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ABC ~ All
'Bout Computers Ways to Make BackUps EASY AS PIE Reviews by Linda F. Johnson With all of the viruses, worms, and spyware constantly attacking our computers lately, it is more important than ever to be sure to keep your important data backed up in case of a catastrophe. If you've ever had a serious computer problem that caused you to lose important files, you know how true this is. I know that it's relatively easy to just burn everything to a CD or copy it to a removable drive, but how many of us just forget or get lazy and don't do it often enough? I know I am certainly guilty of that sometimes. So, I finally decided it was time for me to investigate programs that make the process more automatic and less time consuming and I came up with three that I really like. First thing I did was create a test folder and put some files there. I recommend you create a folder on your hard drive and name it Backup (or something similar) and use this folder as your default "Save" location for all the important data on your machine that you NEVER want to lose. Of course, you don't have to put all of it in this one folder, but that just makes the process easier. Some people prefer to keep everything in My Documents since that's already the default Save folder for most programs, then they just backup My Documents. Whatever works best for you. More information on backups and how they can be done, along with suggestions as to what you need to backup, is available in ABC's special Backup Issue which you can read here. The first program I tried is WinBackup, which I reviewed in the last issue and liked very much. You can see that review here. After reading that review, I HIGHLY recommend you click on the link to go to LIUtilities' page and see the great special offer they have right now for ABC readers! A similar one that I also like is called Backup4All. It's similar to WinBackup with a simple wizard that helps you create your backup, selecting the folder or folders you want to backup and the destination you want them backed up to. A great feature is the Built-in CD/DVD Burner. You do not need separate software to burn your backups to CD/DVD, because Backup4all comes with its own built-in CD/DVD burning support. Just set the destination to your CD/DVD writer device and run the backup item. However, if you prefer, you can still use UDF format to burn your CDs/DVDs. Also, the program uses standard Zip compression! Backup4all creates standard zip files. This means that your data is not at the mercy of the utility itself; you can access it with any zip compatible utility (like WinZip). That's a great feature. AND, Backup4All is now compatible with Windows XP, SP2! (for those concerned about software that no longer works properly with SP2 installed). You can learn more about it and download a free 30-day trial here. The third program I tried is FrontLook's Data Backup Pro. The best thing about this program is you don't even need a CD burner or any removable disk at all! This one is a backup utility AND FTP program, all in one. So, instead of worrying that your backup disk is safe (as well as not stolen or lost in a fire, etc.), your data is safely parked on the internet and can be easily retrieved with any computer that has internet access. Again, the interface is very friendly and easy to use. Just select your folders on your hard drive that you want backed up, choose your FTP site and click the Backup button. And, it uses very secure, password-protected encryption so your data remains unreadable while parked on the net. I tested this by backing up my data, then used WS_FTP Pro to view it...all I saw was scrambled code...couldn't read a thing. I then used Backup Pro's Restore button to move the encrypted files back to my hard drive and they were un-encrypted beautifully and everything was there, safe and sound. This is a wonderful way to backup data that you can retrieve from ANYWHERE on ANY COMPUTER. This program is really sweeeeet!! And don't worry if you don't have an FTP location or don't know anything about FTP. FrontLook also offers you internet storage space and the program makes it very easy to set up. And, if you sign up for FrontLook's storage space, you get this backup program for FREE! Their pricing is very reasonable. This one is a winner! More info and a trial version is available here. Whether you use any of these programs, or choose to backup manually, the important thing is DO IT! Most people don't bother until they have the awful experience of losing important documents due to corruption, viruses, or hard drive failure and THEN they become a believer. Don't wait for that to happen...BACK UP NOW!! Linda Johnson is a college instructor of all of the Microsoft Office Programs, as well as Adobe PhotoShop and Windows. She also teaches online distance learning classes in Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher, and Word at Eclectic Academy. She has worked helpdesk and teaches and lectures at many local businesses and tech schools in her area. Support this newsletter by checking out Linda's eBooks, MS Word MAGIC!, Book I: Fonts, Fun & Formats and Book II: Table Wizardry, How To Get Started As a Software Trainer, and her newest series of MSOffice eBook Tutorials and CD |
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