ed@presidiocomputers.com Presidio
Computers, LLC 520
731 6446
Ed
Sloup, President
10080
E. Domenic Lane
Tucson,
AZ 85730 Nov
2007
The following
material is provided for informational purposes only. Neither warranties nor guarantees are stated
or implied. Before installing any
software, be sure to backup all of your important data. You have been warned!
Introduction
The purpose
of this document is to provide you, my customer, with a brief outline of the
data backup process.
Your data may
be lost due to drive failure; natural disasters; warfare or terrorist attacks;
computer theft or vandalism; computer viruses; user error ["OOPS! I didn't mean to delete that file!" ];
or bad luck. This list is not
all-inclusive. Remember, Murphy was an
optimist.
The vast
majority [ fewer than 30%, in a recent survey ] of computer users do NOT backup
the data on their computer.
Why should
you backup your data? “An ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of cure.” is an adage that applies here. You can easily spend hundreds of dollars in
an attempt to recover your lost data; financial records, homework, vacation
photos, music collection, and so forth.
The method
you choose may be influenced by time, effort, cost, technical expertise, and
other factors.
Backup – this
refers to the use of a specific type of program that will create a copy of your
files
[ data on
your computer ] in a type of file that can be recognized only by that backup
program.
Clone – an exact
duplicate. Cloning is done from one
drive to another drive.
Copy - a
duplication. You can copy files
manually, or use a program that will copy one or more files to a CD, DVD, or
other removable disk type.
HDD – hard
disk drive
DVD – Digital
Versatile Disk [ or Digital Video Disk ].
DVDs & DVD drives come in many formats. Be sure to purchase DVDs that will work in
your DVD recorder [ burner ].
Flash Drive –
a small, thumb sized device which connects to a USB [ Universal Serial Bus ] port. Using a flash drive is relatively easy.
SATA RAID –
Serial ATA [ SATA ] Redundant Array of Independent Disks [ RAID ] is a term to
describe a collection of HDDs connected in a specific way. This requires intermediate to advanced
computer skills or a lot of courage and some luck.
1. Hard drive
failure is an inevitability. If your HDD
fails, you will need to know how to remove the old
drive & install the new drive.
2. 2 backup
copies are better than 1 copy.
If you want
to backup all of the information on your computer:
1. You can
manually copy the files important to you, to a removable disk [ floppy disk,
Jazz / Zip disk, CD, DVD ] or flash drive.
2. You can create a clone of your hard disk
drive to another HDD attached to your computer, or an HDD that is in your
computer’s case. The HDD that your
computer uses will be the "source".
The HDD to which you clone your data is the
"destination". The destination
drive will be referred to as HDD 2.
3. You can
backup some or all of your files to CDs or DVDs. CDs hold 0.7 GB. Single Layer DVDs hold 4.2 GB. Dual layer DVDs hold 8.4 GB. The number of disks you will need depends
upon the amount of data on your computer.
4. You can
create a “drive image”, to a set of CDs or DVDs.
5. You can
backup all of your data to 1 or more tapes.
These tapes are about the size of a cassette tap, and will hold 20 GB to
40 GB. If your HDD is less than 40 GB in
size, you can backup all of the data on your computer, in one fell swoop. A backup project creates one large file. If you need to recover a specific file, you
need to use the backup software to restore the file.
6. You can
backup your data to an external drive.
7. You can
have your computer copy the information on your computer to two separate HDDs
using RAID.
8. Any
backup, copying, cloning will transfer viruses or other malicious software, and
Windows errors to the backup disk or device.
Detailed
Description of 6 Backup Methods
1. Manual
backup.
Save all of
your installation disks or flash drives; Windows, programs installed,
upgrade/update disks. Keep track of all
upgrades/updates performed [to programs and device drivers]. Save all upgrades to a CD or a DVD. Copy all of your data to CD, DVD, Jazz/Zip
disk, floppy disk, auxiliary hard disk drive, etc. Copy all of your important files [ doctoral
thesis, genealogy project; photos; email messages & address book; favorites
/ bookmarks, to list but a few ] to disk
[ floppy, zip, CD / DVD ].
