| As I write this, it's early December, and try as I | | | | MB is less than two percent of the ten gigs of data |
| might, I can't remember what my new year's | | | | on my hard drive. Even if each of those files were |
| resolution was last time around. One thing I can say | | | | smaller than 1.44 MB (and each weren't), I'm not |
| with near hundred percent certainty is that whatever | | | | keen on the idea of buying, labeling, and storing fifty |
| it was, I failed to keep it. Maybe you're the same. | | | | diskettes. Next idea, please. |
| Maybe you resolved to quit smoking, lose weight, or | | | | Most computer experts rely on removable hard |
| read more. We all make promises with ourselves, | | | | drives for memory backups. The most popular of |
| then fail to keep those promises. Worst of all, those | | | | these drives are the Zip drive from Iomega and the |
| promises might be exactly what we need most. | | | | ORB drive from Castlewood. They're relatively |
| Consider this: When was the last time you backed up | | | | inexpensive and hold up to two gigs of data. Basically, |
| your computer files? Last month? Last year? Never? | | | | you'll save your data on a Zip disk, then transfer it |
| Let's make a new year's resolution together, you and | | | | from the disk to the portable drive. The catch is that |
| I. Let's promise to back up our computers. It's | | | | removable drives fail about as often as regular hard |
| important, I promise. Just yesterday the automatic | | | | drives. They may even be more susceptible to |
| backup feature in MS Word saved me about an | | | | damage from dust and rough handling. A sub-option |
| hour's work when my computer froze up. Given that | | | | here is to use a permanent hard drive as a |
| I haven't backed up my computer in almost a year, I | | | | removable drive. At up to two hundred gigs, |
| can't even imagine how much data I'd lose if I | | | | conventional hard drives are bigger than removable |
| suffered a power surge or hard drive failure. It can | | | | drives, and prices have dropped enough in recent |
| happen to the best of us, and often does. Even high | | | | years to make this idea practical. Whatever kind of |
| end hard drive manufacturers report an average | | | | hard drive you decide to use, make sure to keep it |
| failure rate of between five and eight per thousand | | | | isolated from dust, magnetic charges, and static |
| every year. That may not sound like much, but let's | | | | electricity. |
| face it, somebody has to be those five to eight | | | | Optical drives use a laser to store information, rather |
| people. Feeling lucky? There are about 185 million | | | | than a magnet. Even if you're not a tech junkie, |
| household PCs in the U.S., according to Computer | | | | that's probably enough information to give you a |
| Industry Almanac, so that means about 150,000 hard | | | | clearer idea what we're talking about: namely, CDs |
| drives fail each year. But even if your drive stays | | | | and DVDs. Less common are EO (erasable optical) |
| intact, about a tenth of all computers suffer minor | | | | and WORM (write once, read many) media; they're |
| data loss in any given year. A power surge, the | | | | less common because they cost over $1000 per |
| magnets in your home stereo speakers, or even an | | | | drive. CDs, on the other hand, cost less than a buck |
| accidental nudge can affect data storage. According | | | | and can hold up to 650 megabytes. DVDs hold up to |
| to a report from the ONTRACK data recovery | | | | five gigs and cost about fifteen dollars apiece. Most |
| service, data loss can be caused by natural disasters | | | | computers nowadays have either a CD or DVD |
| (3% of cases), computer viruses (7%), software | | | | writer (or both), but write times can be slow. My CD |
| problems (14%), and plain old user error (a whopping | | | | writer, for example, works best on the 300 kilobyte |
| 32%). Now, I'm sure you never hit a wrong | | | | per second setting-if then. I'll be using the remote |
| keyboard button, but do you have a button on your | | | | server option. At $250 and up, tape drives are more |
| computer that prevents a bolt of lightning? I didn't | | | | expensive and slower than hard drives or optical |
| think so. | | | | media, hence less common, but also extremely |
| WHEREAS our data is important, and disaster can | | | | reliable. |
| befall even the most noble and undeserving of us, BE | | | | Remote servers are third party companies that store |
| IT RESOLVED that you and I shall back up our | | | | data online for a fee. This is a great option for |
| computer files forthwith. | | | | broadband Internet users, especially people like me |
| Amen, brothers and sisters. Now, where and how do | | | | who don't own a reliable data writer. SkyDesk runs |
| we start? | | | | Backup.com, Back-Up Solutions maintains |
| STEP ONE: Choosing Favorites | | | | BackUpHelp.com, and Iomega hosts iServer |
| Not all files are important enough to preserve for | | | | (Iomega.com/iStorage). XDrive.com, once a free |
| posterity. The most critical files on a computer are its | | | | service, now charges ten bucks a month for up to |
