Let’s get backing up this New Year!

So another year is gone and a new one is upon us.
Many of us have received or purchased new computer systems for personal use, work or school or will be soon.
Nowadays many of us have a great deal of our lives – pictures of family, personal and legal documents and more stored digitally on our computers. And many do not have any backups of said systems.

I continually preach the benefits of using system images for backing up your computers. With imaging you can restore entire systems in case of hard disk failure, restore individual files and folders, upgrade/migrate to newer larger and faster HDDs (usually SSDs) and even move to completely new systems.

One of the first things everyone should know is that your digital system(s) WILL fail. And can at anytime. And if you have no recoverable backup your data will be gone forever. Please don’t let this happen to you.
One thing I do – because I am such a stickler on having my own stuff backed up, is have TWO full backups on SEPARATE disk drives. This allows for me to keep the two seperate full images in two different locations. And should one backup drive fail, I have another to go to. The likely hood that both would fail (along with my primary system) is remote and if I had that triple whammy I’d have to assume God needed me to lose it all.

External Hard Disk Drives can be had very inexpensively. For example here is a good deal on one from Amazon. And the cost of imaging software is under $100.00 US (often way less too). A VERY small price to pay for peace of mind and the security of knowing you’ll be able to recover your important files, pictures and entire system.

Here is a previous article I’ve written. All points valid still.

Here are the tools I regularly use:

Acronis – Acronis works on Mac and PC. I prefer the 1-time purchase option because I like to OWN my stuff and not ‘rent’ it. Check that out here. They have loads of tutorials in their knowledge base.

For Mac only there is Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC), my favorite. Or another good alternative SuperDuper.

Of course on Macs, you can use Apples built in Disk Utility to create an image but it is more onerous. And you can’t really make incremental backups. You can of course, create an image and use TimeMachine backups to make up the difference I guess.

As a free alternative for Windows 8.1 and 10 there is the built in backup utility which includes and imaging option. However I’ve had issues restoring images to differing hardware. Here is a very good article on how to do that.

Another very good option for PC is Macrium Reflect. They even have a free version (here) that works very well. I’ve used the latest version successfully a few times.

One more way I use to augment my backups is with the "Cloud".
Cloud storage sounds very nebulous, but is really just utilizing large storage pools made available by numerous internet service providers to augment their offerings and services.
Cloud storage is GREAT for storing a large amount of ‘nonproprietary’ information; things like most pictures many documents and files etc. I just make sure to not put up to the cloud any critical/personal/financial documents or other highly private information.
I pay a little extra to Google to have loads of extra Google drive space that I upload many pics and files to. [and of course Google provides for free unlimited photo storage with some gotchas on the having to do with photo size and quality].
I have Microsoft’s One Drive that came with my purchases of Microsoft Office and some Windows 10 devices; but that storage size has been cut down recently.
With my Amazon Prime account I also have unlimited picture storage too. 
And I also even have Dropbox.

So for plain mundane data storage you can see I use many of the available options in the cloud. But the ‘cloud’ does NOT enable you to recover your entire system should the drive or other major component fail. Or worse – burn up in a fire or get damaged by some other catastrophe.
So no matter what I store in the cloud I ALWAYS have copies on my own personal systems somewhere.

I may be a more than a little "tight" about keeping data. But decades of dealing with data losses in the corporate and personal world has made me so.

I hope that some of you take some time in this New Year to do some digital safe guarding. Like a fire extinguisher you need to have it on hand and ready before you have the fire.

My drumbeat. Backup with Images folks!

Once again I’ve had the frustration of dealing with failed hardware. The system was highly customized with special settings and configurations to enable unique line of business applications and data, plus the ‘regular’ business applications such as MS Office (with custom CRM databases) multiple email accounts and other applications installed after the system was first ‘fired up’. It was an HDD drive failure on a two month old HP laptop.

