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..

Get even more Dropbox space right now.

I use Dropbox to synch some files between computers, devices and the web. Nothing very sensitive but it’s great for photos, tech documents and files and other items. It’s also great for sharing items with others; I can upload something, share it (Dropbox gives a link to ‘share’) I then send that link to those I wish. Pretty cool.

Right now, and I don’t know if it’s a fluke or not, you can get up to 50GB of space just by doing a few things! If you have an account log into it and go here [get space] or create an account, go through the walkthrough (they’ll add space just for doing that) then go to the ‘get space’ link.

  1. Tell them why you like Dropbox.
  2. Let them tweet about you.
  3. Tweet about them.

Just doing these three things got my storage size to 52GB!!

I don’t really tweet much except for tech posts, so I could give a rip about them tweeting to my feed. You may care, I don’t. Also, for my personal ID security and safety, all my login credentials are very different and not connected in anyway for every online service I use.

I do also use other cloud services too (Google Drive, Skydrive etc.) but I’ve posted before about those already too.

Well hope you get your space while the getting is good.

Nandroids and other backup tips

Hey folks another reminder please backup your digital data. I know most people don’t think about this till it’s too late. Don’t be one of those. Not a week goes by that I don’t hear from someone who’s ‘lost it all’ and had no backup. Or worse thought they had a backup but never verified it and found it wasn’t usable.

I’ve written many times before on the why’s, and how to’s; here is a great write up

And for backing up your iDevice read here. My go to tool for all things iDevice is still DiskAid . If you don’t want to use that and iTunes, at least use Time Machine and iCloud!

To backup Android devices I use two tools. One is Titanium Backup Pro. [It requires Root access if you don’t know what that is and why you should have it, check here. You can learn how to root your particular device and add a custom recovery on XDA (more at bottom). Titanium benefits and functions are also explained in my other post above.

The other method I use regularly with my Android devices is to create Nandroid backups.

What just what IS a Nandroid? It is a full backup of the partitions on your device’s NAND flash (NAND actually stands for NOT AND,which in simple terms means an electronic gate). Basically a backup of your phones hard drive if you will… The Nandroid backup is a snapshot of your device (it means everything on your phone – your apps, data, your current ROM and even the kernel is backed up) at the time you do the back up. If you restore the back up, it changes your phone BACK to that state. Again I will mention my love of disk images in disaster recovery – done right it is by far the best solution to complete recoverability of data AND system(s) to a point in time.

To create a nandroid you will need a Rooted device, of course, and a ‘custom recovery’ such as ClockWorkMod (CWM) or other recovery such as Team Win Recovery Project (TWRP). So make sure prior to this you have a rooted device and custom recovery on your device.

Here is a Great walkthrough of how to use Android recovery (there TWRP) to backup/create nandroid on the Samsung Galaxy S4. This recovery is very similar to CWM (Clockwork Mod) in functionality but has a few more options and is, of course, touch based; which can save wear on your hardware buttons. The method is virtually the same across android devices.

The king of Android how-to’s is Tim Schofield (QbKing77) check out his various vids here.

This guys also has loads of good vids for various Android devices you may wish to check out here.

Little hack for G4 Sprint http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYTis-i7HA4 that will give you the ability to use your phone as a HotSpot (note that this may be against the Terms Of Service and you could be cancelled for abusing this! So use at your own discretion)

If you’d like to get to learn more about your Android device you should really check out XDA Developers Forum and site. Here is their introductory video. If you spend just a little time there you will surely learn a whole lot about your device and how to really unleash it’s full potential.

Oh, and if you do go there and check out the site keep in mind the pointers from this video!

 

iDevice updates and backups 04

Just thought I’d bump this post. I just had another person tell me about their iDevice backup woes once again.. I was able to recover some stuff thank goodness. But come one people, for your own sanity, backup your data…..

I’ve written previously about backing up and restoring your iDevice.   I’d like to add a short update to that. Having recently dealt with a few people who have ‘lost’ their data (either just photos or all their settings) after updating to iOS 6. I thought I should re-iterate a few things.

