computer back up

[arrow]

I have an older (2002) computer that is doing nothing in my cellar. Can I use its hard drive to back up my current computer and if so, how do I do that?

 

[dex3361]

You would be better off to get a dedicated external hard drive for back up. You could use it as a back up but it would be a hassle.

 

[Code54]

You could do it if you wanted. The big thing is it a large enough hard drive to backup your current data? All you need is and ext. hard drive case (see Ebay - cheap) and hook it to your USB port, format it and drag and drop whatever you want to back up. I use an old one to keep a copy of my system at work in case something ever happens at my home and I lose my daily backup system (fire, theft, etc)

 

[radioman]

what os ? you could use microsoft backup. Is new and old pc a desktop ? just same your time, pull old HD out and drop iun new pc. backup directly to the old drive. If you have a desktop to laptop, create a folder for backup on old pc and open a share and backup via your home network settings after you mapped it on the new drive. All of this is free.

 

[arrow]

what os ? you could use microsoft backup. Is new and old pc a desktop ? just same your time, pull old HD out and drop iun new pc. backup directly to the old drive. If you have a desktop to laptop, create a folder for backup on old pc and open a share and backup via your home network settings after you mapped it on the new drive. All of this is free.

Wait, what you just said to me was like explaining to a 3 year old on how nuclear fission works. If I need to pull anything out and place it in another, its not happening. Yes they are both desktops and what I was hoping for was a way to connect the two computers, press a button, and have all my computers contents spew over to the other computer. If not, then I need another way and I do not wish to use off site back up.

 

[GPintheMitten]

I don't recommend using an 8 year old harddrive for backup. It is probably too small to make it worth your while taking it out of the old computer and putting it in a case to use as an external harddrive for backup. And the reliability on an 8 year harddrive isn't the best.

Take a look at how much data you have on your new computer to see how large a harddrive you need to back it up. Depending on how tight your budget is, get 1 terabyte external backup (that's 1000 Gigabyte) or for a little less get around 320 to 500 Gigabyte.

Do a search and you'll find them at a number of retailers with products for less than a $100.

I typed in "best buy external harddrive" and got a number of hits at Best Buy that would suit you. You plug them into your USB port and back up your computer.

If you need more help, just stop by your favorite retail store for computer related products and they'll explain everything to you.

 

[dex3361]

I don't recommend using an 8 year old harddrive for backup. It is probably too small to make it worth your while taking it out of the old computer and putting it in a case to use as an external harddrive for backup. And the reliability on an 8 year harddrive isn't the best.

Take a look at how much data you have on your new computer to see how large a harddrive you need to back it up. Depending on how tight your budget is, get 1 terabyte external backup (that's 1000 Gigabyte) or for a little less get around 320 to 500 Gigabyte.

Do a search and you'll find them at a number of retailers with products for less than a $100.

I typed in "best buy external harddrive" and got a number of hits at Best Buy that would suit you. You plug them into your USB port and back up your computer.

If you need more help, just stop by your favorite retail store for computer related products and they'll explain everything to you.

I agree

 

[kidr]

I don't know much about anything but I have seen programs advertised that transfer data from one computer to another. For instance if you bought a new computer and wanted to download data from the old to the new. Seems it should also work in reverse. You can also subscribe to auto backups. I've heard them advertised on the radio. The nice thing about that is your data is is always being backed up so you don't have to do it manually. you might have to be on dsl for it work .

 

[NuBota]

Arrow, I agree with the others about the external USB hard drive. It is the best way to go nowadays. Just about all come with backup software and some even have a "push button" to run your backup

I have an old system on my home network that serves as a print server and file shares for storing files. But you have to know how to set up the networking to make this an option and, as others have mentioned, have enough capacity. In my case there are multiple computers (5+) in the house, so this makes it worthwhile. Of course, nowadays, they (i.e. Linksys, etc) make network devices (much smaller than a desktop) to provide those functions - I am just too cheap to spend the money.

If you have only one PC to backup - just get the USB hard drive (HDD) and connect it direct. Use the software that came with it and you're done! Only about 100 bucks. Saves the power and headache of keeping another machine running.

If you have multiple PCs, the network solution is the "sophisticated" way to go - either with the special devices mentioned above, or using your old PC. Or you can just move the external drive between machines or buy one for each.

If you use your old PC, you may still need to get the USB HDD (since you don't want to open the case) and connect it to your old machine to give it the needed capacity, then do the whole network setup so all of your machines can access it. The one potential problem there is the USB port on your older machine may be an older version and will run much slower than your newer one(s)

-Eric

 

[eepete]

+1 on external USB drive.

