Online storage/backup?

wby0nder

wby0nder

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Matt Michael
I need to back up about 1 GB of stuff on a laptop that I'm going to do a fresh install on. Unfortunately the USB ports dont work nor does the CDRW or network connection. I CAN get on the web though. Any suggestions?
Thanks
 
My CD works sort of... I think the basic drivers are intact. The drive is visible but I think the more advanced drivers are missing or corrupt. Hopefully anyway. My local IT pal says it should work.
 
Download Acronis True Image, ...(hopefully) burn it to CD (use another computer?)

Boot on the CD - don't need no other steeking drivers.

Back up an image. You can burn to CD or to another PC over the network.

Be happy.
 
Just make sure you don't 'backup' whatever it is that is causing the problems. In my short stint in IT Support, when they would get a desktop in with problems, they would image the HDD so the user didn't lose any critical stuff (they were supposed to save it on the network drives to begin with, but that's another story), and then wipe the HDD and put the original image back on the HDD. :dunno::dunno:

Is it any wonder that I made it to a management position after about 3 months there as an INTERN!?
 
CJones said:
Just make sure you don't 'backup' whatever it is that is causing the problems. In my short stint in IT Support, when they would get a desktop in with problems, they would image the HDD so the user didn't lose any critical stuff (they were supposed to save it on the network drives to begin with, but that's another story), and then wipe the HDD and put the original image back on the HDD. :dunno::dunno:

Is it any wonder that I made it to a management position after about 3 months there as an INTERN!?
Click to expand...

I thought of that. I *think* you can a selective restore with True Image, so you can just restore Me/Documents and Setttings.

You don't have your kinds of problems when you stay far away from anything from Symantec. :rolleyes:
 
mikea said:
I thought of that. I *think* you can a selective restore with True Image, so you can just restore Me/Documents and Setttings.

You don't have your kinds of problems when you stay far away from anything from Symantec. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Norton Ghost. Enough said.
 
CJones said:
Norton Ghost. Enough said.
Click to expand...

But doesn't that backup files onto a secondary internal hard drive, vs. offsite or an external drive? I got Norton Ghost with my Dell a couple of years ago, but it seemed to be running out of room quickly, and causing me all kinds of admin. headaches. I am not an expert in these things, but it seemed like a huge pain so I let the subscription expire as I didn't understand the benefits.
 
nddons said:
But doesn't that backup files onto a secondary internal hard drive, vs. offsite or an external drive? I got Norton Ghost with my Dell a couple of years ago, but it seemed to be running out of room quickly, and causing me all kinds of admin. headaches. I am not an expert in these things, but it seemed like a huge pain so I let the subscription expire as I didn't understand the benefits.
Click to expand...

Back when we were using Ghost (8 years ago now :hairraise:) we were using it to simply pull and push images onto HDD's. In fact, it was all command line driven so we could boot from a 3.5" floppy that had NIC drivers available so we could pull the image from the network.
 
wby0nder said:
My CD works sort of... I think the basic drivers are intact. The drive is visible but I think the more advanced drivers are missing or corrupt. Hopefully anyway. My local IT pal says it should work.
Click to expand...

Is the drive visible--but not usable? There is a really common problem caused by either Roxio or Nero that will render the drive useless within the operating system without performing a simple registry fix. Which version of Windows?
 
CJones said:
Norton Ghost. Enough said.
Click to expand...

THAT'S what I meant to stay away from. Norton is Symantec.

The difference with Acronis True Image? It's doesn't tell you you need to pay for a license for this PC to back it up or get your stuff back.

That, and the runtime isn't Windows.
 
CJones said:
Norton Ghost. Enough said.
Click to expand...

mikea said:
THAT'S what I meant to stay away from. Norton is Symantec.

The difference with Acronis True Image? It's doesn't tell you you need to pay for a license for this PC to back it up or get your stuff back.

That, and the runtime isn't Windows.
Click to expand...

MIke is right. Norton=Symantec=Evil. Avoid.

Acronis is painless, fast, and very flexible.
 
cameronbm said:
Try mozy. You get 2GB storage for free.