First use iTunes to backup your device (including ‘synching purchases) and make SURE you back up to your computer (and then iCloud if you choose) regularly; I’d recommend at least once a week. Read my previous post on how to use Apple’s iTunes method for that.

Second. As I mentioned before, I HIGHLY recommend using a third party application to copy off all your data; photos, contacts, phone logs, messages etc..

My choice to do that is DiskAid. With this application you can copy off all your data AND remove/delete older data such as photos taking up space. You can also copy all your contacts off (they are exported to a vCard format) that will then let import them into other applications like Outlook or other contact management software! I am always amazed that people will spend hundreds of dollars on a device and not spend any money on backing that data up. Folks most of you will spend more on dinner for two that the cost of this application.

I just got done freeing up 4GB of data on a iDevice that would not update because of ‘not enough available space’. There were hundreds if not thousands of pictures on it. To selectively delete them individually would have taken a very long time. Using DiskAid we just copied the entire Camera Roll off to the PC and removed all of them from the device. By default this user has their pictures already uploading to Instagram too.

After freeing up that space we were successfully able to upgrade to the latest version of iOS. BAM dead simple. And now those pictures and files can be backed up from the computer to an external drive for REAL backup and peace of mind.

UPDATE: DiskAid is now iMazing and works even better! So glad to have access to my iDevice!! I can now do most of the ‘stuff’ Apple doesn’t want me to do – delete whole groups of photos, copy off my call and text logs and update my contacts as I see fit. Yay!

Have fun. Peace out.

Moving Virtual Machines in ESXi from older hardware to new server.

If you have outgrown you current ESXi hardware and need to move to another physical machine and you don’t have vSphere you can still easily move all your VMs to the new server. Without additional software costs.

First install the ESXi Host software on the machine and configure it for access via the management console.

Take note of the IP address and credentials you used for you new installation.

Then login to your existing VMware installation via your management computer/console. And you can then do one of the following.

Simple way?

Use the outstanding free product(s) by VEEAM!
Veeam Backup Free Edition. The free version that will let you backup, replicate/move and restore entire machines from one ESX server to another on the same subnet. The free version limits the backup/migrate tasks to one machine at a time but it works! If you have a VMware environment I highly recommend their product(s) for backup and disaster recovery. You can automate just about everything you need for backing up and restoration. Check out more here http://www.veeam.com .

Older not so quick but still simple old fashioned way.

Open the management console. Connect to the original server/Host. Navigate to the Server (vCenter) containing the VMs you wish to move.
Commit any snapshots in the VM you are going to move.
Power off the VM.
Click the Configuration tab.
Click Storage.
Open/Browser to the Datastore where the VMs are located and find the folder containing the entire Virtual Machine (the one with the disks (vmdk), .vmx file, nvram, .log files etc.).
Copy that entire machine to a drive (a folder on the management station or other attached/network available storage)

Connect to the new host via the management console.
Open the Datastore where you wish to place your new machine(s)
Upload (import) the entire folder – containing the Virtual Machine, you previously copied/downloaded.
Then open the that new folder and right-click on the .vmx file and select ‘Add to Inventory’.
It will then show up in the list of machines in your selected Server/Cluster. Then power off all the old machines and shut down that Host.

When you power on the machines on the new Host you will be walked through a process that will ask you if the machine was copied or cloned. Since you are moving the VM choose that –  move and NOT clone or it will generate a new machine ID/SID and jack up the VMs usability.

Do that for any and all that you moved and test connectivity from workstations.

I’ve done this with virtualized Domain Controllers, SQL servers and even an Exchange server!

That’s it.

Peace out.

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.

More Free Cloud Storage

I like free and I like options.
I already have written about Microsoft’s awesome SkyDrive storage previously here along with other options here.

I really like using DropBox to hold my Titanium Backup files; my Android phone (Rooted Samsung Galaxy SII/Epic 4G Touch) synchronizes my nightly automated Titanium Pro backups to DropBox. This provide me with one more source for me to have access to my phone applications and settings should they get hosed or I need to ‘go back’ to them.

