From roots-in@roots-l.rootsweb.com Tue Apr 11 08:50:31 2006 Received: from mail.rootsweb.com (mail.rootsweb.com [192.168.65.34]) by admin.rootsweb.com (8.12.8/8.12.8) with ESMTP id k3BEoVjb015104; Tue, 11 Apr 2006 08:50:31 -0600 Received: from roots-l.rootsweb.com (roots-l.rootsweb.com [66.43.16.22]) by mail.rootsweb.com (8.13.4/8.13.4) with ESMTP id k3BEoUj8009513 for ; Tue, 11 Apr 2006 08:50:30 -0600 Received: from roots-l.rootsweb.com (roots-l [127.0.0.1]) by roots-l.rootsweb.com (8.12.10/8.12.10) with ESMTP id k3BCILFI020005 for ; Tue, 11 Apr 2006 08:18:21 -0400 Received: (from roots-in@localhost) by roots-l.rootsweb.com (8.12.10/8.12.8/Submit) id k3BCILe4020004 for roots-approved@rootsweb.com; Tue, 11 Apr 2006 08:18:21 -0400 Received: from lists5.rootsweb.com (lists5.rootsweb.com [66.43.27.41]) by roots-l.rootsweb.com (8.12.10/8.12.10) with SMTP id k3B0MCFI018286 for ; Mon, 10 Apr 2006 20:22:13 -0400 Received: (from slist@localhost) by lists5.rootsweb.com (8.12.8/8.12.8) id k3B2sAgc017156 for roots-in@roots-l.rootsweb.com; Mon, 10 Apr 2006 20:54:10 -0600 X-Envelope-From: Kaleypm@att.net Mon Apr 10 20:54:10 2006 Received: from mail.rootsweb.com (mail.rootsweb.com [192.168.65.34]) by admin.rootsweb.com (8.12.8/8.12.8) with ESMTP id k3B2sAjb017143 for ; Mon, 10 Apr 2006 20:54:10 -0600 Received: from mtiwmhc13.worldnet.att.net (mtiwmhc13.worldnet.att.net [204.127.131.117]) by mail.rootsweb.com (8.13.4/8.13.4) with ESMTP id k3B2s9fr022107 for ; Mon, 10 Apr 2006 20:54:10 -0600 Received: from mwebmail36.att.net ([204.127.135.75]) by worldnet.att.net (mtiwmhc13) with SMTP id <200604110254041130074bhve>; Tue, 11 Apr 2006 02:54:04 +0000 Received: from [66.167.168.8] by mwebmail36.att.net; Tue, 11 Apr 2006 02:54:04 +0000 From: Kaleypm@att.net To: ROOTS-L@rootsweb.com Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2006 02:54:04 +0000 Message-Id: <041120060254.2377.443B1A4B000B6A9B000009492160466648039F970A040EB5@att.net> X-Mailer: AT&T Message Center Version 1 (Feb 28 2006) X-Authenticated-Sender: S2FsZXlwbUBhdHQubmV0 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.52 on 192.168.65.34 X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.52 on 192.168.65.34 Sender: roots-in@roots-l.rootsweb.com Subject: [ROOTS-L] Backup of Computer Data In recent weeks, there have been numerous messages about the problem of computer data backup, how to, personal catastrophies, etc. I read all of these with great interest as I had a total failure about 18 months ago and lost everything: favorites list, letters, files, and the beginning of a genealogy data base. I use Windows XP Home edition. The cause was a "corrupted" harddrive. I had Windows Sp #1 and Sp # 2, updated them regularly, and also Nortons full system for protection. My tech rep said I could erase everything and start over, or pay him $50.00 and hour to find the corruption. I did have the Windows recovery disks, so I elected to start all over again. I have studied this whole issue, kept copies of msgs which subscribers to this site have kindly sent in, bought several manuals in bookstores, and done many Google searches on the matter. I recently discussed his problem with a friend who is retired from managing data systems for banks. He said the system he uses personally is to have his "main" computer on the internet, stores all his data on Iomega Zip Drives, then transfers the data to computers that are never on the internet (no chance of corruption). His second set of computers store his data until he then downloads the data to other zip drives and he stores them in a safe deposit box at a bank (away from his home). When asked about the cost of these secondary computers, he states new computers can be purchased for $300.00, or a used one for $35.00 and buy the software to insure its harddrive has been cleared of all data. He does not believe in external hard drives (they can fail), nor does he use on-line back-up systems due to the cost and their systems can fail too. I have plenty of written and downloaded material on CD's, Flash drives, Zip drives, External harddrives, network backup systems, and more, I'm sure. Much of it was obtained from this Roots site. Question: Is my friends solution viable and reasonable? Is it a good solution? Thanks for any comments. Peter in Colorado.