When your
hard drive fails, re-install Windows, re-install all of your programs, upgrades
& updates; then copy all of your data to your hard drive. This option
requires a well-organized individual. It
is very time consuming, but costs you little out of pocket.
Equipment required: Disks
containing copies of files you have created, disks containing Windows &
installation disks of every program
installed
on your computer.
Advantages: Low
cost upfront. Easy for the PC novice to
copy files to disk.
Disadvantages: Time
consuming; requires extensive, accurate documentation,
which
may require computer expertise beyond the beginner level.
Considerations: There is a lot of user intervention involved,
both when backing up your data, and restoring your data. You have to select the files you want
copied. If you need a copy of your
autobiography, all you have to do is copy it from the removable disk to your
computer’s HDD. If you lose a large amount
of data, you have to re-install Windows, all of the programs on your computer,
then put the files back.
2. Hard
drive cloning.
A clone is an
exact duplicate. Unlike the process used
to photocopy a document [ When we use a photocopier to copy a document,
usually, there are minor but visible differences between the original and the
copy. ]
Not so with hard drive cloning.
Bit for bit, sector for sector, when you clone your hard drive, you are
making an exact copy.
The cost,
upfront, includes the price of the cloning program and the drive to which your
original hard drive will be cloned.
Products available include Acronis True Image 10 or 11.,
[ http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/
]Symantec's "Norton Ghost" and
[ http://www.symantec.com/sabu/ghost/ghost_personal/
]. This may be the most expensive
option, up front, but it is relatively easy and it is the least time-consuming
recovery option. Cloning software costs
$50.00.
The
destination drive, HDD 2, can reside inside or outside your computer.
If you select
the external option, you will need a case, a cable & a hard drive. It
will connect to 1 of your computer's USB ports. An 80GB hard drive costs
$60.00. An external drive case costs $45.00.
Or you could
put the hard disk drive into a removable case, in a vacant CD / DVD bay. The rack and case assembly costs less than
$50.00.
Equipment required: Cloning
software, hard drive to which you clone your data; USB or 1394 [ Firewire ]
port, or internal rack module.
Advantages: Quick
restoration. Cloning process does not
require your constant attention. Allows
for off-site storage, which reduces risk from fire, theft & other
non-computer threats.
Disadvantages: Relatively
high cost, upfront, of the options discussed in this report.
Commercial
external HDDs, with case, are larger than 120 GB.
Unfortunately,
HDDs > 80 GB [ desktop; 40 GB laptop ] are more
likely
to fail than smaller HDDs.
Considerations a. If you lose data, you put the HDD 2 into your computer and you are up & running in a few minutes. You have lost only the information created [ by you or the computer ] since the last time you cloned your HDD. Clone frequently!
3.
Use backup software and an optical disk.
Backup
your data using products such as Migo's PC Backup Pro
[ www.migosoftware.com/store/pc-backup8.html?SourceID=PCBACKUP_storehomepage_ShowCase3]
or EMC's Retrospect for Windows XP Professional Edition
[ http://www.emcinsignia.com/products/homeandoffice/retroforwindows/
]
to an optical
disk. This option requires a CD or DVD
burner / creator. After installing the
backup software, perform a backup. If
your hard drive fails, install a new hard drive, install Windows and the backup
program. Then, run the backup program's
restore feature.
PC Backup Pro
costs $60.00. Retrospect for Windows XP
Pro costs $130.00, which provides licensing for 2 computers. You may
already have a CD burner or DVD burner. CD - R disks are relatively
inexpensive and relatively durable. DVD burners can frequently be
purchased for as little as $30.
One advantage
of using backup software is that the process can be scheduled to occur while
you are not in attendance.
Equipment required: Backup
software, CD or DVD creator / burner.
Advantages: CDs
& CD burners are inexpensive. DVD
burners are coming
down
in price.
