Backup my PC

Hello,
I really want to backup my PC and am thinking about using an external drive.
What I would like to know though is, is it as simple and plugging it into my PC, then as I amend/create/delete files within my documents does it auto backup onto the external drive?

Or do they work in backing up say once a week?

Any advice/info much appreciated, thanks

James

 

It depends on the drive, but they do make some drives that auto backup, but I prefer the good old copy and paste myself. Most external laptop drives are able to power off the USB port.

 

Yes, it depends on the drive. There are drive that are specifically designed with backup in mind; and have software that streamlines this task. They can keep your PC up-to-date without you ever having to worry about anything on a day-to-day basis.

You will, however, initially have to set it up (so it will know how you want things saved). But once done, you can sit back and worry about other more important things knowing your data will be backed up and secure should you need it.

 

Any way you look at it, you need a piece of software that will actually perform the backup. The external drive itself does not do this (at least not one that I've seen). It is simply a piece of hardware that allows you to back up on a physically different drive and a drive that you can easily keep separate from the computer itself (in case of flood, fire, etc)

The exteranl may COME with software on it that will be able to do it or it may not. And you may choose to use it or you may not. Windows 7 also has a built in backup utility that is free. You could also simply drag and drop your files onto the drive periodically. Paid options include things like Acronis TrueImage, etc.

 

you will need an external drive and depending on whether u have an e-SATA port of not , u can get different drives... USB will be standard... However , for all those back ups and all , u need a software.. An excellent option is Acronis True Image Home edition. It free for 30 days but then u need to buy it. It does all of what u want to do.

 

This is a loaded question with many answers.

The most important of which is how do you want or need to backup your computer. Do you have a Windows disk? Do you know how to re-install everything? Do you need to backup the entire system or just parts of it?

Restore partitions put back all of the factory junk I dislike.
A complete image backup works, but you tend not to do them very often, this means documents are missed.
Both setups mean that drivers are all out of date as soon as you restore.

One touch systems are great, you hit a button and poof everything is backed up, but they can be time consuming as well.
All of these also backup every problem you were having at the time. If you had a virus before, you have it again.

Incremental backups are a real pain for me.
They tend to be very messy.


There is still one other problem with all of these...
You never know how good your backup system is, until you need it. At which time you may find it doesn't work well enough. I have seen incremental just get silly.



I have yet to see a reliable backup system I like, so I use my own system.
I keep a folder with up to date programs I use.
I keep as little on my main computer as possible.
I then backup any directories with important files, my documents, favorites, etc.. As well as C:\users\(yourname)\App Data. The roaming folder has most program settings, while local has Google Chrome.

I then use a Windows install disk, never a restore. I always do a reload.
I also use Thunderbird, making it easy to backup email (roaming directory/thunderbird)

This method lets me visibly see and know how good my backups are and I get a fresh copy of Windows with up to date programs. Backup takes only a short amount of time. Restoring does take a while, but again, it's a brand new system.

 

Well I was agreeing with you until you got to the end. Coming up with your own system is not the best solution. For one it's cumbersome and limiting. And two, it places to much emphasis on the user as far as time and productivity. Sure, YOU may be able to occupy your time in this non-productive manner, but someone with a busier schedule may not.

A better solution when it comes to backups, is automation. It's just a matter of finding the right balance between usability, and maintaining your data in the most up-to-date fashion. As you point out, there are no perfect solution, but there are enough usable tools out there to get very close.

 

I personally use Windows 7's built-in Backup utility to make a system image of my C: partition in case things get horribly wrecked, and then a utility from Microsoft called SyncToy to automatically copy the contents of my D: partition (documents, pictures, music, videos) to a folder on my external drive.
I do that about once a week.

 

Time consuming vs. data loss...

I have had and seen my share of data loss, often times through backups that people THOUGHT were working. Also in times where they were working but won't restore. A friend spent $3000 to recover from his expensive tape drive that worked, but couldn't restore. Another company had me use recovery software after their backup system quit working months earlier and no one noticed. The internet is flooded with tales of people who's backups didn't work or didn't work how they thought.

I have yet to find a tool that was simple and reliable without spending hundreds of dollars on it.


And who says my system is time consuming?
In a pinch you just copy the entire users directory over. Unless you consider a single drag and drop time consuming.

 

If you're continuously under the hood tinkering with your "car" then you're not driving it!

Remember, the whole point of machines are to handle those menial repetitive tasks, and give the owner/user more time to focus on more productive tasks...or play. But somehow, I think you knew this already.