Question for you PC experts

[kj4lxw]

I got an external hard drive (Acclaim Verbatim 320G).

I have been wanting for a long while to back up files for just in case my pc or whatever dies on me.

So here's my sitrep.

My experience falls to basically using thumb drives and saving individual files. Should I just save the files that I don't want to lose or back up the drives on my PC and laptop?

The unit I got came with a Nero Backup program, I am always leery of using "free" programs, should I or shouldn't I use this program? Any others that can be suggested or is there some thing built into my PC (XP OS) that will do the job?

I'm no beginner with PC's but I'm not an expert either, so will appreciate any help I can get

 

[Superbals]

Imho its just easier to drag and drop whatever you want to back up onto USB drive.......Really just back up your profile under documents and settings and that'll have the majority of ur documents, desktop icons, favorites, etc just about all the stuff u need

 

[markfm]

For a one-shot, really back up everything, run the built-in ntbackup from XP.

Otherwise, if you aren't techie, the Nero app is likely fine -- I set it up for a buddy, seems to work OK.

 

[kj4lxw]

Well I would like to also have programs I am using saved too. Is this possible with what I have?

 

[Sallana]

Imho its just easier to drag and drop whatever you want to back up onto USB drive.......Really just back up your profile under documents and settings and that'll have the majority of ur documents, desktop icons, favorites, etc just about all the stuff u need

I ditto this

 

[Sallana]

Well I would like to also have programs I am using saved too. Is this possible with what I have?

You can back up the .exe if you still have it. But unless these programs have internal data that can't be made external, you can just re-install them should your system crash. I usually back up the .exe's... just because, then they are all right there and I don't have to visit the various web sites and download them, etc

 

[Superbals]

Well I would like to also have programs I am using saved too. Is this possible with what I have?

When i have to format i just take a piece of paper and write a list of all installed programs then re-install after i install new windows lol

 

[Superbals]

Oh and to explain what i meant more if you back up c:\documents and settings\<your username> that'll have ur desktop, documents, downloads, pictures, music, bookmarks, etc folders all in there so u'd only have to drag and drop one thing

 

[zadane]

If you can I suggest using norton ghost to make a mirror of the drive as it currently is. that way it backs everything up completely. and put that backup on the external hdd.

 

[Superbals]

If you can I suggest using norton ghost to make a mirror of the drive as it currently is. that way it backs everything up completely. and put that backup on the external hdd.

The downside of that tho is if ur backing up due to corruption or junk in the OS you're backing that up as well. That's a good option for recovering from a hardware failure tho

 

[kj4lxw]

I'm just wanting to back to be prepared just in case. Two main concerns are if ever we have to leave in a hurry (we do live here in hurricane country) and if the pc ever dies on me.

I read about the cloning using the ghost program but wasn't sure you could do that to the unit I have. I mean face it so many people store pics and info on their PC, what are you gonna do if you couldn't get access to it? Same as cell phones, honestly how many people would you be able to call from memory without all those programmed numbers already in your phone?

I just have some programs that have had updates and add-ons and I'd like to be able to preserve them too.

Maybe I'll do both the cloning and save the user profile so that if need be I can totally restore my setup to a hard drive or just access the docs and material I have store.

 

[Rudy33]

I have a Dell laptop that shuts off (looses power) even though it's plugged in. Sometimes it will boot right back up and others I have to wait an hour. I purchased a cool pad figuring it was overheating and it still does it. I've taken the battery out and it still does it. It's about 3 years old.

Any idea's?

 

[Superbals]

Does it say its shutting down or power off suddenly?? are there any errors in event viewer? Does it happen on battery and on a/c?

 

[Sallana]

I have a Dell laptop that shuts off (looses power) even though it's plugged in. Sometimes it will boot right back up and others I have to wait an hour. I purchased a cool pad figuring it was overheating and it still does it. I've taken the battery out and it still does it. It's about 3 years old.

Any idea's?

Wait, wait. I know this one.

It's a Dell. Problem solved.




Seriously though, I had a Dell laptop with this problem and everytime it would happen I'd send it back, they'd fix it, and it's last another 6 months or so and do it all over again. It's a motherboard/battery issue - Take your pick. Nothing software involved, nothing you can do other than buy new parts (which is difficult because there's only a 50% chance that the part you buy is the issue) or if it's still under warranty - Send it back. Dell knows about this problem, and they fixed it roughly three years ago. I wonder if you got a laptop JUST before they fixed it, or if their fix sucked.

 

[AC0J]

I use an external HD to back up photos, videos,saved documents, and music. I also put a copy of all the downloaded software (as it is before installed) If I have original software disks i dont back those up. It makes the back up faster. every thing else will not be a big deal to replace anyway. I find it helps things work better restore my computer HD to original state about once a year to speed it up anyway.

 

[Rudy33]

Does it say its shutting down or power off suddenly?? are there any errors in event viewer? Does it happen on battery and on a/c?

It just goes dead, no errors and happens on battery and on a/c.

And it's not my Dell - its my gateway - sorry about that - duh.... They are all (3 laptops) crap to me, lol. However, I am down to my notebook and I hate it.

 

[Superbals]

It just goes dead, no errors and happens on battery and on a/c.

And it's not my Dell - its my gateway - sorry about that - duh.... They are all (3 laptops) crap to me, lol. However, I am down to my notebook and I hate it.

Easiest troubleshooting to try first is remove the battery and use it on a/c and see if it still happens

Expect the problem to still happen tho its just ruling out an easy potential problem

 

[Rudy33]

Easiest troubleshooting to try first is remove the battery and use it on a/c and see if it still happens

Expect the problem to still happen tho its just ruling out an easy potential problem

Yes, I did that and it still shuts off without warning - just poof it's off. No low battery signal or anything. When it is on there are no issues with it - it doesn't crash... McAfee is up to date..

I miss it so much... this notebook does the job but really sucks. It only started happening after 2 years. I did have to have the motherboard replaced twice while under warrany but it is no longer warrantied under the geek squad.

 

[Superbals]

Yes, I did that and it still shuts off without warning - just poof it's off. No low battery signal or anything. When it is on there are no issues with it - it doesn't crash... McAfee is up to date..

I miss it so much... this notebook does the job but really sucks. It only started happening after 2 years. I did have to have the motherboard replaced twice while under warrany but it is no longer warrantied under the geek squad.

Does it ever boot all the way into windows?? I might be able to help a little at least with figuring out what the problem is hard to say....PM me maybe i can help more...

 

[zoiDman]

Backing up things like "My Documents" to an external HD is great. But the problem is if you have a O/S melt down or a system drive failure, your going to have to reload windows, and the 200 or so updates PLUS all your programs like Office. Your also going to lose all your settings.

I would suggest your check out a disk image/cloning software like Norton Ghost to get a complete image of your computer for a worse case senario.