Disadvantages: CDs
and single layer DVDs cost approximately the same amount. For a 40 GB hard drive, it will take
approximately 60 CDs or 8 single layer DVDs to create one backup job. The restoration process takes some time and
requires your physical attention to the task.
Dual
layer DVD drives cost $75.00.
HD
and Blu - Ray DVDs which hold 50 GB are available. At the moment, the drives cost > $500.00
and disks cost a lot more than DVDs.
4. Create
an “image” of your hard drive.
The costs,
equipment & procedures are similar to using the backup software, as described
in “C” above. In addition to “Drive
Image” and “Ghost”, above, Acronis makes a highly rated drive image
program.
[ http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/
] Acronis True Image 10.0 costs $50.00.
This option
has a high up front cost, but it is relatively easy, and the recovery operation
is less time consuming than the backup option.
You could
attach the additional drive to your computer via a cable, see discussion of
option “f”.
You would
need an external hard drive. It could be connected to 1 of your USB
ports. Costs: 80 GB destination drive - $75.00; external drive case -
$75.00; software - $60.00.
Or you could
put the hard disk drive into a removable case, in a vacant CD / DVD bay. The rack and case assembly costs $50.
Equipment required: Imaging
software, CD or DVD creator / burner.
Advantages: CDs
are inexpensive. Restoring from an image
is relatively
easy. CD-RW and DVD +/- RW disks can be
re-used.
Disadvantages: DVDs
are more expensive than CDs. Each time
you create a drive image, it will take approximately 60 CDs or 8 single layer
DVDs a 40 GB hard drive,. CD - R and DVD
+/- R disks are not re-usable.
Re-formatting
CD-RW and DVD +/- RW disks can be time consuming.
5. Backup
to a tape drive.
This is the
"classic" data backup format. This system is appropriate for
the small business, but may not be cost effective for the home and home office
user. As hard disk drives become larger
and larger [ It is common for new home computers to have hard disk drives of
160 GB and larger.] backing up to a tape
drive is no longer an inexpensive, one-step process.
Larger
capacity tape drives, 160 GB, with software can approach $1000.00. The tape drive often comes with a backup
program, or you can use the program built into Windows.
Home and home
office users may be interested in 40 GB tape drives. The drive [ internal or external ], and
backup software cost $400. http://www.certance.com/products/travan/
The tape drive usually comes with
backup software. Windows 2000 &
Windows XP Pro have
a backup
program that will work with tape drives.
Backup MyPC and similar backup software will work with many tape
drives.
Equipment required: Backup
software, tape drive and tapes.
Advantages: Second
fastest recovery. The backup process can
be automated, thus allowing you to perform some non-computer activity while you
backup your computer
Disadvantages: Highest
cost of the options mentioned in this paper.
Considerations: If you lose data, you can restore the data
from the tape, using the data backup / restoration program. The backup process can be accomplished with
little user intervention. Restoring a
single file takes little time. Restoring
all of the files on the hard drive takes a lot longer.
6. Backup
to an external hard drive.
This is often
sold as a package solution. The package
usually consists of hardware and software.
The hardware
is a standard hard disk drive, in a fancy case.
Inside the case, one will generally find a hard drive & a cooling
fan.
The case will
connect to your computer via a cable, to a port on the outside [ generally the
back, but possibly the front or side ] of your computer.
The case will
most likely connect to your computer by USB [ Universal Serial Bus ] or
1394 [ aka
Firewire ] . USB comes in 2 flavors; 1.1
[ there is no 1.0 ] and 2.0. USB 2.0 is
40 times faster than USB 1.1 Firewire 400 is almost as fast as USB 2.0. Firewire 800 was introduced during 2005, but
I haven't seen Firewire 800 products recently.
It is highly
likely that your computer, if it was built since July 2004, it has USB 2.0
capabilities. 1394 connections are less
common, but may be present. Check your
computer’s documentation or contact your computer manufacturer.
If your
computer lacks a USB 2.0 or 1394 connection, your computer can be modified, for
$100.
