By: Stephen Bucaro
Your computer cost you from hundreds to thousands of dollars, but the computer itself is not the most valuable part. The data on the hard disk is the most valuable part. How many hours of work did you put into creating that data? One little event, like a power line spike from a lightning strike, and all that work could be lost. Unfortunately, backing up with Windows XP Home Edition is not as simple as it should be.
The first step is to choose a backup device. You might choose a tape drive or a DVD drive, but those devices might require drivers to be installed before you could restore from them. The simplest option is to install a second hard drive in your computer.
The second hard drive doesn't have to be equal to your main hard drive. You can use an older, smaller hard drive as the backup device, as long as the backup drive has more "Free Space" than the main hard drive has "Used Space".
Install a Second Hard Drive
When installing a second hard drive in your computer, it's important to configure the drives correctly. Your motherboard should have two ATA (sometimes called IDE) connectors. The primary connector should have a cable with two drive connectors. The end connector should go to your main hard drive, the middle connector can be used for a backup hard drive. The second motherboard ATA connector should go to your CD-ROM.
On the back of each hard drive is a jumper. The jumper on your main hard drive should be set to the "Master" position. The jumper on your backup hard drive should be set to "Slave" position. Most modern computers use "Cable Select", so you can set both jumpers to the "Cable Select" position. Don't forget the power connector for the second drive.
When you restart your computer, the second drive should be automatically recognized and be designated with the next drive letter available, usually E: (D: being used for the CD-ROM drive).
Format the Second Hard Drive
Generally, you will want to re-format the second hard drive after installation to remove any previously installed operating system and to remove any previous file access rights. To format the drive, select Start | Settings | Control Panel | Administration Tools | Computer Management. In the "Computer Management" window, under "Storage", click on "Disk Management".
Right click on the backup disk's drive letter. In the popup menu, select All Tasks | Format... In the Warning dialog box that appears, click on the "Yes" button. In the "Format" dialog box, in the "File system" drop-down list, select NTFS. Click on the "OK" button. Again, in the Warning dialog box that appears, click on the "Yes" button.
Install the Backup Utility
Windows XP Home Edition doesn't install the Backup utility by default. You'll need to install it manually from your Windows XP CD-ROM.
1. After inserting the CD-ROM, open Control Panel's "Add or Remove Programs" utility. In the "Add or Remove Programs" utility", click on the "Add New Programs" button, then click on the "CD or Floppy" button.
2. In the "Run Installation Program" dialog box that appears, navigate to the VALUEAD/MSFT/NTBACKUP folder on the CD-ROM and select the file NTBACKUP.MSI. Click on the "Finish" button. The Backup utility will be installed.
Perform a Full Backup
To perform a backup, select Start | Programs | Accessories | System Tools | Backup to open the Backup Utility.
Note: If you don't find Backup listed in System Tools, double click on the file name ntbackup.exe in the Windows\system32 folder.
In the "Backup or Restore Wizard", click on the "Advanced Mode" link. In the "Backup Utility" dialog box, select the "Backup" tab and set the checkbox next to the drive to backup (c:) and set the checkbox next to "System State".
In the "Backup media or file name" text box, enter the path to the file for the backup (example E:\Backup.bkf). Click on the "Start Backup" button.
In the "Backup Job Information" dialog box that appears, set the radio button next to "Replace the data on the media with this backup". Click on the "Start Backup" button. The "backup Progress" dialog box will appear.
Even when you backup to relatively fast media like hard disk, the process can take 30 minutes or longer depending upon how much data is on the main drive.
When the backup is complete, turn off the computer and remove the data and power cables from the backup drive. It doesn't make sense to leave the backup drive connected because if the cause of a failure is a power spike, it will take out both drives. Next time you want to backup you'll need to reinstall the cables.
How to Perform a Restore
In the unfortunate event that your computer crashes and you can't get it back by any other means, you'll need to reinstall Windows XP from the CD-ROM. (Automated System Recovery is not supported in Windows XP Home Edition.) You'll need to re-install the Backup utility. Then you'll need to shut down the computer to install the data and power cables to the backup drive. Restart the computer and use the Backup Utility to restore Windows XP from the backup file.
When using this backup method, it's important to be careful not to break any pins when you are removing and installing the data cable of the hard drive. And if your computer doesn't use "cable Select", don't forget to change the jumper on the main hard drive back to "Single".
