[Closed] Advice please..Cheapest/easiest way to backup the data on my laptop?

I use beyond compare to manage all my data syncs and backups. Brilliant, easy to use software, but I paid for it.

Depending on the volume of data Id recomend a solid state back up like a Sandisk extreme SD card.

How much data ? How often does it change ? What is your Operating System ?

Or buy an external hard drive (dirt cheap on eBuyer) and copy stuff across yourself

perfectbackup manager, its free up to 1Gb (or maybe more now) automated and backs up each day via the web. Of course assumes you can get regular web access for backups and restores.

Alternatively a USB data stick and Windows software

Bear in mind that a copy on an external hard drive is most useful if you keep it in a different place to the laptop. For example if you're burgled and people nice your laptop, most likely they'll grab the hard drive too. Similarly if your house burns down. Otherwise it's only of use if your hard disk breaks.

I keep important stuff both at home and at work, but I've yet to get round to a sensible way of backing up photos.

Joe

I'm using Vista premium version
Basically I guess I'd like to have a system where if my laptop went down big time I'd have access to everything including all my favourites/links/programs/photos/vids/documents etc. Not sure if this can be done though.At the mo I have about 60gb on the HD

external usb hdd that you keep separate to the laptop if you're not using it.

If you have a wireless route/hub you coudl look at some Network Attached Storage might be easier to manage.

Same as Kaiser - external hard drive I think plus some software?

but a harddrive cheap, and use the "image" function on windows.
it takes a snap of the harddrive, and can return it to the exact moment you took the snap from that, from basic settings (smaller file) to everything, including files, programs, settings, (larger file)
i would go with imaging the settings and windows setup, then copying the files and compressing the crap out of the whole lot

On vista use the proper 'backup' tool that's built in you can do proper backups with weekly full and daily incremental backups.

External hard drive in one of these:

[url] http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0045358791.1233950173@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccdeadeggldflefcflgceggdhhmdgml.0&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=670392&category_oid= [/url]

and then get Synctoy from here:

[url] http://www.microsoft.com/DownLoads/details.aspx?familyid=C26EFA36-98E0-4EE9-A7C5-98D0592D8C52&displaylang=en [/url]

Set up your backup and run it every time you change or add data you don't want to lose.

Job done!

"On vista use the proper 'backup' tool that's built in you can do proper backups with weekly full and daily incremental backups. "

what do you back up to? DVDs, ext HDD or doesn't matter? I've backed upmost of my photos to DVD (20GB ish) but haven't backed up programs or docs probably totalling 15 GB and really should do them.

There are some free sites that offer backup services up to 50GB. The backup is done online. I tried it once and can recommend it, it's easy and very useful. But there's also lot of [url= http://www.onlinebackupguide.com/ ]backup software[/url] available which could be worth checking out, too. If you want to backup the 60GB from you HD, a cheap software could be an option for you.

I use Mozy - http://mozy.com/home - 5 USD per month for unlimited storage.

I've got about 100GB of data uploaded now (MP3s, photo's etc). Takes a bit to get that much uploaded and needs a bit of thought if you have monthly GB limit from your ISP.

Also have an external HD which I use the MS SyncToy to copy to as a local backup.