The software
portion of this option is a backup program designed to work exclusively with
the hard drive portion of this option.
The software is often a scaled down version of full feature backup
software, such as the products mentioned in option “3”.
Equipment required: External
hard drive package
Advantages: Second
fastest recovery. Easy to setup and
use.
Disadvantages: Upfront
costs are relatively high compared to the other options mentioned in this
paper. If your computer is stolen, the
thief might also take your external drive.
If the computer is physically damaged [ by fire or water, for example ]
your back up drive will probably also be damaged.
7. Using a flash drive.
Flash drives
are convenient devices that permit the rapid transfer of data; faster than
burning a CD or DVD. Flash drives hold
0.5 GB to 16 GB of data. You don't need
any special software to transfer your files to a flash drive. You can treat the flash drive like a floppy
disk and transfer files a few at a time, or in a large group. Prices range from $10.00 for a 1 GB flash
drive to $170.00 for a 16 GB flash drive.
Equipment required: Flash drive & USB port on your
computer.
Advantages: Almost as easy as using a floppy disk. A flash drive can be written to thousands of times.
Disadvantages: They are relatively fragile and can be lost easily. .
Avoid dropping them. If you lose
the cap, or use a drive without a cap, pocket fuzz can fill the connection end
of the flash drive. If lost or stolen,
your data becomes the property of the thief.
Some flash drives offer built in encryption.
8. Using RAID.
This is the most technical type of
data backup. This technique requires the
skills [ and courage ] to open
your
computer' case, add some hardware and make changes to your computer's most
fundamental hardware settings, the BIOS [ Basic Input Output System ].
If your
computer is RAID capable, you need to add a 2nd HDD and configure your computer
to use RAID 1. After doing so, you
transfer all of the data on your original HDD to the new HDD. From that point on, when a change [ adding or
removing data ] is made to your original HDD, the same change will be made to
your new HDD.
Equipment required: RAID capable motherboard or RAID
controller card
2nd
Hard Disk Drive
Advantages: After setup, the system is on auto pilot.
Disadvantages: A high level of technical expertise and courage are
required. Upfront costs are relatively
high compared to the other options mentioned in this paper. If your computer is stolen or physically
damaged [ by fire or water, for example ] your back up drive will probably also
be damaged.
A summary of 10 external drives can be
found at: http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,117817,00.asp
SUMMARY
Unless you
choose option “1”, you cannot use your computer during the backup / imaging
process.
Options 1 and
2 allow you to transfer data to a different computer. Transferring data to a different computer is
either very difficult or impossible with any of the other options
described.
Options
arranged from least to most labor intensive:
7, 5, 2, 3, 8, 6, 4, 1.
Options
arranged from least costly to most expensive equipment: 1, 7, 3, 4, 2, 6, 5, 8.
Options
arranged from shortest recovery time to longest recovery time: 2, 8, 6, 4, 3, 5, 7, 1.
I use options
1 & 2 on my computers. At least weekly, I clone my HDD. During the week, I copy indispensable files
to flash drive, CDs or DVDs.
No matter which option you select, keep the following in mind:
A. There are
2 kinds of computer users; those who have experienced a hard drive failure and
those who will experience a hard drive failure.
One failure does not protect you from future failures.
B. If your PC is damaged by fire, flood or other
natural disaster, you don't want the same forces to damage your backup. Store your backup media away [possibly off
site, such as in a safety deposit box] from the computer.
The products
mentioned in this document are for example purposes only. No specific recommendations are made. The backup solution for your situation may
have requirements not discussed in this document. Thus, the products mentioned might not
fulfill your backup requirements.
All costs
mentioned above are approximations.
Disclaimer: The above material is provided for
informational purposes only. Use the
items described in the text at your own risk.
Sincerely,
Ed Sloup
Presidio Computers, LLC
[520] 731 6446
http://www.presidiocomputers.com/
Disclaimer: The text contained in this message is
provided for informational purposes only. No guarantees nor warranties are
expressly given nor implied.
Be sure to
back the data on your hard drive regularly.