Windows Backup Software

You have a digital life, but do you have a digital backup?

These days we all have a digital life made up of thousands of files stored on our home computers; photos, documents, spreadsheets and more. We build it up over the years with new photos and videos, tax returns, correspondence, music files etc. All of it is irreplaceable, and for many people, it is completely unprotected. I would urge you now to take a few minutes to read this article and to think about making a digital backup.

If you haven’t got a digital backup, make one now!

The first time most people think about backing up their computer is about 5 minutes too late!

Too late!

Even if you had a digital backup, would it survive this?

Do you backup computer to DVD or to an external hard-disk and then tuck it in their desk drawer, or under the bed? Bad move! As you can see from the picture above, for a backup to be effective it must be taken to a safe off-site location.

So, you have made a backup of your home computer and stored it in your safety deposit box, or maybe in your brother in law’s garage, or some other remote location. You’re safe now, right?

Well, not necessarily. Your digital backups are only good if they are up-to-date. So you need to put time aside every week, at a minimum, to update your backup and then to take it off-site.

Isn’t there an easier way?

Well, yes, actually!

I’ve discovered a great website that makes an off-site, digital backup of all your important files. What’s more, it automatically updates your backup every single day! The website is called Angel Backup and it works like this:

You download the software from Angel Backup’s website, and enter your details. They have a 30 day free trial, so you can try it before you buy. The software then scans your PC and backs up your files over your internet connection to their backup servers. It backs up new or changed files every day, so you always have a backup copy in a secure off-site location. I’ve been using it for a while now, and it truly does take all of the hard work out of backing up.

The best thing is that you can download your files, wherever you are. You just log onto the website and you can access your files almost as if you were sitting at your own computer. This is really useful if you want to access a file from your home computer while you are at work, for instance.

So now I have a digital backup. It is off-site and updated daily with any changes I make to my files. I feel confident that my data is protected, no matter what happens to my computer. You might want to think about digital backup yourself!

Technorati Tags: Backup digital, digital backup, Windows backup software

Why should I Backup XP?

For most people, the first time they think about making a backup is about 5 minutes after their computer crashes. Unfortunately, this is just about 5 minutes too late! The most important thing about getting a strategy to backup XP is that you need to do it now!

Many people are put off by the confusing jargon that is thrown around in the world of computer backups. For this reason I have tried write this article without resorting to techno-speak. So, even if you don’t know your RAID controller from your SCSI interface, you can still have a working backup by following these simple steps.

Too late!

Choices, choices

There are many different options to backup XP, however many of them require you to go down to your local computer shop and purchase some gizmo or other to backup your data onto. This article uses another way.

I have chosen to utilize an online backup service in order to backup XP. With online backup, your data is transferred over your internet connection to a secure server run by the online backup company. Using online backup means that you don’t have to look after a pile of DVDs, or an external hard drive or any other piece of equipment. All you need is your computer and an internet connection. At this point, I should say that using online backup is really only for those with broadband internet connections. Of course, you can still backup xp using online backup even if you are using dial-up. But you’d better have a whole lot of patience!

How do I use online backup to backup XP?

Backing up XP online is so simple, I’m surprised that everyone isn’t doing it.

The first thing you need to do, it to choose your online backup service. I’m going to be using Angel Backup as it is very easy to use, and their support is first rate. You can backup XP using an Angel Backup free trial for 30 days, but after that you’ll have to pay a monthly fee to keep your backups on their server.

Head on over to to Angel Backup website at www.AngelBackup.com. There’s heaps of information for you to read, but to get started straight away you want to click the ‘download now’ button. Once the software has downloaded and installed it will take you through a few simple steps to set up your new account. Then you can get your backup started.

Once you have completed the Setup Wizard, click on the ‘Backup’ tab.

Here you should select the ‘My Documents’ folder, as this is where Windows XP stores all of your personal documents.

Then click ‘Schedule’.

Just click ‘Schedule a backup for the following days’, and make sure you leave everything else as it is. You’re nearly there!

Now click ‘Backup Now’, and sit back and make yourself a cup of tea!

You can now see that Angel Backup is transferring your files across cyberspace to the Angel Backup server. Soon you’ll have a backup of your important documents. The great thing is that if you change a file or create a new one then Angel Backup will automatically update your backup on a daily basis. In my opinion this is a great way to backup XP.

It may take some time to completely backup XP to the Angel Backup server, from a few hours to a few days (if you have a lot of stuff to transfer). Don’t feel that you have to sit there watching it, though. You can close the Angel Backup window and it will continue to run in the background while you get on with other things.

