Fast, Easy Backups
For Win98 / ME / NT / 2K / XP
Copyright © 1997-2005 Fred Langa/ Langa Consulting LLC. All worldwide rights reserved.
2) WHAT’S THE “BEST” BACKUP?
In the next few pages, I’ll give you a ton of backup ideas and many specific details. Some you can use as-is, but --- more likely--- you’ll want to take and modify these ideas and techniques to suit your own unique purposes and setup.
Further, what’s “best” for you may not be what’s “best” for me, and vice versa. Different people, different circumstances, different operating systems, etc etc etc all need somewhat different solutions.
As a result (and this is important), this article is NOT intended to provide you with a one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter solution that will work for everyone, all the time. When it comes to backups, there’s simply no such thing.
You see, “the best backup”--- in fact, the only backup worth anything at all--- is one that you’ll *use*. A backup system that doesn’t fit your style of working, or that takes too long, or is too expensive, or gives you any reason to avoid using it, is next to worthless.
And I’m first to admit I’m somewhat of a backup fanatic, and have been for years. I literally can pull up important files from over a decade ago, and can literally pull up *any* or *all* files from any arbitrary date in the last four years or so. I can even--- if need be--- return my entire system to the exact state it was in on any given date on the last four years or so.
Why would I want to do that? Well, I have some records--- taxes, for example--- compiled years ago with software I no longer have installed. If I needed to, putting my system back to the exact way it was on the date I last used that software will give me live access to those old records. (And, yes, Windows will let you do that, even if you’ve changed PCs: The OS will wake up upon reboot, see that the hardware is different, and reconfigure itself to work with what’s available. The result may not be pretty or slick, but it usually will work well enough for you to recover what you need.)
For more on the rationale of why I do things the way I do, see the above-referenced links, especially http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2001/2001-12-03.htm#1 , which explains what the main types of backups are, and what I believe each is good for.
But your needs--- and solutions--- may be different, and that’s fine. Any backup--- any backup at all--- is better than no backup. As long as you’re using *something* and you’re happy with it, fine: You’re already better off than most PC users!
So read the following, and then decide whether all, or some or none of it will work for you; and if the answer is “none” then do a web search to find a solution that *will* work for you. There are literally dozens--- maybe hundreds--- of backup alternatives out there: All you need to do is find *one* that works for you. The only really bad backup is one that’s never made.
So, without further ado, let’s dive in.
Next: PREP WORK--- MINIMIZE UNNECESSARY JUNK
Previous Page Next Page
Table of Contents
|