Copyright(C) Bucaro TecHelp. To learn how to maintain your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web site and make money on the Web visit bucarotechelp.com To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter visit http://bucarotechelp.com/search/000800.asp
To learn how to maintain your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web site and make money on the Web visit bucarotechelp.com To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter visit http://bucarotechelp.com/search/000800.asp
Article Source: http://www.articlewheel.com
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Hard Disk Data Recovery
The computer is much like a moody fiance. You never know how it would react. Sometimes it is just fine, running at high speed and following your every command. But there are those days when you just wonder what is wrong. And then there are hard drive crashes. Its sickening to even think of them. Have you seen someone whose hard drive has just crashed? You should because if you see, you would not want to be in his shoes. Suddenly at the stroke of a second, all data that you have stored over the months and years, all files are gone – they are wiped and your slate goes clean. But there is something that is even more horrific that this. And that is a hard disk data recovery service.
That is because hard disk data recovery can become a really complex issue. But that is not the case always. Hard disk data recovery can be simple or complex, expensive or over-the-roof. It depends on exactly how your computer is screwed up. It can be as simple as the hard drive loading mechanism not working properly. Though it seems an innocent exercise, but the fact is, dozens of programs work at the back end to make your computer just boot. And if any one of them have developed errors or have fatally linked up, then it can crash your machine. In such cases, you will need to carry out hard disk data recovery. Such hard disk data recovery processes are so simple that expert help is also not needed. All you need is some simple information to guide you. And of course an extra hard drive. Just slave boot the hard drive to the replacement and begin to extract the data.
However normally, hard disk data recovery is much more complex than this. When a hard drive crashes, there are usually several solutions you can opt for. You can either go for a simple hard disk data recovery and recover as much data as is available. But in this method you have to hope a lot – prey that the problem is not in an area where the most important files have been saved. But if the drive has been severely affected and simply ignores you when you want it to spin, or spins but causes further damage, then you have just one option really. Take it out and go to a drive doctor who will use sophisticated and expensive machinery to diagnose the problem. And when you do that, hard disk data recovery can send you behind by thousands of dollars.
By: I Henman -
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
That is because hard disk data recovery can become a really complex issue. But that is not the case always. Hard disk data recovery can be simple or complex, expensive or over-the-roof. It depends on exactly how your computer is screwed up. It can be as simple as the hard drive loading mechanism not working properly. Though it seems an innocent exercise, but the fact is, dozens of programs work at the back end to make your computer just boot. And if any one of them have developed errors or have fatally linked up, then it can crash your machine. In such cases, you will need to carry out hard disk data recovery. Such hard disk data recovery processes are so simple that expert help is also not needed. All you need is some simple information to guide you. And of course an extra hard drive. Just slave boot the hard drive to the replacement and begin to extract the data.
However normally, hard disk data recovery is much more complex than this. When a hard drive crashes, there are usually several solutions you can opt for. You can either go for a simple hard disk data recovery and recover as much data as is available. But in this method you have to hope a lot – prey that the problem is not in an area where the most important files have been saved. But if the drive has been severely affected and simply ignores you when you want it to spin, or spins but causes further damage, then you have just one option really. Take it out and go to a drive doctor who will use sophisticated and expensive machinery to diagnose the problem. And when you do that, hard disk data recovery can send you behind by thousands of dollars.
By: I Henman -
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Gig'Em - How to Decide Which Hard Drive Is Right For You
By Chris Landolfi
Deciding on the appropriate hard drive is a personal decision made according to an individual's computing needs. These days, 40 gigabyte, 80 gig, 100 gig and even larger are common. When pricing hard drives, it is common to see very little price differences between smaller size drives and larger. For instance, the price difference between a 40 gig and a 80 gig may be only twenty dollars. An old rule of thumb among the computing community has always been to buy the largest hard drive that you could possibly afford since everyone loads and uses more software than they initially imagine they will, and since that will put off the need to upgrade the computer the following year. However, if your budget is limited remember that a 40 or 80 gig hard drive is plenty for the average user.
These hard drive sizes would astound a computer user from the 1980's or early 1990's. Back then hard drives were sized in megabytes, not gigabytes. The original IBM PC commonly had a ten Meg or twenty Meg drive, and when the thirty Meg drive came out it was considered absolutely gigantic. However, that was a time of smaller programs, less software and before Windows dominated the home computer world.