Since they are < $100, consider if you want to get two. One for backup that is kept at home, and one for off site storage. Every 6-12 months you get it and back stuff up. Are all the pictures you've taken, financial records, and other data worth $100 if your house burns down?
So maybee after the 1st drive works, think about a 2nd one and a relative/friend/work place to store it.

Pete

 

[MikeInEburg]

In these days of digital photography, it is the photos that are most at risk to hard drive failures. You can always re-create documents or financial records if necessary - but you'll never have opportunity to recreate the photos. In addition to external drive, periodically writing them to DVD is a good option.
Mike

 

[Uncle Doug]

I bought a 500gb external USB hard drive at best buy last year for about $120. Uses no external power. Very compact and portable. I backed up my desktop and the 3 laptops we have plus copied all video and photos from disks and CD that have been building up over the years.

All that and not even half full.

 

[bp fick]

I don't recommend using an 8 year old harddrive for backup. It is probably too small to make it worth your while taking it out of the old computer and putting it in a case to use as an external harddrive for backup. And the reliability on an 8 year harddrive isn't the best.

Take a look at how much data you have on your new computer to see how large a harddrive you need to back it up. Depending on how tight your budget is, get 1 terabyte external backup (that's 1000 Gigabyte) or for a little less get around 320 to 500 Gigabyte.

Do a search and you'll find them at a number of retailers with products for less than a $100.

I typed in "best buy external harddrive" and got a number of hits at Best Buy that would suit you. You plug them into your USB port and back up your computer.

If you need more help, just stop by your favorite retail store for computer related products and they'll explain everything to you.

+1 for all the reasons stated. The surface of hard drives deteriorates with time. It the data is important to you, this isn't a secure place to back up the files. Buying server space for data storage in cyberspace is the way to go, actually. If you need to better understand what that means, we can help you get on handle on that concept.

 

[rdln]

We got the 500gig job for ~$120 also, simple to use.

I dont trust those online backup places, thats alot of people personal data they have. I can predict a big hacker or insider problems with those places.

 

[JB4310]

So what to look for in a USB back up drive?
Are they powered by the usb or do they need to be plugged into ac outlet?
Do they need to stay connected to computer or just once in awhile plug them in to back up?

I also have a functioning older computor with 60 gig hard drive, but if the USB drives are so cheap it's worth it just for the space saving

JB.

 

[JB4310]

So what to look for in a USB back up drive?
Are they powered by the usb or do they need to be plugged into ac outlet?
Do they need to stay connected to computer or just once in awhile plug them in to back up?

I also have a functioning older computer with 60 gig hard drive, but if the USB drives are so cheap it's worth it just for the space saving

JB.

OK, just read back a few posts and got most of the answers to my questions, looks like it can't be much simpler, it is mostly pictures I'm trying to protect, I do write them to DVD once a year, but am worried about in between,

What about cds and dvds does the data stored on those degrade over time?

JB.

 

[Bedlam]

If just pictures, Id recommend also in addition Pawtucket or that type of site also. I do the disc, and also photobucket.Don't see to many privacy problems with these sites.Just be sure to set them to private

 

[Cat_Driver]

With pictures I download the pictures from the photo card and immediately place them on a (2) DVD's which holds the most data. (1) DVD get place off property, like a safe deposit box or office or anywhere else but home in case of fire theft etc. The other gets put in a CD case for reference.

Yes a little **** but I take about 25,000 pictures a year and I have made a lot of money from the picture I take by showing my work to customers. One picture can get me thousands of dollars in work so they are very valuable to me.

Then I have one set of pictures on my main hard drive which I work with and my final copy is on an external hard drive.

Yes I have has hard drives crash many times so I clone my hard drive every night using SUPER DUPER. If my main hard drive goes down I just fire up from the clone. i also fire up from the clone every once in a while to make sure it is the twin of my main computer.

Here's a picture of what I did a few weeks ago.

 

[RickO]

Here is what I use and it works great. No spinning hard drive platters to fail. No moving parts. Just plug it into you USB port. After you get it configured to backup what you tell it to - it can do it automatically or manually (when you tell it to). This one is 500GB

Seagate FreeAgent Go 500GB Portable Hard Drive

Seagate FreeAgent Go 500GB Portable Hard Drive Black

 

[bp fick]

Priceless memories, vital work documents, etc need to be backed up.
To those who say they don't "trust" cyberspace servers, well..... The entire world is trusting it. All web based activity is on a server somewhere. There is no choice.

Backup number 1 is home media of some kind. Burn DVD, CD, flash, or exterior HD.

Backup number 2 is cyber space. These servers themselves have back up systems.

Merely saving at home on home media is not 100% to be trusted, because media surfaces fail, flood, fire, thieves break in. (sounds scriptural, I know) The life of burned CDs or DVD is not half way to forever, sorry.

Ah.... saving important things in the digital age.