Right now you can get a whopping 50GB Free lifetime storage from Box.net. The forever part is crucial here, since it’s not some gimmick offer that’ll turn into a lemon after a few months of use. The space is yours to keep. Plus the file size limit gets a bump to 100MB, up from 25MB, if you get the app before March 23, 11:59PM. There are no strings attached, either; just download the app and sign in or create a new account FROM YOUR PHONE FIRST to get the free storage, which is then accessible from any device — not just your Android phone. They ran a promotion like this for the iPhone 4S a while back too. I hope you iPhoners got that.

SC20120223-140934

I use many of these cloud services to store data – documents, pictures and encrypted files that I can ‘afford’ to lose. I have loads of photos, technical documents, class/school work and other notes stored. However I don’t store ANY vital information in ANY cloud service; ever. No passwords or keys, no bank account information etc.. I just don’t trust anybody to be safe with my data like I would. But they provide an invaluable service for sharing and collaborating with family, friends and associates.

So take advantage of this while you can and utilize technology to be more productive and have more fun!

[As a footnote. I have the Dropbox, Skydrive and Box.com applications installed on all my machines – BUT they are not set to start at startup and I run/turn them on manually every couple of days. I personally leave VERY few connections to the ‘outside’ world open on any of my systems. Especially ones that I have no direct control over. You may not care, but I’m the ultra paranoid type of guy. You know the type who has worked in the IT security industry for a few decades who might have an idea of what is safe and reasonable. Smile with tongue out ]

iDevice Backups

If you have an iPhone or other iDevice, you’ve probably wondered at some point how to backup iPhone data. There’s actually a pretty easy way to backup your entire iPhone using the iTunes software. The procedure requires a few steps, but everyone should be able to do it. Hopefully you did this when you 1st got your phone or other iDevice following Apples instructions. But I wanted to point out a few things and some alternative methods for insuring you can access your data. Especially if you have made many additions to your device; pictures taken, music downloaded apps purchased etcetera.

I have found that iTunes is KNOWN TO WIPE YOUR DATA – APPS, PICTURES AND MUSIC if you have not set up the sync/backup correctly!! I can’t tell you how many calls and emails I get from folks who have synced their iDevice only to find all their information has been wiped! And once wiped it is nearly impossible to retrieve (save for expert data recovery services $$).

So let’s start the Apple way:

To start the iPhone/iDevice backup, connect your iPhone to your computer with your USB cable, then start iTunes. Go to the devices list on the left side of the screen, and select your iPhone. You then need to right click on your iPhone, and select “Back Up”. This will start the backup procedure, and will take some time depending on how much data you have stored on your phone. Once the backup is complete, you will now have a complete collection of all your phone data stored on your computer. If your phone should get destroyed, you’ll be able to restore all of your existing data to a new phone. You can read Apple’s tutorial here for how to back up you iDevice here and here.

One thing I don’t like is that iTunes Store and App Store content on your iOS device may not automatically transfer to your computer as you might think by just doing a ‘sync’ or backup with iTunes. You can use the Transfer Purchases option in iTunes to ensure that all iTunes Store and App Store content is transferred to your iTunes library. Read how here.

I have found that getting pictures off of many iDevices – especially phones seems to be a major source of issues. I have used, with great success, many third party applications to ‘grab’ music, photos and videos from iPhones and iDevices for family and friends. If you have an iDevice I couldn’t recommend any more strongly  that you have at least one of these applications in your toolbox! Spend a little $ and get a real solution.

Now my way(s)!

The application that I have used most is DiskAid. It just works and you can do so very much with it! Check it out. It has the ability to do a complete backup of the ENTIRE iDevice, quicker and more thoroughly than iTunes.

Some others I’ve used are:

iPodAccess Mac version or PC version

CopyTrans

iPodRip

And finally a very good freeware application for getting stuff of iDevices to pc is called SharePod.

As a final note if you have an iDevice a must have application is this – Find My iPhone. It is now free and enables you to:

• Locate your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac on a map
• Display a message on the screen
• Play a sound for two minutes at full volume (even if your device is set to silent)
• Remotely lock your device
• Remotely wipe your device to erase your personal data

OK folks be safe and keep your data backed up!