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Crashing Computers

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Fri Sep 30, 2005 at 03:40:51 PM EST
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A few weeks ago I wrote that my 9 month old Dell desktop's hard drive crashed out of the blue. It had my last 9 months of work on it.

Dell replaced it and then I had to decide whether to try a data recovery service to try and restore the files on the old one. They ran the drive and it had 130,000 errors on it but they could find 20 MG of data, which included some valuable stuff for--like old TalkLeft files that are no longer on the server, my Quicken files, my newer client files and my pictures. So, I told them to go ahead.

It cost $1,250.00 for the restore and another $100 for an 80 GB USB hard drive which I'm about to hook up and see how usable the files are. Bottom line: Back up your stuff. $1,350.00 could have bought me a new laptop or a vacation. Now I'll get neither. It sucks that I had to spend it for this. But, it's my own fault for not taking the time to back up onto a cd-rom or dvd.

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    Crashing Computers | 12 comments (12 topical)
    Re: Crashing Computers (none / 0) (#1)
    by Kitt on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:33 PM EST
    Or two cruises on that liner anchored down off of Nah'Orlns.

    Re: Crashing Computers (none / 0) (#2)
    by Edger on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:33 PM EST
    Wow. Sorry to hear that, JM. Don't beat yourself up too much over it though. You're not alone. I used to sell technical support contracts, and whenever I raised the "backup" issue, the only people who would take me seriously were those who had already experienced what you have. The rest would accused me of trying to profit by selling fear...

    Re: Crashing Computers (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:33 PM EST
    Praise Jeebus on the Quicken stuff. That's gonna make things a lot easier.

    Re: Crashing Computers (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:33 PM EST
    I feel your pain. A couple of years ago I had a complete hard drive crash that the data recovery guys couldn't fix at any price.

    Re: Crashing Computers (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:33 PM EST
    I apologize because I am going to be very rude and make all sorts of assumptions that I have little right to make. And I will do so by pouring salt into your wounds. But if you did any of your clients work on this machine, then your not backing up the computer was gross negligence. How would you recover the work they have paid for? And the hard research? And by giving the drive to a data recovery service, have you compromised their privacy and potentially their cases? Okay, rant over. It is said there are only two types of computer owneers in this world, those that have experienced hard drive failures, and those that will. Best wishes.

    Re: Crashing Computers (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:33 PM EST
    There is an easy way to back up files these days. Computer stores are selling external hard drives for about $100 that are massive, and that connect to your desktop computer via a USB port. You just plug-n-play. I find it easier than using special backup software and DVDs that I always seem to have trouble burning.

    Re: Crashing Computers (none / 0) (#7)
    by Nowonmai on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:33 PM EST
    I have experienced a hd failure. I was told by friends/family and a snooty Mac user (no insult to Mac users, but she would constantly insult me for using PC) that me saving downloaded installation files, photographs, documents, data files, saved game files, registration files for programs to zip disks (now it's CDs and DVDs) was a waste of time. With just a few hours work, I recovered from my first hd failure with almost no loss of data. And I still have the zip disks of my old Win95 back up behind me. Same thing happened about 7 yrs later with different machine and different OS. Faulty hd failure. Had it up and running with replacement HD with minimum of fuss. So yes, I tell people BACK UP YOUR DATA on a regular basis. Saves a world of headaches that way.

    Re: Crashing Computers (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:33 PM EST
    JPierpoint, happily I don't have those issues on the drive that crashed.

    Re: Crashing Computers (none / 0) (#9)
    by Aaron on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:33 PM EST
    Here's a 21st-century solution to backing up your files wirelessly, especially good for a laptop that moves around a lot. The Iomega 250GB High-Speed EthernetNetwork Hard Drive $289.95. You can also get your basic rocksolid, last forever, fire wire or USB 250 gig hard drive for about $200 from them, I have three. Backing up files on CDs and DVDs is good for storage, but an additional hard drive provides you with immediate real-time access to file backups. This size hard drive will also hold about 300 movies in AVI format as well.

    Re: Crashing Computers (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:34 PM EST
    I bet it was a REPUBLICAN who brainwashed you into such a foolhardy act.. Bill Gates(and probably Haliburton, too) PLANNED this when he stole DOS from IBM(But, Apple had it FIRST!!!). I can't believe the gov't can't do anything about the fascist-corporate dominance! In fact, I think there should be a Federal bureau where somebody saves all your files for you every five seconds, then this wouldn't happen. AlGore in 2008!!!!!!!!

    Re: Crashing Computers (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:42 PM EST
    For small files, (under 10 meg) I find emailing it to myself on gmail is effective. For one thing, I can get to it from anywhere. Yes, I have considered the security of trusting Google. Gmail drive http://www.viksoe.dk/code/gmail.htm does it more efficiently

    Re: Crashing Computers (none / 0) (#12)
    by pigwiggle on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:42 PM EST
    If your backup is in the same place as your original you’re not sufficiently ‘backed up’. I backup my laptop on my employer’s file server (which is also backed up). My photographs are on CD at home and work. The odds of both copies being destroyed simultaneously are acceptable.

    Crashing Computers | 12 comments (12 topical)