Technorati Tags: Backup Windows XP, Backup XP, Windows XP backup, xp backup

You’ve accumulated a lifetime of memories on your home PC, as well as important personal documents, such as tax returns and resumes, not to mention all the applications and settings that took countless hours to set up, but what about backup for computer protection?

Many people never think about backup until it’s too late. But once your photos are gone, they’re gone forever. Sure, you can spend thousands of dollars and send your hard disk in to a data recovery specialist. But with no guarantee of success, wouldn’t it be a better idea to spend a few minutes now thinking about backup? For computer users, a backup plan is essential. And thanks to some clever tools, it is quick and easy to set up.

The simplest way to backup for computer data protection is to copy all your data to an external hard drive. But, if you want to take backup seriously (and you should), you should really think about investing in some inexpensive software to automate this mundane task. Why? Well, I’ll tell you. Because if your backup isn’t automated, then the chances are it won’t be done at all. Good intentions never saved a photo collection in the event of a disk failure.

One of the best places to start is with a software package called Acronis True Image. It’s easy to use and will perform a regular, automated backup. For computer users everywhere, this is the minimum you should be doing.

There are some great tutorials out there for Acronis, including this one on uTube

Tutorial Part 1

Tutorial Part 2

Tutorial Part 3

Once you have set up Acronis, you can be confident that your backup for computer data is protected against hard disk failure.

But, if you’re serious about keeping your data safe, and want to take your backup for computer protection to the next level, then you should consider the following:

What if your computer is infected by a virus?

What if you are the victim of a burglary?

What if your home is flooded, or destroyed by a fire, hurricane or tornado?

In all of these cases, you are still at risk of losing data, even if you have backed up to an external hard drive. Why? Because a virus could easily infect your backup as well as your original. If your computer is stolen by a burglar, then the chances are they will take your external hard drive too. And, of course, if your house is destroyed then both your computer and its backup will be lost.

So, to be fully protected, your backup needs to be offsite. And that’s where online backup comes in.

If your computer has an internet connection then you can use online backup. First, pick an online backup service, such as Angel Backup. Then, sign up for a free trial account. You can find a great resource with this online file backup tutorial.

The big advantage with online backup is that your data is securely stored at an offsite location, safe from floods, fires, viruses, zombies, swarms of killer bees. Even alien invasion (probably). If you’re serious about backup for computer data protection then you really should consider using online backup to ensure your data is safe.

Technorati Tags: Backup for computer, Windows backup software

There’s a good reason why 90% of us use Microsoft Windows for computer operating systems, and that’s the availability of great software. Macs are still popular in the publishing world, and Linux has legions of bearded, sandal wearing fans, but even though Windows comes in for some harsh criticism at times, you’ve got to respect the fact that it is the operating system of choice for most businesses and home users out there.

Now, as we all know, Windows XP has a pretty shaky reputation out there in terms of stability and crash protection. And, if anything, things seem to have become worse with Vista. The fact is, that if you store important data on a Windows PC, you’d better be sure you have a backup for computer protection.

Now, many people are confused when it comes to backing up their computer. So here’s a quick guide to backing up windows for computer novices.

1. Work out what you need to backup.

Most people don’t realise that there are two important types of files, when it comes to backing up Windows. For computer novices, this is a hard thing to understand, but it is very important. The first type of file is the type that we are all familiar with - the user document. This could be a photo, a word document or a mp3 music file. In fact, it could be anything that you have created, saved or edited on your computer. These files are the most important thing on your computer, because you created them.

The second type of file, is the collection of files that makes your windows for computer run. It is the nuts and bolts of Windows. It takes thousands of files just to make your computer start up, and thousands more each time you start a program. These files are important - your computer won’t work without them. But, if the worst comes to the worst, you can reinstall them from your original disks. Choose an offline Windows Backup Software package like Acronis True Image to backup these files to an external hard-drive.

2. Backup regularly

Many people have good intentions when it comes to backup, but few are good at actually making the time to make a backup. That’s why the only reliable backup system is an automatic backup system.

3. Backup off-site

This is the one that gets a lot of people unstuck. No matter how recent and comprehensive your backup, it won’t help if you keep it in the same location as your computer. Imagine the nightmare of your house being destroyed by a flood, hurricane or wildfire. Would your backup survive if it was in the house. Of course not. That’s why your backup needs to be off-site.

So what’s the best way to backup windows for computer protection? The best way is to use an online backup service like AngelBackup.com. Your backups will happen automatically and they’ll be stored off-site. And the best thing is that you can download a free trial of their Windows backup software from their website.

Technorati Tags: Windows backup software, Windows for computer