Healthy Computing at DePauw University

Backing Up Your Computer

Backing up your computer involves placing a duplicate copy of your data onto a secondary medium, such as floppy disks, a recordable CD, or even an online server or Web site. Then when your hard drive fails or you accidentally delete a file, you can rely on the backup to recover any files. The most important things to back up in college are your class documents and files, such as notes, papers, presentations and email. Also, if you have any purchased media such as movies or music, be sure to back those up as well.

How often should I back up my computer?
Depending on the number of files you work with and the frequency in which they are modified or created, you can do a backup as often as every day or as infrequently as every quarter. The key is to determine a schedule such that it will not be too difficult to recreate or update your data from your last backup. For example, if you work with a database that is updated daily, then you should back up daily. On the other hand, if you type only a few papers each quarter, it is acceptable to backup each quarter. A lot of backup software will also allow you to schedule your backups so you don't have to do it yourself. You should also do an extra back up whenever you perform any delicate tasks on your computer, such as formatting a hard disk or upgrading a piece of hardware.

How should I back it up?
There are many ways to back up, from using dedicated backup software, to using Windows' backup utility, Timemachine for Mac OSX or simply using Windows Explorer or MacOS Finder. There are also many secondary mediums that you can use to store your backup, and you can find the pros and cons of these listed below. Other various, but not so common ways of backing up your information can be found here.

Some Common Options for Back-Up

Type	Pros	Cons	Helpful Website
External Hard Drive	Relatively inexpensive Most come pre-pakcaged with backup software *Are becoming smaller and more easily-portable	Have to remember to manually use it as a backup if not always plugged into your computer Hard drives can fail due to wear and tear. Drives last for about 3-5 years when used often	*Western Digital is a leader in external hard drives and has many models for both PCs and Macs
Online File Storage	Either free or very in-expensive Allows for files to be shared from computer to computer *Easily accesible from most computers without carrying anything else around.	Usually do not have much memory space Some will only allow you to back up word documents, not pictures or music *Backup is only as fast as your network connection	*Four options for online file storage: DePauw P: drive DropBox WindowsLive MediaFire
USB Flash Drives	Easily portable and relatively in-expensive Many now come equipped with backup software	Typically do not have a lot of memory space for large amounts of material Easy to lose	*SanDisk sells a variety of Flash Drives at various storage amounts and prices
CDs and DVDs	*Cheap way to create extra copies of important files	Typically do not have a lot of memory space for large amounts of material Hard to find rewritable disks - You will have to burn a new disk each time you want to update your backup *Have to manually use it as a backup - not automatic	*You can visit almost any local store, such as Target or Wal-Mart, or any electronic store to purchase these

Do I need software?
If you do not need to back up your files on a very frequent basis, you probably don't need any special backup software and can instead use your file manager (Windows Explorer, Mac Finder) to copy files to a removable medium (e.g., drag and drop your files to a flash drive). You can also use Windows' Backup utility if you use a PC. However, if you need to back up your files more often, you should purchase specialized backup software like Norton Ghost, which can automate much of the procedure. Most computers currently manufactured tend to come with built-in backup software, so check before you buy extra software. Currently, most Macs come with a software called Time Machine. Most PCs are equipped with two backup programs called SystemRestore and BackUp.

Make Sure Your Backup Works
A backup can give you a false sense of security, since the media that you use is also prone to damage. To counter this, you should periodically test your backup media by recopying the backup to your computer or using your backup software's restore process. You should also keep your backup away from your computer and someplace safe, so a natural disaster or theft will not strike both your computer and your backup. And finally, don't use the same disc for each backup. Instead, use two or more and rotate them for each backup you do so if the most recent backup fails, you can rely on the second most recent.

Saving to the P: Drive

Information Services recommends saving a backup copy of all critical documents. Information Services also recommends saving all important documents on your Network P: drive. (File -> Save As -> Save in: P:). Files saved to the Network are backed up nightly. If a file is accidentally lost or deleted, it may be possible to restore that file from a backup tape.

If you are planning to save a Powe Point presentation or other very large document (graphic intensive) to your P: drive, it is very important that you make sure you have enough space available to do so. If you think that you will need additional space in order to save a Power Point presentation or Seminar Project, please contact our office at x4294, --BEFORE-- attempting to save the file. Insufficient space may cause the program to crash and the entire file may be lost or become corrupt.

Your P: drive can be accessed from any computer that is attached to the network and through netstorage when you are off campus.