These notes support a one hour presentation on the topic of Basic Backups.

The notes are a substitute of a paper handout. Also these notes do no include some of the detailed discussion and the answers to questions asked during the presentation

Basic Backups

1. WHY BACKUPS ?

We make backups to protect ourselves from disaster.

The big question is how much protection:

·         do we need?

·         can we afford?

What are we trying to protect

·         Our data (the files we have created)

·         Our time/cost investment

You KNOW that the computer will fail sometime!

When it does you may

·         loose your data

·         loose access to your data

·         loose time and money in recovering

NOTE: Your data can often be recovered from the hard disk drive, sometimes easily and sometimes NOT

2. WHAT IS A BACKUP ?

BACKUP FILE

Backup when used in connection with computer is usually understood to be:

ONE BIG FILE that contains, LOTS of other files - usually the ones created by you, the user.

BUT sometimes may also include:

·         Operating System Files and

·         Program files

·         Registry files

·         Driver files 

AND the file is COMPRESSED

Compared to a COPY

A copy is just that - an exact copy of a:

·         FILE or

·         FOLDER

For example:

·         an e-mail message or

·         letter/ report

·         a photograph

·         a music file

for example a copy of a message or photograph that you might give to a friend or send as an attachment in an e- mail message.

3. BACKUP AND COPY - COMPARED

Because a backup file is compresses,  it takes up less space than all the files that it "captures." People often KEEP several versions of backups, for example one for

January

February

March etc

OR

Week 1

Week2

Week3

etc

However, you will need to use the same backup program to recover your files from the compressed backup. Clearly, using a backup program is more difficult than using a simple copy/paste . On the other hand  copies will take up more space on your MEMORY STICK or CD-ROM or other backup media but you will be able to recover your files more easily from the "backup copy"

4. SIMPLE BACKUP PROGRAM 

A SIMPLE backup program is included in Windows XP Professional and can be installed to Windows XP Home from the Windows CD- ROM. To install in Windows Home edition see:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302894

When you setup a backup program you have to tell the program what you want it to backup and where to store the backup file. That list of instructions is called a BACKUP JOB.

Full and Incremental Bacup (This can be a bit confusing ;-)

A FULL backup includes ALL the files you specify

An INCREMENTAL backup only includes the files that have changed SINCE your last incremental backup.

Incremental takes up less space

A DIFFERENTIAL backup includes files that have changed since your last FULL backup.  This approach can save  disk  space  but it can be much more difficult to recover from a catastrophe.

Because making a TRUE Backup is kinda tricky...AND there are many backup programs and they are all different. . .

Today we will just stick with:

·         HOW TO MAKE COPIES and

·         HOW TO USE SYSTEM RESTORE

5. SYSTEM RESTORE (Built into Windows XP Pro and Windows Home Edition)

Makes a copy of SYSTEM DATA

·         System Files

·         Registry

·         Driver files

1. Desktop settings

2. Shortcuts

3. Internet Explorer

4. Firefox Bookmarks

4. E-mail Settings (Outlook & Outlook Express)

If you backup Your whole computer you will preserve:

All of your data files and settings AND

All of your applications programs

Word

Outlook

Excel

PowerPoint

MindManager

Adobe Acrobat

Quick books

iTunes

Etc, Etc AND 

The operating system

     Windows XP or

     Windows Vista

With this option if your computer DIES, you can return the whole computer to the way it was when you made the IMAGE.

As a VERY MINIMUM - save the data you use on a day-to-day basis and critical data that would be difficult to recover.

(Note:The location of your  address book  and  messages  depends  on  which type of email you use.)

1. Login ID and Passwords

2. Address book

3. E-mail - sent messages and received messages

4. Word, Excel and other text-like files

5. Music files and music  files

6. Photographs/ video files

6. GUIDE to FILE SIZES

Note: A two page letter / resume in MS Word might be approximately 30 KB

So an old 3.5 in Floppy of 1.4 MB would hold about 45 documents of that size

Usually include a backup program for example Maxtor OneTouch

A LONG 2-page letter might be about 25 KB in MS Word

A photograph might be about 500KB to 2,000 KB

A Floppy disk  can store about 1.4 MB - so a floppy disk can store about six to seven long letters or about 2 photographs

