
| internal hard drives, tape drives, etc. | | | | glad that you have a solid reliable way |
| They all work, it's just that each media | | | | to restore lost files if disaster ever |
| choice has it's own pros and cons | | | | happens on your computer. It's truly the |
| regarding ease of use, data storage | | | | easy way to data recovery! |