Bruce
Click to expand...
From what I see, it's $4.95 a month per computer. Buy a year up front, get a month free. Buy two years, it's three months free.

Nothing about outright free.

It does indicate unlimited backup for that.

Edit: Oops... spoke too soon! There's a little block off to the side for that deal.
 
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jesse said:
Is the drive visible--but not usable? There is a really common problem caused by either Roxio or Nero that will render the drive useless within the operating system without performing a simple registry fix. Which version of Windows?
Click to expand...

Windows 98SE on a Thinkpad A22m. I'm pessimistic about trying a fix but if you think I can I'll try. I know there are missing kernals or dot bats or auto exec's or some such. I gave up trying to make this system work about a year ago. I tried some registry fixes a while back but never had much success.
 
Here's what ya do:

Either transfer the data to another computer in the house via network...or:

If its an OS issue, run a Linux LiveCD long enough to transfer the data to a USB hard drive or burn it to a DVD. I know Linux isn't for everyone, but it will at least get this done for you very simply.

Edit: Also - using the Linux LiveCD will tell you if its hardware or software too...
 
I'm not sure how you're getting on the Web if the network connection and USB ports aren't working. Are you using dialup? If so, then I think you'll need to forget online backup for now, as well as any imaging solution that relies on external media.

The exception would be if the NIC and/or USB port problems are software related, and your imaging solution (Acronis, etc.) can use these ports from bootable media. But if the CD drive is also shot (or close to it), then this would seem to be out, as well.

Which brings us to the next solution: Pull the hard drive and use an IDE/USB (or IDE/Firewire) adapter to slave it to another computer, and then image it from there. I'd also make a simple copy of just the documents, critical data, and settings, which will be easier to use than an image if you wind up going for a complete reinstall and just want to re-import your stuff.

I used to have an A22m, by the way. What a workhorse that machine was.

Rich
 
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wsuffa said:
MIke is right. Norton=Symantec=Evil. Avoid.

Acronis is painless, fast, and very flexible.
Click to expand...

Correct. That is the same reference I was making with Norton Ghost. He said avoid Symantec and you won't have problems. I said "Norton Ghost. Enough said." which I though implied the extent of the problems we had. Apparently I should have been a little less obscure with my reference. :)
 
Here is a review of online storage service

http://online-storage-service-review.toptenreviews.com/

xdrive has no monthly fee and allow up to 5gb of free storage

If you don't want to go through the online route, see if you can fix the usb port by checking this webpage

http://www.comvcon.com/windows 98 usb driver.html

If your laptop has parallel port, check around to see if someone has the parallel port zip drives. I have 2 of them laying around and have thought of giving them away on freecyle but may want to keep one and a couple of zip disks just in case I need to access some pc or laptop with only parallel ports.

hpl
 
wby0nder said:
Windows 98SE on a Thinkpad A22m. I'm pessimistic about trying a fix but if you think I can I'll try. I know there are missing kernals or dot bats or auto exec's or some such. I gave up trying to make this system work about a year ago. I tried some registry fixes a while back but never had much success.
Click to expand...

The same buddy who got the iMac has Windows 98 (not SE I hope) and had the same problem. I just copied each *sys, *com *exe file it complained about one at a time and eventually got it breathing again, after 3 or 4 hours of the same kind of hacking. :mad:

Then after I badgered him to make an image, we found out that the current Acronis True Image 11 did not support Windows 98 so we set out Googling to find somebody selling version 9. He bought a copy of it for like $11 and started doing regular backups.
 
I've been considering supplementing my external drive back up that I do every night with an online back up that I don't have to think about. In reviewing this thread I started using Mozy free version for my home computer basically just backing up photos and some important documents and on my daughters computer for homework projects.

I was going to download the pro version for my law firm then my IT guy told me Mozy was good but is really a home use product and suggested I use Intronis http://www.intronis.com/. Any one have experience with Intronis
or Mozy pro www.mozy.com in a legal or business application? Cost is a factor but I don't want a crap product.
 
From a security standpoint, I'm uncomfortable with sending my data out of my control unless I personally encrypted it with software I own/wrote/understand.
 
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