Comments on: Backing up your data http://empoweryou.ca/2009/09/16/backing-up-your-data/ Website Design and Search Engine Optimisation Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:06:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: ChrisGreaves.com http://empoweryou.ca/2009/09/16/backing-up-your-data/#comment-17188 ChrisGreaves.com Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:23:59 +0000 http://empoweryou.ca/?p=239#comment-17188 " ... automatically copy your important files ..." While I endorse backups, as a system professional I'd like to comment on the phrase above. Very few of us are qualified to KNOW, let alone decide, what files are important. Most users are best advised to backup EVERYTHING to an external drive. When the system crashes, even when Windows must be re-installed, many files will be required from obscure places, as your Outlook comment suggests. Using a package that backs up EVERYTHING means that when you call the systems professional in to help rebuild your system, that syspro will have access to the files required to re-prime your favorite applications. I have had too many phone calls where the user has backed up what THEY think are the essential files (typically "Documents and Settings"!) only to discover that their address book is gone, Gone, GONE! You are quite correct. A terabyte, for heaven's sake, is about $100. "A company is known by the data it keeps". ” … automatically copy your important files …”
While I endorse backups, as a system professional I’d like to comment on the phrase above.
Very few of us are qualified to KNOW, let alone decide, what files are important.
Most users are best advised to backup EVERYTHING to an external drive.
When the system crashes, even when Windows must be re-installed, many files will be required from obscure places, as your Outlook comment suggests.

Using a package that backs up EVERYTHING means that when you call the systems professional in to help rebuild your system, that syspro will have access to the files required to re-prime your favorite applications.

I have had too many phone calls where the user has backed up what THEY think are the essential files (typically “Documents and Settings”!) only to discover that their address book is gone, Gone, GONE!

You are quite correct. A terabyte, for heaven’s sake, is about $100.
“A company is known by the data it keeps”.

]]>