A CD-ROM can store 650 or 700 MB that is about 300 to 1300 photographs

A CD-ROM ($ 0.50) is equivalent to about 460 Floppy disks

1350 tracks from 86 CD-ROMS gives 3.3 Days of music and takes 4.38 GB of disk space

Photo images might be anywhere between 64KB to 1 GB

7.  EMAIL ISSUES

If you use Outlook or Outlook Express (POP3)

your address book and all you email messages are on YOUR computer YOU MUST MAKE THE BACKUPS

If you use AOL/YAHOO/ Comcast  GMail (Web Mail)

everytthing is on a REMOTE computer (server)

YOU (usually) don't need to make backups

These are similar in size and shape but the memory capacity can range from:

128 MB = about 90 floppies

256 MB = about 180 floppies

512 MB =  about 365 floppies

1 GB (1000 MB) = about 1.5 CD-ROMs

2 GB

4 GB (about $ 40.00)

Copying files to a STICK is VERY FAST

REMEMBER - USB Extension Cable

(Saves your back

Saves damage to your computer port)

9.BACKING UP PHOTOGRAPHS AND MUSIC

This type of data is probably better copied or backup up on the CD-ROM or DVD media.

Hewlett-Packard 50/Pack 700MB CD-R, Spindle

·         50/Pack spindle

·         700MB/80 minutes

·         R = write once

·         $ 15.00

Hewlett-Packard 50/Pack 4.7GB DVD+R, Spindle

·         50/Pack spindle

·         4.7GB/120 minutes

·         +R = write once

·         $ 20.00

CD-ROM Approximate 700 MB = medium sized Flash drive

DVD Approximate 4.7 GB = about 6.5 CD- ROMs

Backup is slower that on to Flash drive

10. EXTERNAL HARD DISK DRIVE

Many sources say this is the most convenient backup medium.

These can be, typically:

40GB

100 GB = about  150 CD-ROMs or 25 DVDs

300 GB

11. BACKUP ON THE WEB

See document: MozyScreenshots.rtf

Several web sites offer free storage space for photographs and other files - but of course you have to have a working machine AND a working Internet connection to retrieve your backup.

Here's a magazine article (on the web) that provided more information:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,125729- page,1/article.html

Friday, June 02, 2006

Here's a site that gives you 2GB  free

http://mozy.com/

12. WIKIPEDIA ON BACKUPS

Wikipedia - About Backups  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backups

C:\Documents and Settings\Paul\My Documents\CHH-Presentations\OptionsAnd Gotchas\Backup.htm

See document: Backup.htm

13. AUTOMATING BACKUPS

Try Easy Backup See: AJSystems.htm

There are many programs that will automate backups - Easy Backup is:

·         a non-typical backup program

·         the one I use

You tell it what PROGRAMS you want it to save the data from and it knows where to find that information and will copy it to the backup file and compress it.

It will automate the backup to occur every day/week/month and it will make the backups for you.

Many backup programs expect YOU to know where everything is saved on the hard drive and the tell the program.

14. WINDOWS BACKUP

Already installed on Windows 2000 and Windows XP Pro

Can be installed from the Windows CD-ROM

Look for it in the folder:

D:\Valueadded\msft\ntbackup

THE FOLLOWING NOTES ARE LITTLE EXTRAS

Another well known backup programs - Retrospect Express HD 2.0 and Acronis True Image

THese programs provide other important features for example:

 DISASTER RECOVERY

The ability to recover your system in the event of a complete Windows failure.

This is when your computer does not boot up to Windows.

Some programs provide the ability to boot the machine from CD-ROMs

And then with a working system you can recover:

·         the Windows operating sytem

·         your programs

·         your data

See document: trueimage

No-Frills Free Auto Backup

See document: description.html

Also, for a free program see Everyday Auto Backup

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,64657/description.html

Tips from Microsoft

See document: protectbackup.mspx

If you backup All Your Data, you will preserve:

1. Desktop settings

2. Shortcuts

3. Internet Explorer

4. Firefox Bookmarks

4. E-mail Settings (Outlook & Outlook Express)

If you backup Your whole computer you will preserve:

All of your data files and settings AND

All of your applications programs

Word

Outlook

Excel

PowerPoint

MindManager

Adobe Acrobat

Quick books

iTunes

Etc, Etc AND The operating system

     Windows XP or

     Windows Vista

With this option if your computer DIES, you can return the whole computer to the way it was when you made the IMAGE.