> I have been working in tech support for major software companies for the past 20 years. The first 5 years supporting tape backup systems and the last 15 years at a major database company. I have seen people lose data because it wasn't backed up and with the loss of this data came lost time, money and jobs. Please don't be one of those people calling for support trying to get their data back at 3 in the morning when you never thoroughly tested your backup and restore scenarios. Believe me, you want to be the person who has online backups being done, an image copy , current exports of your databases, full exports and incremental backups, copies of files on flash drives, ect. This gives you alot of options if you loose data. For example, you only lose a Word doc or Excel file, you can try the Recycle bin first, and if the file is not there you can copy it back from your flash drive. If you loose you entire laptop, (stolen ) then your online backup becomes your recovery method. The more ways you back up your data, the more choices for recovery you have.
> The following basic suggestions are things that I hope you find useful and may save you time and frustration in the future.
> 1. Online backup service.
"Nine out of ten of you probably don't back up your personal data daily. Chances are excellent that you'll regret it someday. Given how simple and inexpensive online backup has become, you'll only have yourself to blame."
- Michael Muchmore, PC magazine
Check out what Chris Pirillo has to say about online backups on You Tube:
There are services that will backup your entire system online starting at 5 dollars a month or $50. - $120. a year, depending on how many machines you are backing up. . Companies like Norton, Mozy, and SOS Online Backup offer secure and encrypted backups of your data. I think that is a bargain. Unless you are backing up all of your data with some other method , online backups can be a great solution.
Ref: PC magazine article: 'The Best Online Backup Services" by Michael Muchmore, 10.28.2010 , http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2288745,00.asp#
> 2. Backup Word Documents and Excel spreadsheets to a Flash drive:
As we learned from the class lectures, Word document files and Excel spreadsheet files can be dragged and dropped to a flash drive as a method of backup. Periodically test the restore by copying a few files and opening them up inside the application.
> 3. Backup Access database to a Flash drive:
Export of Access database:
1. Open the Microsoft Access database that you'd like to back up.
2. Click the Microsoft Office button.
3. Click the Manage menu item.
4. Click the Back Up Database menu item.
5. Access will now open a file dialog. Choose an appropriate location for your backup. You'll also need to give the backup a file name. Access will suggest a default option of your database name with the current date appended.
6. Click Save to create your backup.
7. Open the backup file in Microsoft Access to verify that it completed successfully.
Ref: Website: About.com: http://databases.about.com/od/tutorials/ht/backup_access.htm
> 4. Export application data to a Flash drive.
Some applications have an Export utility that allow you to export your data from the app so you can import it to the same app on another system. The export utility will usually create a single file export that you can use as a backup and copy it to a flash drive or some other drive. If you have an Oracle database, it has an Export feature. I run a progam called MasterCook which is a recipe/cookbook program. My cookbook has about 160 recipes in it that I don't want to loose so I export the cookbook file every time a new recipe is added. This way, if I move to a new PC and then install MasterCook, I just have to import that one file and I have my cookbook again.
> 5. Backup of your Windows Explorer Favorites.
This is something I have found valuable when I get a new PC at work or if I buy a new one. I have alot of favorites all sorted into nice catagories ( I have a 'work' and 'personal' versions) and it just makes life easier and saves me time.
Export of Internet Explorer 7 Favorites:
1. In Internet Explorer, click File, and then click Import and Export.
2. In the Import/Export Wizard, click Next.
3. Select Export Favorites, and then click Next.
4. Click Favorites and then click Next.
5. Select the Favorites folder that you want to export. If you want to export all Favorites, select the top level Favorites folder. Otherwise, select the individual folder that you want to export.
6. Click Next.
Note By default, Internet Explorer creates a Bookmark.htm file in your Documents folder. If you want to use a name other than Bookmark.htm, or if you want to store the exported Favorites in a folder other than the Documents folder, specify the new file and folder name.
Note By default, Internet Explorer creates a Bookmark.htm file in your Documents folder. If you want to use a name other than Bookmark.htm, or if you want to store the exported Favorites in a folder other than the Documents folder, specify the new file and folder name.
7. Click Next.
Ref: Microsoft Support website: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/211089
> 6. Backup your resume.
This suggestion may sound trivial, but changing jobs is not something people do very often (unless you are my nephew). I can never find my last copy of my resume ( it was probably on my old PC which I tossed after destroying the hard drive). Keep a copy on one of your flash drives and try and update it once a year as your responsibilities change so it is never too far out of date. You never know when you may meet a great potential contact at a party who may ask for a copy.
> 7. Recycle Bin
Yes, I know none of us have ever accidently deleted a file. Remember, if you are running Windows that you have a Recycle Bin and if you accidently delete a file you can probably find it there.
To restore a file:
1. Open the Recycle Bin from the Desktop.
2. Highlight the file you want to restore.
3. Click on 'Restore this file'
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