Over the years I have had trouble remembering to backup my PAF data files, as well as other files on my Laptop PC including photos and other things. I have a CD-RW and used it to make backups, but still I sometimes let a long time go between backups with the potential for losing a lot of valualable information and work. Then someone suggested having an external Hard Drive. It is connected through the USB port and has software that backs up my internal Hard Drive every Friday at 10:00 p.m. or the next time the computer is on after this time. The first time it took about a half hour to backup the entire HD. Now, only new files or files that have been changed are copied to the external drive which usually takes about 3-4 minutes over my slow USB 2 port. (If I can ever get a PCMCIA USB converter to work for USB 2, I am told that it would be about 10 times faster.) It is almost idiot-proof. If I take my laptop and drop it, or lose it, have it stolen, or have my car stolen with the laptop in the trunk, at least I have all of my files. This has given me a FABULOUS feeling of security. Cost: about $150. Not inexpensive, but even if my time is worth only a dollar an hour (and I like to think it is worth more than that) it would be cheap at ten times the cost. FYI: the 300 gig external drive is about 1x3.5x5 inches, so it takes up very little space. Tom Sevy in Taylorsville, Utah

One very nice program for backups, and is free for non-commerciall use, is Karen's Replicator, available at www.karenware.com . It will copy across network drives in addition to drives on the same computer, can set up multiple jobs, and replicate file deletions as well as changes. If you get a drive that does NOT come with its own backup program, Replicator would be a good choice. Gary Templeman ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Sevy" <sevy99@mstar2.net> To: <PAF-5-USERS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, February 20, 2005 6:30 AM Subject: [PAF-5] Backup PAF Files > Over the years I have had trouble remembering to backup my PAF data files, > as well as other files on my Laptop PC including photos and other things. I > have a CD-RW and used it to make backups, but still I sometimes let a long > time go between backups with the potential for losing a lot of valualable > information and work. Then someone suggested having an external Hard Drive. > It is connected through the USB port and has software that backs up my > internal Hard Drive every Friday at 10:00 p.m. or the next time the computer > is on after this time. The first time it took about a half hour to backup > the entire HD. Now, only new files or files that have been changed are > copied to the external drive which usually takes about 3-4 minutes over my > slow USB 2 port. (If I can ever get a PCMCIA USB converter to work for USB > 2, I am told that it would be about 10 times faster.) It is almost > idiot-proof. If I take my laptop and drop it, or lose it, have it stolen, > or have my car stolen with the laptop in the trunk, at least I have all of > my files. This has given me a FABULOUS feeling of security. Cost: about > $150. Not inexpensive, but even if my time is worth only a dollar an hour > (and I like to think it is worth more than that) it would be cheap at ten > times the cost. > > FYI: the 300 gig external drive is about 1x3.5x5 inches, so it takes up > very little space. > > Tom Sevy in Taylorsville, Utah > > > > ==== PAF-5-USERS Mailing List ==== > FreeBMD - Free Access to England and Wales Civil Registration Index > Volunteer as a Transcriber Today! > http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/ >