[atwnsw]

Okay, recently I had a major scare and thought that I lost everything on my computer... So, now I am going to buy an automated backup device.

I have read numerous posts and spoken to Buffalo tech about their linkstation wireless system. Totally confused which way to go....

For each system, I would like to use software such as Norton Ghost (never used it but ordered version 10.0 today for FAR) to make a complete backup (mirror or image) about once a month. Then, I would like to use another piece of software to make daily incremental backups for just the data only....

I have 1 desktop (60GB HD) which is hard wired to router...
I have 1 laptop (40GB HD) which is wireless.

Option A)
Buy 2 external USB 2.0 HD for each system
Downside: Double Cost and Double Setup
Cost around $100 per device x 2 = $200

Option B)
Buy Buffalo Linkstation 250GB and run wireless backup and setup only once.
Downside: Slows up the internet connection and may take longer to backup.

Cost around $180-200

Option C)
????????

This is new to me but I have no problem spending the $$$. I just want
to do it right the first time.

Please take the time to give me some advice.

Thanks

Anthony

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well Instead of "Backing up" you could just save your stuff to one network hard drive so instead of C:\Documents and settings\ Master with a problem save it to a network drive labeled Z:\master with a proble, What I do though is more tedious, but definitally cheapest way which is, save your stuff to a DvD-Rw I mean you cant go wrong for 10 cents a gigabyte. another Free option is to upload your important work to your email and make a system restore disk. www.mediamax.streamload.com offers 25 gigabytes of online file storage for free, but you can only download 500 megs of stuff a month, but they offer upgrades so you can download an exponentaily sqaured amount more.

Edited by master_with_a_problem, 06 May 2006 - 12:08 PM.

[master_with_a_problem]

well Instead of "Backing up" you could just save your stuff to one network hard drive so instead of C:\Documents and settings\ Master with a problem save it to a network drive labeled Z:\master with a proble, What I do though is more tedious, but definitally cheapest way which is, save your stuff to a DvD-Rw I mean you cant go wrong for 10 cents a gigabyte. another Free option is to upload your important work to your email and make a system restore disk. www.mediamax.streamload.com offers 25 gigabytes of online file storage for free, but you can only download 500 megs of stuff a month, but they offer upgrades so you can download an exponentaily sqaured amount more.

Edited by master_with_a_problem, 06 May 2006 - 12:08 PM.

[SRX660]

If you really want to backup your data, invest in a dvd-rw and burn everything you want to save to dvd's. I backed up data to a external 120 gig HD for a while. I got stupid and loaned it to a friend so he could move data from one computer to a new one. He crashed the external drive badly and i have been only able to recover half my data. He thought a external drive could not be infected by a virus because it did not have a OS on it.

Yes, you can only get 4.36 gigs on each dvd, but its better than any powered hardware. By the time you compare costs of other drives, raid arrays, etc, the dvd's make good sense. If you backup in incrementsas you download data it is not such a chore. DVD's kept in a safe place could last your lifetime.

SRX660

[warriorscot]

Yeah i use DVDs, ive got DVD-rams for the more day to day stuff that needs backed up more regularly and DVD-Rs, nice thing about dvd-rs is that the cost of a 200gig HD will get you well over a terabyte of file space on DVD. And there is no worrying about drivers, or crashing or corruption with a DVD.

[atwnsw]

I want to have an automated system that doesn't require me to remember nor does it require a lot of time. While I have DVD-RW, it is too time consuming. I don't mind spending the money in order to develop an idiot proof method of backing up regularly.

So, if $200 is in the budget, does it change your recommendations?

[SRX660]

Windows Xp already has its own backup program where you can set a time for backups and what data you want to save. You can tell the program where to save the data. A second HD would be a good option to use for backup storage.

http://www.microsoft...t_03july14.mspx

SRX660