When choosing a hard drive you should always remember that the type we are most familiar with is called Parallel ATA type. A new type, serial ATA, is gaining popularity. This type is much faster (as much as twenty percent) and has other benefits including improved airflow. Your hard drive will need flowing air because it is constantly rotating at extremely high speeds and generates heat. The airflow helps the hard drive stay cool and run properly.
Most of the name brand hard drives are fine quality and it is hard to go wrong if they are purchased from an authorized reseller. If you buy your hard drive from an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) or from a discount store be sure to check out the warranty.
When choosing a new hard drive, keep several things in mind: size measured in gigabytes, size physically measured in inches, speed, and brand.
When looking at brands, there are many good choices. Choose a brand you've heard of and trust. Possibilities from good companies include Maxtor, Quantum, Western Digital, Fijutsu, Toshiba, and IBM among others.
When looking at price, remember the old adage "you get what you pay for." A wise shopper will look around for the best price, but price isn't the only thing here. A low price without a warranty, or from a dealer you don't trust, could just cost you more in the long run. Fortunately with hard drives the manufacturer provides warranties on new drives, but a company willing to back up their product and replace a defective drive out of inventory can save you lots of hassle and downtime.
Size of drive in gigs, as said before, will have little price difference in certain increments and are usually very small. Figure out what each gig is costing you on each drive. Take a calculator into the store and do the math, then make your choice. Size physically is important because you must have a hard drive that fits the slot in your particular computer. Hard drives come in two primary sizes. The smaller, standard size is the size of a 3.5 inch floppy disk drive. The larger type is the size of a CD ROM drive. Larger drives tend to cost less, but most computers have enough slots for smaller, standard drives and most computer users consider them a little more preferable.
Speed is used to describe the revolution speed of the spinning hard drive. The faster the better of course, but check out the price difference when going from a relatively slow hard drive to a faster drive and see if the price difference is really worth it. After all, the hard drive is really spending most of its time waiting for you to type in data.
In summary, choosing a hard drive is as individual as choosing a car, but most people want as much size and speed as they can afford. Ask your friends, check online message boards, and perhaps members of a local computer users group to see what other people's experiences have been, analyze all of your options and then make a wise decision.
http://www.free-articles-zone.com
Deciding on the appropriate hard drive is a personal decision made according to an individual's computing needs. These days, 40 gigabyte, 80 gig, 100 gig and even larger are common. When pricing hard drives, it is common to see very little price differences between smaller size drives and larger. For instance, the price difference between a 40 gig and a 80 gig may be only twenty dollars. An old rule of thumb among the computing community has always been to buy the largest hard drive that you could possibly afford since everyone loads and uses more software than they initially imagine they will, and since that will put off the need to upgrade the computer the following year. However, if your budget is limited remember that a 40 or 80 gig hard drive is plenty for the average user.
These hard drive sizes would astound a computer user from the 1980's or early 1990's. Back then hard drives were sized in megabytes, not gigabytes. The original IBM PC commonly had a ten Meg or twenty Meg drive, and when the thirty Meg drive came out it was considered absolutely gigantic. However, that was a time of smaller programs, less software and before Windows dominated the home computer world.
When choosing a hard drive you should always remember that the type we are most familiar with is called Parallel ATA type. A new type, serial ATA, is gaining popularity. This type is much faster (as much as twenty percent) and has other benefits including improved airflow. Your hard drive will need flowing air because it is constantly rotating at extremely high speeds and generates heat. The airflow helps the hard drive stay cool and run properly.
Most of the name brand hard drives are fine quality and it is hard to go wrong if they are purchased from an authorized reseller. If you buy your hard drive from an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) or from a discount store be sure to check out the warranty.
When choosing a new hard drive, keep several things in mind: size measured in gigabytes, size physically measured in inches, speed, and brand.
When looking at brands, there are many good choices. Choose a brand you've heard of and trust. Possibilities from good companies include Maxtor, Quantum, Western Digital, Fijutsu, Toshiba, and IBM among others.
When looking at price, remember the old adage "you get what you pay for." A wise shopper will look around for the best price, but price isn't the only thing here. A low price without a warranty, or from a dealer you don't trust, could just cost you more in the long run. Fortunately with hard drives the manufacturer provides warranties on new drives, but a company willing to back up their product and replace a defective drive out of inventory can save you lots of hassle and downtime.