HP’s solution is to ‘just send the whole thing back and we’ll put the new HDD in with the ‘factory image’. A ‘factory image’ is what the new Laptop ships with; as if you just bought it. None of my installed applications, settings or files would/will be there. Meaning I’d have to finish the initial setup, update the Operating System to a Windows 8 Pro version (the ship version was Home Premium), install MS Office 2013 Pro (again from the MS Store – it didn’t come with system), install all the other business applications required for this user – 4+ separate ones each requiring special configurations to work with Windows 8, AND then get all the files and settings (like email accounts etc.) configured. Oh and of course there would be about a day and half worth of Windows and Application Updates and Patches to apply. Then hope that it all works as it did.

Had this system been IMAGED, I would have been able to remove the dying/dead drive, run down to the local PC store (Fry’s) and buy a replacement drive, install a clean/new one and restore that image to the new drive. The system would then be as it was when the image was created, apps, files, settings and all. Only time would have been the physical HDD removal and replacement and the time it takes for the image restore – that total time would probably have been only one day more or less.

I propose this to all of my clients. But for some reason they often don’t see the value till it’s too late. No matter my insistence. It is usually a, ‘yea, we’ll do that soon..just not now….. Sometimes it’s the capital cost (actually less than $200.00) or time (really very little – to install and setup). But in the end I guarantee that it will always cost more if they are out of business.

However in this case there was no image backup. The system was as a point where it was un-repairable via HP or MS Windows recovery tools and would not boot. I had to remove the HDD, place it in one of my HDD docks and use advanced disk recovery (forensic) tools just to get access to the data. I was then able to copy off nearly all the data to another drive. Note that I recovered data NOT the working system. So all the documents and files this person had are still accessible. But otherwise quite useless with out the applications and Operating system to use them.

I constantly hear the commercials for the many online backup services and their BS promises on the TV and radio. My clients do too. And they like most people do NOT understand that there is a WORLD of difference between a file backup and a full system backup that will enable complete system recovery; Operating System, Applications, Settings and all. It’s good to use some of these services to backup your documents and files (I do and recommend some – see my previous articles on cloud storage). But you must understand that if you SYSTEM fails you need some kind of system recovery, not just files.

I cannot state it emphatically or enough, PLEASE USE SOME KIND OF DISK IMAGING SOFTWARE TO CREATE YOUR BACKUPS!!

I have written many, many times about this. You can read here and here.

My go to imaging software is Acronis True Image. The cost is nominal (right now only $79.00 U.S. for the Home Premium version that includes ‘Universal Restore’. You can check out there deals here. Add to that the low cost of External USB HDDs – less than $100.00 U.S. in most cases, and you can assure that you will NOT be out of business longer than a day or two at most. VS having a to wait for a manufacturer to send out replacement part( s) , re-install and configure everything and HOPE it all works as it did.

Well there you go just another rant after spending a few whole days working my tail off to help one of my clients. Sigh..

Spring Data Backups and Recovery

So it’s spring time woodchuckers. Time for some cleaning and maintenance for many around that house. It’s also a good time to check your backup plans and procedures for your digital data too. Or if you don’t have any make and apply some sort of plan.

You know those stupid commercials about not knowing when you will lose your data. Well, THEY’RE TRUE! It is not a matter of ‘IF’ but WHEN. There are many factors and events that can cause a loss of your important data: Things such as fire, flood, earthquake and other natural disasters. Power surges or outages. Theft of your primary system(s) failure of part or all of your system(s) and of course malicious software such as extortionware or virus’. Remember electronics like everything else WILL fail. And of course usually when you need it most or expect it least.

So please design and USE some sort of plan. I recommend a solution that utilizes technology to it fullest. And for that I recommend backing up you data locally to external/removable hard disk drive(s) (that can and should then be stored in a fire safe or safe deposit box!) along with a combination of some form of ‘cloud’ type of service. I’ll discuss both here.

Cloud Storage solutions such as Mozy, Carbonite etc. and other ‘Synchronization’ type of services such as; Dropbox, Box.net, iCloud, SkyDrive and many others offer a wonderful addition to ANY backup plan. And I use many of them and recommend them as an addition or supplemental solution. You can read my previous article here.

