KenmoreRulesAll

I just bought a refurbished computer because the HD on my laptop was/is failing. I should probably re-install an SSD.

sews

I use a cloud back-up for $55/year. Worth every penny. Just say no to a sewing machine or 2 and you're covered.

J Miller

We had Windoz XP Pro, Firefox with Adblock, and several of their other programs. Had it running pretty smooth.
Now were starting all over again. Running Enternet Xploder #? , I don't like the way it or Chrome is set up. We've got a few bugs to get out of this one, then we'll put Firefox back in.

The techs backed up our old HD and gave it and the back up to us. Said to bring the tower in and they'd help us get the programs we want in, they're different between XP and 7, for nuthin.

I've decided I'm going to make a hard copy back up of all my email addresses, even when that data is on a back up it does me no good when the computer dies.

Joe

J Miller

Sabine,

As good as that is, it does no good while the computer is dead. For some data a hard copy back up is better.

Joe

SteveH

Joe,

You can also email the info to yourself. That way there is a copy of contacts and info to download once your new machine is up and you can access the internet.

As an IT Systems manager, I can state without reservation, that there IS a need for hard copy backup of key data..

sews

The back-up is in a "cloud", i.e. on a computer elsewhere. It backs up continuously.... If your computer dies, as has happened to my husband, you buy the new computer and download everything that you had saved in the "cloud". You can set it up to save whichever folders you select. PM me if you want to know their website, I assume it's not cool to post it here. (starts with carb.... cloud backup)

I had a local backup before and yes, what good is that if you can't get to it? (And it hogs space on your HD.)

ArchaicArcane

I agree. They said computers would replace paper but it will never happen while the quality is so low on the storage mediums. Says the tech with a failing raid array ATM. :-/ I have backups of my backups and still print some things out. That said, nowadays I have mobile products that work as a backup for contacts. Phone numbers and email addresses on 3 - 4 devices usually pretty close to ensures that I don't lose anything. It's when I only have one copy of things that I lose them. Learned that in college. Lost every single programming project or its documentaion at least once. The last project I had 5 copies of it. My family had copies. They had no idea what it was but that they were to protect it with their lives til I graduated!

If you choose to use email as a backup, make sure your email client isn't set to remove messages from the server or the backup won't be there for you when you need it.

Mrs. SewNSew

Gah! Computer stuff can make you crazy! I've had enough problems in the past to be sure and back up anything and everything to a separate hard drive and about once a year I wipe my laptop and do a new install. I have this bugger apart to blow out the dust too because it can really gather near the fan vents and doesn't blow out causing eventual overheat issues.

I've had to learn almost as much about computer care as I have had to about restoring vintage machines!

J Miller

Sigh ...................... got most of our files from the techs. Then found out that Outlook Express isn't compatible with Windows 7. So now we got Windows Live email. What a mess! That program had to be set up by a rocket engineer. It is so busy and complex I cannot find my list of emails. It's in there somewhere but I can't find it.
We've got to find something that much more user friendly.

Anyway, I've got email again.

Joe

SteveH

Chrome and Gmail, is IMO the easiest and quickest combo ever.

The Chrome took a little getting used to because I was a hard core Microsoft person and was not used to software that didn't shove everything in my face all the time. We have done tests here at work with several different users with very different usage patterns and across the board it was Firefox was 2x faster than IE, and Chrome was 2x faster than Firefox.

The ONLY negative we have had is Gmail is an APP not an email program, so windows does not always know to use it as a default. However, we found an add on for gmail that basically is a micro email stub program, that windows can talk to as a native email client.

never going back...