automatic backup program?

[guest]

I am looking for an automatic backup program which can save whatever I change or save on daily bases. Can someone recommend some? Thank you.

[AOforever1]

Hmm... the only thing that comes to mind now is Norton Ghost?
http://www.symantec.com/home_homeoff...overy/ghost10/

If you're just backing up the system config and files then System Restore on Windows XP should do the trick; however, it only backs up every other day if you haven't made any changes to the system (I.E. Install new programs, etc).

[Circular Logic]

How about a RAID array? That automatically writes whatever you change on one hard disk to another, linked hard disk. It's not removable though, so it's not technically backup...

[guest]

Originally Posted by AOforever1

Hmm... the only thing that comes to mind now is Norton Ghost?
http://www.symantec.com/home_homeoff...overy/ghost10/

If you're just backing up the system config and files then System Restore on Windows XP should do the trick; however, it only backs up every other day if you haven't made any changes to the system (I.E. Install new programs, etc).

Does this program save even little stuff I create or change? For example, if I create a small microsoftword file or just change it a little, will this program save it? On the next day, I change it a little, will this program save it accordingly, not as a separate file but save the change in the original file so in the end, I only have one file and always up-to-date?

[guest]

Originally Posted by Circular Logic

How about a RAID array? That automatically writes whatever you change on one hard disk to another, linked hard disk. It's not removable though, so it's not technically backup...

Does that mean I will have a separate file every time I save the change of something even if it's the same file?

[Circular Logic]

Originally Posted by guest

Does that mean I will have a separate file every time I save the change of something even if it's the same file?

Basically, what happens is that you have 2 hard disks. In a RAID 0 array, they 'mirror ' each other. So both your disks have exactly the same layout and files. The OS only accesses one drive, the other is used as backup. So, if you write to a file on your hard disk, it's 'mirrored' to the other drive, so the change is written to both drives at the same time. It does mean you're essentialy using 2 drives with the space of 1, however. Your MOBO has to support it too, otherwise you need a controller card.

[guest]

Originally Posted by Circular Logic

Basically, what happens is that you have 2 hard disks. In a RAID 0 array, they 'mirror ' each other. So both your disks have exactly the same layout and files. The OS only accesses one drive, the other is used as backup. So, if you write to a file on your hard disk, it's 'mirrored' to the other drive, so the change is written to both drives at the same time. It does mean you're essentialy using 2 drives with the space of 1, however. Your MOBO has to support it too, otherwise you need a controller card.

So I don't need two hard drives but my hard drive space is like only half of the actually size because of this saving thing.

What is MOBO?

You did say that it can't be removed. What does that mean? Thank you.

[AOforever1]

Okay, RAIDS are for SERVERS, hence EXPENSIVE... @_@
Just want to mention that. Unless you have the money, RAIDS would be perfect for your situation.

Circular Logic is using too many geek/tech terms for our guest here...

MOBO = Motherboard; which is the land that holds all the parts of your computer together.
Harddrives = Storage that sits in your computer and usually stays there; it CAN be removed.

[guest]

Originally Posted by AOforever1

Okay, RAIDS are for SERVERS, hence EXPENSIVE... @_@
Just want to mention that. Unless you have the money, RAIDS would be perfect for your situation.

Circular Logic is using too many geek/tech terms for our guest here...

MOBO = Motherboard; which is the land that holds all the parts of your computer together.
Harddrives = Storage that sits in your computer and usually stays there; it CAN be removed.

Yeah, I don't know much about computer. I just found out how expensive RADIS is. double @_@

Can you tell me more about this norton ghost? Good thing and bad thing about it and why you recommend it.

I am looking for a program which can save everything I create or change in my computer. It should automatically save the change everytime I do so, i.e., it doesn't create multiple files just for several changes for one file. It can be changed or deleted if I see fit. I only have one hard drive so it would be better if this can just utilize my only hard drive. Simply put, easy to use for me.

[guest]

How about some back up using external drive? I don't have the money for that now most likely but I would like to know about it. Thank you.

[Circular Logic]

Originally Posted by guest

How about some back up using external drive? I don't have the money for that now most likely but I would like to know about it. Thank you.

