| If you have a computer for home use or for your | | | | from the DVD's. |
| business and don't take comprehensive backup for full | | | | 2. Full hard disk backup. |
| protection then you are in the danger-zone. Maybe | | | | I also use a data backup software and create a full |
| you do not take any backup at all. | | | | backup of the hard disk on consecutive DVD's. |
| You can find in Windows a basic backup utility which | | | | This is a standard disk backup. With this backup I'm |
| are installed during the installation. | | | | able to restore any files and/or folders. |
| I should say for all Windows...,but in fact it is not | | | | I can also move the data to another computer. |
| included during the installation of Windows XP Home | | | | 3. Regular scheduled backup of files and folder. |
| Edition. | | | | Here I use the same software product I use for the full |
| It is as if Microsoft thinks that data protection is not | | | | disk backup. I make with this software regular |
| necessary for home computers and computers used | | | | schedule backups of the files and folders I work with. |
| by small businesses. | | | | In my case they include My Documents, Outlook emails |
| It is true that hard drives are becoming less prone to | | | | and other files that are modified over time. |
| hard disk crashes. | | | | I do this by keeping a permanent rewritable DVD inside |
| But, if you consider not only hard disk crashes, but also | | | | the DVD burner. |
| virus infection, theft plus other treats, then you realize | | | | I then rotate a number of DVD's for this purpose so I |
| the importance of implementing a full-proof backup | | | | can keep copies away from the computer. |
| strategy for your computer. | | | | Whenever I install important new programs from the |
| Today many computers are equipped with a DVD | | | | Internet or I make other major changes to my system |
| burner, yet most do not use it to manage their vital | | | | I'll also create a new disk image backup and a full hard |
| data backup. The amount of data you can store on a | | | | disk backup. |
| single DVD is several Giga Byte. | | | | You should use a DVD burner that is built for |
| There are many types of backup you can make. | | | | rewritable DVDs. |
| Here are the steps that I take myself to fully secure | | | | Unfortunately there are several competing DVD |
| my data against data loss: | | | | standards on the market. |
| 1. Disk image backup. | | | | The DVD-R, DVD-R and DVD-RAM standards |
| I use a disk image backup software and make a | | | | supports DVDs which only can be written to once and |
| complete image backup of the disk on consecutive | | | | can't be reused and those standards should be |
| DVDs. | | | | avoided. |
| I also create an emergency rescue CD. | | | | The DVD player should instead support at least one |
| If I have a hard disk crash I'll use this emergency CD to | | | | rewritable DVDs standard. |
| boot from. | | | | Either DVD-RW or DVD+RW. |
| But, first I have to install and setup a new hard disk | | | | Conclusion: |
| that is working. | | | | I use regular schedule backup to backup the data files I |
| Then I can recreate the data directly back from this | | | | work with on a daily basis. |
| backup stored on the DVDs. | | | | I'll make a disk image backup so that in case of a hard |
| This work is made fast and without the need to spend | | | | disk failure I will be back in business fast. |
| time installing both the operation system and the | | | | I also create a full disk backup so that I will be able to |
| backup software. | | | | restore individual files or folders. It makes it also |
| Everything is instead copied directly into the hard disk | | | | possible to move the data to another computer. |