Size of drive in gigs, as said before, will have little price difference in certain increments and are usually very small. Figure out what each gig is costing you on each drive. Take a calculator into the store and do the math, then make your choice. Size physically is important because you must have a hard drive that fits the slot in your particular computer. Hard drives come in two primary sizes. The smaller, standard size is the size of a 3.5 inch floppy disk drive. The larger type is the size of a CD ROM drive. Larger drives tend to cost less, but most computers have enough slots for smaller, standard drives and most computer users consider them a little more preferable.
Speed is used to describe the revolution speed of the spinning hard drive. The faster the better of course, but check out the price difference when going from a relatively slow hard drive to a faster drive and see if the price difference is really worth it. After all, the hard drive is really spending most of its time waiting for you to type in data.
In summary, choosing a hard drive is as individual as choosing a car, but most people want as much size and speed as they can afford. Ask your friends, check online message boards, and perhaps members of a local computer users group to see what other people's experiences have been, analyze all of your options and then make a wise decision.
http://www.free-articles-zone.com
External Hard Disk Drive: The Best Backup Medium
Want to backup quickly and easily? Backup to external hard disk drives.
Backup to external hard disk drives easily, securely and efficiently.
As a hard disk is the fastest and largest backup medium you can get, you may want to backup all your important files to an external hard drive. You can backup literally everything: your Outlook and Outlook Express files, your bookmarks, your favourite save games, and of course, your important work documents, photos, images and maybe even videos.
As an external HDD is detatched from your system and, combined with a strong encryption algorithm, like blowfish or 3DES, you can get maximum security. Just make sure you actually remember the encryption password. You can also store your external hard disk offsite (at a friend's house, a paid locker or specialized fire-proof storage place) in case your information is very important (well, generally, anyone can do that and it can't hurt for sure).
As external hard disk drives have the cheapest storage volume (about 200Gb for $150?) and you can reuse them for several years, you may as well get the cheapest backup medium at your disposal. When using a backup schedule, you can simply backup the backup program run when you are absent (or maybe even at night) to backup everything without supervision. If you need two or more backup disks, you may as well get another external HDD.
Also, now there are quite large mobile hard drives, which can admit all the necessary data: work documents, e-mail files, etc. You can also carry your data anywhere you want and feel safe, because some external hard disks are now hard to break by dropping.
So, go with external HDD and backup as fast as you want, as much as you want, secure your important data, get the cheapest backups and even be able to carry your backups anywhere you want.
By: Anonymous Coward -
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Backup to external hard disk drives easily, securely and efficiently.
As a hard disk is the fastest and largest backup medium you can get, you may want to backup all your important files to an external hard drive. You can backup literally everything: your Outlook and Outlook Express files, your bookmarks, your favourite save games, and of course, your important work documents, photos, images and maybe even videos.
As an external HDD is detatched from your system and, combined with a strong encryption algorithm, like blowfish or 3DES, you can get maximum security. Just make sure you actually remember the encryption password. You can also store your external hard disk offsite (at a friend's house, a paid locker or specialized fire-proof storage place) in case your information is very important (well, generally, anyone can do that and it can't hurt for sure).
As external hard disk drives have the cheapest storage volume (about 200Gb for $150?) and you can reuse them for several years, you may as well get the cheapest backup medium at your disposal. When using a backup schedule, you can simply backup the backup program run when you are absent (or maybe even at night) to backup everything without supervision. If you need two or more backup disks, you may as well get another external HDD.
Also, now there are quite large mobile hard drives, which can admit all the necessary data: work documents, e-mail files, etc. You can also carry your data anywhere you want and feel safe, because some external hard disks are now hard to break by dropping.
So, go with external HDD and backup as fast as you want, as much as you want, secure your important data, get the cheapest backups and even be able to carry your backups anywhere you want.
By: Anonymous Coward -
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Hard Drives- Choosing the Right One
By Joe Uantu
Hard drives come in many different sizes and configurations. How much data a hard drive can hold is measured in gigabytes (GB). The latest hard drives can hold anywhere from 80 GB to 1000 GB (1 TB)! When buying a hard drive, size isn't the only factor to look at, however.
For business or basic home use, an 80 GB hard drive should suffice. If you plan on downloading music, movies, or installing a lot of games on your computer, your hard drive should be at least 160 GB. For laptop users, the same space requirements apply, however, many laptops come with small hard drives. Many laptop users choose to keep the small hard drive and buy an external hard drive for excess files to keep costs down.
