Computer Backup Services

[piller]

A few years ago the hard disk in my pc went bad. So I started to use a bootable linux liveCD to run my pc. It's free, it runs in RAM, no local hard drive is needed. I stored all my stuff online. I could access my stuff from any pc. I now have a pc with a hard disk that works, but anything I care about is stored online.

 

[/pine]

I started to use a bootable linux liveCD

with a very cool program you can make your own personalized/customized bootable Linux CD...it will have all your favorites/bookmarks...your e-mail configuration and any programs you like...it is like taking your desktop workstation anywhere with just a CD or DVD...or even a USB drive (most newer BIOS's will let you boot from a USB device)

What you do is...install Linux to a hard drive...then you set up your desktop with any customizations you want...remove any software you don't want and add any that you do...then all you do is run the "make live CD" program and it re-writes the bootstrap from the original LiveCD and makes an ISO image of your hard drive installation...then all you have to do is burn the ISO and you now have a live bootable CD or DVD of your desktop workstation that can be booted on just about any computer...it can also be set up on a USB/flash drive.

If anyone is interested in more information on this PM me...

 

[/pine]

since W98 and W98SE does not support USB 2.0.

This is not so...you can easily install a USB 2.0 card on a Win98 (or even Win95) system...it just requires a 3rd party driver (which will come with the card)
natively it (Win98) won't support it but adding a 2.0 card is a snap...

 

[ultrarunner]

This is not so...you can easily install a USB 2.0 card on a Win98 (or even Win95) system...it just requires a 3rd party driver (which will come with the card)
natively it (Win98) won't support it but adding a 2.0 card is a snap...

Would you have any specific recommendations?

At work, everything was windows 98se before going to XP.

One of the older 98 machines was overlooked and when it crashed the network guy removed the drive and installed it in a xp computer and saved the data... I was not there, but that is what I was told.

 

[aczlan]

Would you have any specific recommendations?

Try Ebay item# 260471570540, it is listed as working with Windows 98.

One of the older 98 machines was overlooked and when it crashed the network guy removed the drive and installed it in a xp computer and saved the data... I was not there, but that is what I was told.

What probably happened is Windows stopped working, but the harddrive was fine, as such the XP computer could read the data without any problems (just like installing a 2nd harddrive) it was probbaly faster (and more useful) to copy the data off and install XP than to fix 98.

Aaron Z

 

[Willl]

bootable Linux CD

I used to run Knoppix as my OS.

 

[/pine]

I used to run Knoppix as my OS.

The great thing about Linux is...there as so many distributions and they are all getting updated on a regular basis...it is always state of the art...

 

[dmccarty]

This was timely.

Dvds that last 1,000 years claimed - The Inquirer DVDs that last 1,000 years claimed

But you had better have deep pockets...

The Diamondisc DVD burner though, now that will set you back $4,995. But, for $5,000 you also get 150 Diamondiscs to play with.

The Diamondiscs are only

$34.95, two or more individual Diamondiscs go for $29.95 apiece, and a five-pack is priced at $149.75.

Now what was of value in the story was the Kodak Gold Preservation Write-Once DVD-R that are supposed to last a 100 years or so for $6 per DVD. Or $74 for 50 on Amazon.

Later,
Dan

 

[keegs]

Not sure if anyone mentioned mirroring.

I'm pretty sure most open source distributions of linux e.g. Fedora, Ubuntu, SUSE ....provide software raid (logical volume manager) to manage the disk(s).

If you want to stick with Windows and you're not running a server addition, you can go the hardware raid route with a raid controller and second disk. I think the Windows server additions offer sofware raid as part of the OS.

 

[brin]

My reason for not using on line back up service as much as I would love to is ..I just don't trust the security..just imagine all that you have on your computer and in this day and age with all that is going on to trust that out in cyber space is something I just can't do..Call me paranoid..I have a stand alone 300 gig hard drive as a back up .it cost $98.00 and I control it...I stess...I control it and that way I can sleep at night.