You can do that, but it won't auto-backup anything for you... That's kinda why I suggested a RAID - same expense as a removable hard drive (you're using both only for a backup), but you don't have to remember to back it up. However in case of fire or power surge, you can be up the creek w/o a paddle.

Norton Ghost creates a 'drive image' of your current hard disk. Basically backs your entire drive up into one file. Still have to remember to do it/schedule it.

[warnold]

Originally Posted by Circular Logic

In a RAID 0 array, they 'mirror ' each other.

I feel the need to correct this. You mean:
In a RAID 1 array ...

Explination of RAID levels:
RAID 0 is striping (where multiple drives are presented as a single large drive)
Level 0 provides no redundency, if any drive fails everything is lost. (fast, cheap, not safe)

RAID 1 is mirroring, where 2 drives are presented as a single drive, with all the data written to both drives. So if one drive fails, nothing is lost, and you can just keep on working. (fast, expensive, safe)

RAID 2 and 3 are specialized uses which I will ignore.

RAID 4 behaves mostly like RAID 5 except it has uses in certian high end drive arrays that I won't go into. (see NETAPP's website, they use this.)

RAID 5 taking n drives and presenting them as a single drive of n-1 size. The other drive worth of space holds parity information, so if any 1 drive fails everything can keep working. Note that due to the parity calculations this level is slow compared to 0 or 1. (slow, cheap, safe)

--
-billy-

[Circular Logic]

Originally Posted by warnold

I feel the need to correct this. You mean:
RAID 1 is mirroring, where 2 drives are presented as a single drive, with all the data written to both drives. So if one drive fails, nothing is lost, and you can just keep on working. (fast, expensive, safe)
-billy-

Hai, hai, typo. I stand corrected.

[guest]

Originally Posted by Circular Logic

Norton Ghost creates a 'drive image' of your current hard disk. Basically backs your entire drive up into one file. Still have to remember to do it/schedule it.

Into one file? Does that mean I have to go through jungle to find one file because they are all put in one barrel?

I guess it all comes down to budge now.

[AOforever1]

Originally Posted by guest

Into one file? Does that mean I have to go through jungle to find one file because they are all put in one barrel?

I guess it all comes down to budge now.

Is this something you MUST have? I mean, if it's going to be used for business documents or things of that nature, then it's worth your money (generally).

[guest]

Originally Posted by AOforever1

Is this something you MUST have? I mean, if it's going to be used for business documents or things of that nature, then it's worth your money (generally).

It will be for my data at work, sort of. So it's kind of important when I get to publish papers. You don't want to lose anything when you write a paper, do you? Don't expect the company is going to pay me anything for this because they did not even buy a computer for me when I obviously need one! I have to use someone else's scrapped computer. It took me a lot of work to just make it functional again. We even had to wipe out the entire hard drive to make it work and that was not the only thing we needed to do. Sorry about this winning. Now you know.

[AOforever1]

Originally Posted by guest

It will be for my data at work, sort of. So it's kind of important when I get to publish papers. You don't want to lose anything when you write a paper, do you? Don't expect the company is going to pay me anything for this because they did not even buy a computer for me when I obviously need one! I have to use someone else's scrapped computer. It took me a lot of work to just make it functional again. We even had to wipe out the entire hard drive to make it work and that was not the only thing we needed to do. Sorry about this winning. Now you know.

Sounds like you should just copy and paste your important documents to some form of external storage device. I think a flash drive would suit you well for Word docs and stuff, but if you're going to store video presentations etc, get a external harddrive.
Both of these items on the market are pretty cheap now.

[guest]

Originally Posted by AOforever1

Sounds like you should just copy and paste your important documents to some form of external storage device. I think a flash drive would suit you well for Word docs and stuff, but if you're going to store video presentations etc, get a external harddrive.
Both of these items on the market are pretty cheap now.

I don't do video presentation but I do computational analysis. I don't know if that will be the major part of my work in the furture, but it's possible. Right now, that is part of my work. Some of files are huge and I will have to do this quite often. My boss saves his back up data in server but I don't have access to the server. He used to have an external drive but it got stolen. I guess I will have to go with the external drive for now.