You can have a huge hard drive, but it will be worthless if it doesn't move data fast enough for your computer! To find data, hard drives have platters on spindles that spin, similar to a CD. How fast a hard drive spins is measured in RPM (revolutions per minute). The higher a hard drive's RPM is, the faster it will perform. Desktop hard drives almost always have 7200 RPM hard drives. Laptop hard drives can range from 4200 RPM to 5400 RPM for budget and midrange uses and 7200 RPM for high end use. Hard drives with RPMs of 10,000 or more are available, but those are mainly for gamers, computer enthusiasts, and servers.
A hard drive's cache is also another important performance indicator. A hard drive's cache will hold frequently accessed data for faster access by the computer. A good hard drive will have at least 8 MB of cache. As with RPM, the more cache a hard drive has, the better.
Hard drives generally have either an SATA or IDE connection. Both connections are for attaching the hard drive to the motherboard via a cable so that data can be sent and received to and from the computer and drive. SATA is the newest connection and is better than IDE in that it can be faster and uses a much smaller cable. IDE, however, is just as fast as IDE in real world performance testa and hard drives that use IDE are cheaper than SATA hard drives. However, IDE hard drives use large cables that can restrict airflow. Fortunately, you can buy a rounded IDE cable that is not as big for $5-$10 at almost any computer supply store or online computer part retailer, such as Newegg.com or Fry's Electronics.
If you are computer user looking for performance, you should know about RAID. RAID lets you put 2 or more hard drives of the same brand and model together and run them at once, which results in faster performance. You can also use RAID so the second hard drives automatically backs up data from the first hard drive, so you always have a backup of your data. There are numerous possible RAID configurations out there, too many to mention in this article.
Hard drives come in many different sizes and configurations. How much data a hard drive can hold is measured in gigabytes (GB). The latest hard drives can hold anywhere from 80 GB to 1000 GB (1 TB)! When buying a hard drive, size isn't the only factor to look at, however.
For business or basic home use, an 80 GB hard drive should suffice. If you plan on downloading music, movies, or installing a lot of games on your computer, your hard drive should be at least 160 GB. For laptop users, the same space requirements apply, however, many laptops come with small hard drives. Many laptop users choose to keep the small hard drive and buy an external hard drive for excess files to keep costs down.
You can have a huge hard drive, but it will be worthless if it doesn't move data fast enough for your computer! To find data, hard drives have platters on spindles that spin, similar to a CD. How fast a hard drive spins is measured in RPM (revolutions per minute). The higher a hard drive's RPM is, the faster it will perform. Desktop hard drives almost always have 7200 RPM hard drives. Laptop hard drives can range from 4200 RPM to 5400 RPM for budget and midrange uses and 7200 RPM for high end use. Hard drives with RPMs of 10,000 or more are available, but those are mainly for gamers, computer enthusiasts, and servers.
A hard drive's cache is also another important performance indicator. A hard drive's cache will hold frequently accessed data for faster access by the computer. A good hard drive will have at least 8 MB of cache. As with RPM, the more cache a hard drive has, the better.
Hard drives generally have either an SATA or IDE connection. Both connections are for attaching the hard drive to the motherboard via a cable so that data can be sent and received to and from the computer and drive. SATA is the newest connection and is better than IDE in that it can be faster and uses a much smaller cable. IDE, however, is just as fast as IDE in real world performance testa and hard drives that use IDE are cheaper than SATA hard drives. However, IDE hard drives use large cables that can restrict airflow. Fortunately, you can buy a rounded IDE cable that is not as big for $5-$10 at almost any computer supply store or online computer part retailer, such as Newegg.com or Fry's Electronics.
If you are computer user looking for performance, you should know about RAID. RAID lets you put 2 or more hard drives of the same brand and model together and run them at once, which results in faster performance. You can also use RAID so the second hard drives automatically backs up data from the first hard drive, so you always have a backup of your data. There are numerous possible RAID configurations out there, too many to mention in this article.
How to create a mirror image of your hard drive
Michael Cottier
The computer that you use has a hard drive in it, which stores everything that you put on it, plus all the settings that you prefer. You can then imagine how difficult it would be if you were to lose all of your data and have to set everything back up again. That is why a full hard drive backup is the preferred method of data backup, because every last bit of data is stored and not even your daylight savings time preference will be forgotten. There are many ways to make a perfect mirror image of your hard drive, and some are better then others. Let’s talk about the various strategies and find out what will best suit you.