| operating system files. If you're a good little | | | | five gigs of storage. Promotions and other rates |
| consumer, you bought the operating system and | | | | change, so it's a good idea to shop around before |
| kept those CDs handy and secure from data loss. If | | | | selecting a remote storage service. |
| you're not, then remind yourself to go stand in the | | | | STEP THREE: Git 'er Done |
| corner later. The drones at Microsoft did not work | | | | Now it's time to put the files you want to save on |
| for years just to watch you steal their work. It's | | | | the storage medium you've chosen. There are |
| people like you that keep Bill Gates from buying his | | | | several ways to do this. Your CD writer, for |
| second planet. Now that you've been suitably | | | | example, may come with proprietary disk writing |
| chastised, either go buy a legal copy of the operating | | | | software. That application may even include a backup |
| system, or include the necessary files in your "must | | | | option. If it does, and you're more familiar with that |
| back up" list. | | | | software than Windows features, then that's the |
| The same principle goes for software applications. | | | | way to go. Otherwise, backup is still relatively easy |
| Maybe you bought an ad and spyware blocker you | | | | on all MS operating systems since Windows 98. |
| really like, but the company that coded it has since | | | | Windows 98, Windows ME, and Windows XP |
| gone out of business (perhaps because other | | | | Professional include a built-in Backup utility. To run it, |
| consumers weren't as scrupulous as you). If so, | | | | just click on Start, then Programs, then Accessories, |
| include the files you need to run the app in your | | | | then System Tools, then Backup. How easy was |
| must list. | | | | that? If you're using the XP Home edition, you may |
| Now it's time to look at the remaining files on your | | | | need to add the utility manually. If so, insert the |
| computer and prioritize. If you're not a digital packrat | | | | Windows XP CD into your disk drive and wait for the |
| like me, it may be possible to save everything. If so, | | | | "Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP" screen. (You |
| congratulations. I don't have ten gigabytes of | | | | may need to double-click the CD icon in My |
| portable media at my disposal, so when I back up | | | | Computer.) Then click on Perform Additional Tasks |
| my computer, I'll be leaving a few gigs of MP3s and | | | | and Browse This CD. In Windows Explorer, |
| questionable Windows Media files at risk. One of the | | | | double-click the ValueAdd folder, then Msft, then |
| first things I will save is the folder I use to save my | | | | Ntbackup. Double-clicking on Ntbackup.msi will install |
| writing assignments, because that data represents | | | | the utility. Once it's installed, you can also run the |
| money in my pocket. I'll back up my email address | | | | program by clicking Start and Run, then typing |
| book, plus my digital photography and fiction writing | | | | msbackup.exe (Windows 98 and Windows ME) or |
| efforts. I can live without "Milkshake" (what was I | | | | ntbackup.exe (Windows XP) in the Open field. Click |
| thinking?), but the guitar piece my friend recorded | | | | OK, and you'll be off to the races. |
| and sent to me is going on the list. Your results may | | | | Incidentally, the Windows XP Backup utility also |
| vary. | | | | includes a bonus application called the Automated |
| STEP TWO: In Which I Tell You Where You Can Put | | | | Recovery Wizard. This creates a bootable floppy |
| It | | | | that initiates backup if the hard drive must be |
| That's right, this is the section in which I'll tell you | | | | replaced. Other options for "disaster recovery" include |
| where to store your data. It's not a good idea to put | | | | BackUp MyPC from Stomp (StompInc.com, $79) and |
| backup files on another drive on the same computer. | | | | Norton Ghost 9.0 from Symantec (Norton.com, |
| That defeats the whole purpose. Duplicating your files | | | | $69.95). Ghost actually allows users to duplicate the |
| on another computer in the same LAN is almost as | | | | contents of their computer over the Internet. Both |
| risky, because computer viruses can spread as fast | | | | have earned stellar reviews from top PC magazines. |
| as an imaginary Anna Kournikova JPEG. You need to | | | | Don't let another month go by without protecting the |
| find a portable storage medium that can hold all the | | | | files you value most. My girlfriend justifies her messy |
| files on your must list. Your options include floppy | | | | car by saying she "lives out of it." Well, I live out of |
| diskettes, portable hard drives, optical drives, tape | | | | my computer. It's not just my office; it's the home |
| drives, and remote servers. We'll look at each in turn. | | | | of cherished memories in the form of pictures, MP3, |
| Hard diskettes, the old familiar 3.5" squares, hold up | | | | and other data files. I'm resolved to keep it safe. |
| to 1.44 megabytes of data. They're cheap, but 1.44 | | | | |