Backup, Backup, Backup!!!

[Reefdreams]

Just a reminder to everyone, make sure you back up everything regularly!

I have absolutely no excuse for not backing up, I have 2 TB of Raid5 network storage (most is used for dvd's though) my server for my home automation system is backed up automatically but I never included my desktop PC in the automated backup and have increasingly used for for more and more tasks with starting the new business.

Well I am now suffering for that, my desktop disk has failed and has corrupted/lost a lot of files. I'm currently running Spinrite to try and recover them as my mail box was one of the files lost! But this takes time, I'm 18 hrs into the recovery process and still no where near getting the data back. Thank god Actinic always prompts on exit, so I have a snapshot from yesterday and can continue to trade!

If anyone has any recommendations of recovery software I'm all ears.

Storage is relatively cheap nowadays so don't be a fool like me and get lazy, it will cost you far more in the long run. Disks WILL fail eventually, so be prepared.

Thanks

Steve

[Duncan Rounding]

I used to use the simple NTBackup but have just recently started using Acronis 10 and I'm very impressed with it's ease of use, flexibility (and price - just £20).

I regularly make backups in more than one location as well test my restore regime and Acronis performs very well - much better than the later versions of Ghost.

And I don't get commission.

[pinbrook]

to try and recover them as my mail box was one of the files lost!

a simple method of ensuring you don't lose email, is to set outlook (or similar) to keep messages on server for 30 days.

Also be very diligent about copying attachments to somewhere safe and don't leave the only copy in your inbox.

[Reefdreams]

Good advice thanks.

I have a copy of Acronis, that is what I use to back up my server an excellent program and with it I managed to backup most of the data, apart from my mailbox which is in a corrupted part of the drive. I had just not got around to setting it up on my desktop.

I've just been and bought a couple of replacement drives so I shall set up a Raid array to be double sure this time!

Steve

[NormanRouxel]

Ghost (or Acrinis) images have another use. You can set up a virtual machine (e.g. VmWare) and reload the disk image into that. This gives you the capability of running the old system alongside the current one, all on the same machine.

[fleetwood]

set outlook (or similar) to keep messages on server for 30 days.

Jo

Could you please explain how to do this with outlook.

I thought that once they were downloaded into outlook they were no longer available on the server (unless you set the server to forward a copy to another mailbox - is that what you mean, or is there another way?).

[dave_finlayson]

If the option Jo is talking about is not enabled then they are removed from the server by Outlook. However, if you go into your account in Outlook then click on 'More Settings' and then go to the advanced tab there is an option there to 'Leave a copy of messages on server', within in that you can set the timeframe to leave them there. It's useful if you want to keep a copy off incoming messages on another PC too as you can then download incoming messages from the last X days onto any PC.

Beware though, some providers do limit how much you can store and may get grumpy if you leave 4 years of e-mails on their servers, at the moment I believe ours automatically delete anything older than 90 days.

[fleetwood]

Thanks David