The first way to make a perfect copy of your hard drive, quickly and seamlessly, is to use good hard drive image software. A great example of this type of software is True Image from Acronis, which is complete imaging software that helps anyone make a perfect image of their hard drive and save it anywhere, even the hard drive if they want to. Of course there are also many other types of software on the market, and all are just as unique too. Just be sure to choose a good one, because if you don’t, it could end up being the biggest mistake you ever made on your computer.
If you are a little more technically inclined, and have some knowledge of installing computer parts, then you could always use the RAID method. RAID, which stands for Redundant Array of Independent Disks, requires you to install another new hard drive and can be used to make a perfect mirror image of your current hard drive, which will always be up to date by the second. There are many different levels to RAID, but if you were using it for hard drive backup purposes, you would use level 1. Level one is called disk mirroring or duplexing, and this level will write data to both hard drives simultaneously, so when something happens to one there will always be the other one to fall back on.
The final way to make a copy of your hard drive is to backup everything individually yourself. This is of course the hardest and most time consuming strategy, but is preferred by some experts, because you can choose what to save. If you do use this method, you need to make sure you back up your registry files, system files and other important files and folders that you have. You might also want to save your entire software program folders, as they might contain important data related to the program that you want to definitely save. If you are using Windows XP, there is a backup utility that you can use for free, located in your “System tools” folder. Go there by clicking “Start” on your bottom toolbar, then go to “All Programs”, and then “Accessories”. You should now see a folder labeled “System tools” and once that is open, click on the “Backup” program.
Now that you have gotten some ideas on how to create a perfect backup of your hard drive, you should know where to save that backup. There is always the option to save your hard drive image backup on the hard drive itself, but most likely this will not work for everyone because of space limitations. Also, if the hard drive should be literally destroyed by a fire, tornado or some other act of nature, then the backup would be destroyed with it. That is why I recommend backups, especially hard drive images, be stored on a DVD-R, external hard drive or a device like a Zip drive. Then just be sure to backup once every week, or month, and store the backup in a secure location. Now you have a perfect copy of ALL of your data, and it is secure from this dangerous world.
The computer that you use has a hard drive in it, which stores everything that you put on it, plus all the settings that you prefer. You can then imagine how difficult it would be if you were to lose all of your data and have to set everything back up again. That is why a full hard drive backup is the preferred method of data backup, because every last bit of data is stored and not even your daylight savings time preference will be forgotten. There are many ways to make a perfect mirror image of your hard drive, and some are better then others. Let’s talk about the various strategies and find out what will best suit you.
The first way to make a perfect copy of your hard drive, quickly and seamlessly, is to use good hard drive image software. A great example of this type of software is True Image from Acronis, which is complete imaging software that helps anyone make a perfect image of their hard drive and save it anywhere, even the hard drive if they want to. Of course there are also many other types of software on the market, and all are just as unique too. Just be sure to choose a good one, because if you don’t, it could end up being the biggest mistake you ever made on your computer.
If you are a little more technically inclined, and have some knowledge of installing computer parts, then you could always use the RAID method. RAID, which stands for Redundant Array of Independent Disks, requires you to install another new hard drive and can be used to make a perfect mirror image of your current hard drive, which will always be up to date by the second. There are many different levels to RAID, but if you were using it for hard drive backup purposes, you would use level 1. Level one is called disk mirroring or duplexing, and this level will write data to both hard drives simultaneously, so when something happens to one there will always be the other one to fall back on.
The final way to make a copy of your hard drive is to backup everything individually yourself. This is of course the hardest and most time consuming strategy, but is preferred by some experts, because you can choose what to save. If you do use this method, you need to make sure you back up your registry files, system files and other important files and folders that you have. You might also want to save your entire software program folders, as they might contain important data related to the program that you want to definitely save. If you are using Windows XP, there is a backup utility that you can use for free, located in your “System tools” folder. Go there by clicking “Start” on your bottom toolbar, then go to “All Programs”, and then “Accessories”. You should now see a folder labeled “System tools” and once that is open, click on the “Backup” program.