There are a number of things to consider with ‘Cloud’ services, things like:

Bandwidth and storage size – you will be backing your data up to the cloud, and it’s your Internet connection you’ll be using. You need to evaluate your internet connection (and ISP rules and limits regarding that bandwidth – some ISPs severely restrict the amount of data you can use per month!), and whether or not you need to increase your bandwidth speed and/or allotment.

Backup and Restore times – If you are backing up (or synchronizing) a lot of data, how long will it take for the backup and more importantly the ‘restore’ to occur? There are two methods for moving the data back and forth – one is to backup the ‘entire’ file(s) each and every time they are modified. The second is to just synchronize/backup the changed data (called delta or diffing).

Will the company be there when you need it?! –  Startups sometimes offer amazing prices for cloud storage but require a leap of faith on behalf of users that they’ll still be around next year. It’s possible that even established services could disappear overnight, but more likely the owners will tell you if the service is to terminate, and give you a chance to make other arrangements or retrieve data. Make sure to choose one with a LONG track of ‘being there’.

System Resource Usage – Some applications can cause your system to dramatically slow down while others are ‘lighter’ on systems resources and synchronize or back up when you are not using your system or at scheduled times. The best way to find out which works for you is try a few of them.

And of Course Security – This is not a small thing. You must make sure your account is protected by a very secure username and password AND that the service you use is very reputable. Also for backup services (vs just the synching type) do they offer ‘full file encryption’? How are your files AND passwords stored on that system – are they themselves encrypted? Are files encrypted before they are sent to the cloud storage provider and are they transmitted via a secure connection (https, sftp etc.)?

On a personal note I don’t put ANYTHING in the ‘Cloud’ that contains any truly sensitive information. I simply synchronize documents, photos and other files that I may not really want to have someone access but that I would still not be ‘harmed’ if they were somehow compromised and accessed. For these purposes – easy access to my documents and files from anywhere, and also collaboration with individuals or teams, the cloud reigns supreme; I can place working documents into many locations, access them from just about anywhere and even share them if I need to. I can also restore ‘lost’ or previous versions of documents and files fairly quickly and easily with these ‘cloud services’. Like I’ve mentioned many times previously, I am extremely careful about my personal security so I use cloud services as an ‘adjunct’ to my ‘real’ back/disaster plan.

I back up ALL my data using disk imaging. It is the only method that can reproduce, to an exact point in time, your existing system; Operating System, Applications AND files quickly and easily. Usually within less than a couple hours depending on the size of your image(s).

With disk imaging (or cloning) I have the ability to be up and running extremely fast. I can restore an entire system or individual files. No need to re-install an operating system and applications and then update them just to be able to access my files. External Hard Disk Drives (and spare internal ones too!) are very inexpensive and getting cheaper all the time!

I have written many times previously [read here and here and for Macs here ]about the prudence and wisdom of having backups of your digital data. And by backup I mean that your data exists in TWO places at once and is able to be accessed or recreated from either source quickly and easily. For this I believe the best solution is to use Disk Images for both Windows PC’s and Mac OS X systems.

Please read my other articles (linked above) and get and work a backup plan. For my Windows operating systems I use and recommend Acronis and for Apple OS X systems I recommend Carbon Copy Cloner. Both provide a superior solution to those built into either respective OS.

Peace, and good luck.

Acronis Deal

OK here I go again.
Back your sh%t up!

I have written many times previously [read here and here and for Macs here ]about the prudence and wisdom of having backups of your digital data. And by backup I mean that your data exists in TWO places at once and is able to be accessed or recreated from either source.

I believe the best solution is to use Disk Images. And my favorite tool for Windows is Acronis (they should pay me for all the referrals!).
Right now Acronis has another super deal Acronis® True Image™ Home 2012 WITH their Plus Pack which enables restores to dissimilar hardware for only $49.99! And a 3 PC license for only $79.99.

I urge you purchase a large external HDD (or two) – they are very inexpensive now ($100-$150 U.S.) and to invest in this software if you haven’t already. Create a Full Image and breath a sigh of relief, for now. Follow my other posts on continuing a good backup plan. With the option of ‘Universal Restore’ you can ‘take your data forward’ to new/dissimilar hardware too!! OK be data safe! Peace out.