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Post by MarmotMike on Jun 30, 2004 15:47:26 GMT -5
Any computer experts here? Any recommendations regarding backing up data from one's computer? Are zip drives worth looking at these days? Also, lap tops/notebooks... Any good brands out there? Thanks in advance.
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Post by Jazz on Jun 30, 2004 23:17:16 GMT -5
Marmot Mike.
I depends how much information you are looking to back up.
If the information is only a gig or 2, you can simply burn the information to CD. If more, then you can get zip-drives, or even those USB harddrives, and simply copy it.
Don't bother copying the Windows directory - unless you "ghost" the entire drive. Just back-up the pertinant information. If something does go wrong with your computer it would be a good idea to re-install windows anyways (using a fresh Windows install every year or so is a good idea to optimize the computer.)
I just got a new laptop last week, and spent an evening transfering all my work files and e-mail etc. My laptop is ASUS and so far so good!
I hope this helps.....
G.
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Post by sammy on Jul 1, 2004 0:11:36 GMT -5
MarmotMike You can also get USB cdrewritables now. They are by far the handiest for backup if you have smaller amounts (up to 800 mb). Zip drives work good for anything bigger then this. My preference on laptops is the Toshiba. Worst is probably Compaq as I worked on hundreds of them over the years. ASUS is a good laptop that is for the most part worry free, but doesn't seem to perform quite as fast as the Toshiba.
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Graham
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Post by Graham on Jul 1, 2004 3:55:01 GMT -5
My suggestion would be to buy a USB hard drive (make sure you have USB2.0 - you will need the extra speed). That way, you can run backups automatically every day without having to think about it. The problem with CDs and ZIP drives is that you have to remember to put a new disk in for each backup, and you'll very quickly forget/procrastinate/get bored...
I have a 300Gb Maxtor which backs up the server in my house (mainly just MP3s and my digital photos) automatically every night. Works very well.
Graham.
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Post by MarmotMike on Jul 1, 2004 12:05:34 GMT -5
Awesome. You guys rock. I think I'll go with an external USB hard drive. Maxtor (from the 80Gb to 300Gb) seem to have a good range.
I was thinking of having a dual combination of a home pc and laptop. One strictly for downloads/surfing since viruses & spyware programs are getting very sophisticated now.
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EveB
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Post by EveB on Jul 2, 2004 16:14:35 GMT -5
an external USB hard drive. Maxtor Nooo.. I have Maxtor w 80 Gb and it's working poorly. Have almost permanently lost some data due that Don't know what's the problem, but sometimes it doesn't seem to find the data copied there ever again. Some directories have been oddly converted into unidentified files Just today decided to leave Maxtor home and buy a dvd recorder for my laptop. About laptops, I only have good experiences with IBM and Packard Bell (os was/is linux or double booting with a small windows partition).
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Post by Jazz on Jul 2, 2004 16:57:48 GMT -5
ASUS is a good laptop that is for the most part worry free, but doesn't seem to perform quite as fast as the Toshiba. Oddly enough, my first laptop was a Toshiba, and I migrated over to ASUS a few weeks ago. I wasn't happy with Toshiba's warranty service - they gave me problems I should not have encounterd. I got the ASUS for a computer store right next door to mine (so I know the owner of that store) and he steered me over to ASUS based on his personal experience.
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