Now that you have gotten some ideas on how to create a perfect backup of your hard drive, you should know where to save that backup. There is always the option to save your hard drive image backup on the hard drive itself, but most likely this will not work for everyone because of space limitations. Also, if the hard drive should be literally destroyed by a fire, tornado or some other act of nature, then the backup would be destroyed with it. That is why I recommend backups, especially hard drive images, be stored on a DVD-R, external hard drive or a device like a Zip drive. Then just be sure to backup once every week, or month, and store the backup in a secure location. Now you have a perfect copy of ALL of your data, and it is secure from this dangerous world.
Author:
Fully backup every last bit of your information by making a hard drive image at http://www.computer-customizing-guide.com/hard-drive-image-software.html If you need help customizing your computer, then Michael Cottier can help you here http://www.computer-customizing-guide.com/
Terms: Articles may be reprinted provided content is not edited and links are kept live
Source: www.articledepot.co.uk
Cheap but Priceless. The Cost Of A Second Hard Drive
By: Dave Lewis
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, Hard Drives were only big enough to store a very small amount of data. The very first hard drive, invented by IBM could only hold 5Mb of data (less than 2 average sized MP3 tracks) and was basically the size of a small closet. Want to talk cost? How about somewhere in the region of £25,000. (About £5,000 per Mb) This was back in the mid 1950’s though, and boy! How things have changed.
Just 6 or so years ago, a 10Gb Hard Drive was considered more than big enough for all but technology industry users and cost well over £200.
These days, hard drives capacities are huge… And cheap!
Right now you can get a 250Gb hard drive for less than £50. Think about that for a minute… 250Gb. That’s big enough to hold over 72 THOUSAND average sized MP3 tracks. Big enough to store about 250 full length AVI feature films. Decent resolution photos? Somewhere in the region of 2.5 million ok for you?
1Terrabyte drives are out now too so if you really think you’d struggle with 250Gb of extra storage space, just take the numbers above and quadruple them!
Just about every computer used today with the exception of the new “micro form factor” systems are capable of housing an extra hard drive, and even then external drives of the same size are available for not much more so for the sake of £50, why wouldn’t you fit one!
Consider this. Every important document, letter or irreplaceable photograph you have. The years of work on your family tree all gone in an instant because your existing hard drive has failed. You could replace your current hard drive with a new one but that still only gives you one copy of your work. Adding an extra hard drive is both cheap, and priceless. It gives you copies of everything as a back up.
So your computer crashes. Your hard drive stop won’t boot up. You wipe it or replace it, install Windows all over again and your back in business. Everything you can’t afford to lose is sitting on the other hard drive unaffected by the havoc the computer crash caused.
It’ll be the best £50 you’ll spend on your computer in a long time.
A second Hard Drive… Cheap, but Priceless.
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Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, Hard Drives were only big enough to store a very small amount of data. The very first hard drive, invented by IBM could only hold 5Mb of data (less than 2 average sized MP3 tracks) and was basically the size of a small closet. Want to talk cost? How about somewhere in the region of £25,000. (About £5,000 per Mb) This was back in the mid 1950’s though, and boy! How things have changed.
Just 6 or so years ago, a 10Gb Hard Drive was considered more than big enough for all but technology industry users and cost well over £200.
These days, hard drives capacities are huge… And cheap!
Right now you can get a 250Gb hard drive for less than £50. Think about that for a minute… 250Gb. That’s big enough to hold over 72 THOUSAND average sized MP3 tracks. Big enough to store about 250 full length AVI feature films. Decent resolution photos? Somewhere in the region of 2.5 million ok for you?
1Terrabyte drives are out now too so if you really think you’d struggle with 250Gb of extra storage space, just take the numbers above and quadruple them!
Just about every computer used today with the exception of the new “micro form factor” systems are capable of housing an extra hard drive, and even then external drives of the same size are available for not much more so for the sake of £50, why wouldn’t you fit one!
Consider this. Every important document, letter or irreplaceable photograph you have. The years of work on your family tree all gone in an instant because your existing hard drive has failed. You could replace your current hard drive with a new one but that still only gives you one copy of your work. Adding an extra hard drive is both cheap, and priceless. It gives you copies of everything as a back up.
So your computer crashes. Your hard drive stop won’t boot up. You wipe it or replace it, install Windows all over again and your back in business. Everything you can’t afford to lose is sitting on the other hard drive unaffected by the havoc the computer crash caused.
It’ll be the best £50 you’ll spend on your computer in a long time.
A second Hard Drive… Cheap, but Priceless.
Article Directory: http://www.articlecube.com
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