What would you backup ...

[SAdler]

... an odd question for a topic but I figured that this forum has its share of computer geeks and such

 

Too often something goes wrong with a computer, a pixel busts or a virus takes over and we're forced to backup everything on our computers to get ready forgreener pastures. After we've backed up and formatted it hits us... SHIT I FORGOT "X" and it's too late. System settings, images, histories, favorites ...

 

Last night in a frat/sorority moment Justin and I decided to have movie night. As he plopped on the bed I jumped across to head into the bathroom before our movie fest.

 

I've taken my amazing Panasonic Toughbook for granted. Lightweight magnesium alloy cover has made it and the harddrive inside nearly indestructible ... I said nearly. It's fallen open from heights and been knocked off my bed countless times with no trouble. This time my drawer was open and the screen made corner contact ... now there is no screen :-( Of course the computer is still fully functional despite everything and I'm hooked up to a monitor. I have a day before the repair offices open tomorrow to get it shipped in for repairs.

 

Thus the two questions:

 

Should I just bite the bullet and buy something new even though I LOVE this computer and everything about it even though it's a year old?

 

What are the things I'm likely to forget backing up on this comp before I send it off to the repair ranch?

[MindThe Gap]

>Thus the two questions:

>

>Should I just bite the bullet and buy something new even

>though I LOVE this computer and everything about it even

>though it's a year old?

>

>What are the things I'm likely to forget backing up on this

>comp before I send it off to the repair ranch?

 

I'd personally attempt to erase/delete how you feel about negotiating from every area possible of your system, since the cost of this repair might make you rethink the whole thing. I suspect that your machine IS a "personal" object and once they find out thru your system how you feel about that, you're screwed for a lower cost to fix.......Ain't that a bitch?

[BigK]

Exterior hard drives have become so inexpensive and small that I recommend buying one and backing up your whole hard drive before sending it off. I have a Seagate 120 gig which comes with software called bounceback. Seagate's a little more expensive then some, but they make a great hard drive.

 

Once you make a total disk back up you can make periodic backups of any new files since your last backup.

[+ deej]

>What are the things I'm likely to forget backing up on this comp

>before I send it off to the repair ranch?

 

I'm a little late to the party, but one thing most people forget about are mail & news account settings in Outlook or Outlook Express. (If you're not using them, no need to worry.) Both have options to export each account so that it can be backed up separately, and then imported should the machine come back "cleaned up".

 

I'll second the option for an external hard drive for backups, but I recommend against "incremental" backups. Do the whole magilla, each time. Incremental backups sound good at first blush, but often fail when it's time to restore.

 

To get the most out of an external drive, get a good drive imaging package. (I use Acronis TrueImage, but not out of any preference. I get it free.) These packages take a snapshot of your entire HD including installed drivers and all settings so your computer can be restored to its former state completely. Of course that means the external HD must be big enough to hold your entire HD.

 

Toughbook is a good little machine. If it's only a year old, it's not ready for replacement yet, although replacing a screen is one of the more expensive things you can repair on a notebook. Weigh the cost estimate against the cost of a new Toughbook.

[SAdler]

>Toughbook is a good little machine. If it's only a year old,

>it's not ready for replacement yet, although replacing a

>screen is one of the more expensive things you can repair on a

>notebook. Weigh the cost estimate against the cost of a new

>Toughbook.

 

Yeah tell me about it. Ironically enough I found that the LCD itself is easily replaced by replacing a couple screws and the monitor is only about $400 including tax.

 

UNFORTUNATELY everyone on the internet is sold out of the particular monitor I need and don't order them individually so the only way to get the monitor replaced is to send it in the the Panasonic Approved Repair People (for $860).

 

I hunted for a new laptop and the American Toughbook's newest model would have been almost identical to mine but .3 lbs heavier with 20 GB more hard drive space and a slightly longer battery. Whoopee. NOT. It would have cost me at the best price I found $1740 + tax etc.

 

HOWEVER as always our Japanese counterparts have the "Let's Note" which is the eastern Toughbook but better with the same aforementioned improvements AND a built in DVD-RW. Frankly I dont even use the external DVD-RW I have anymore with my backup drives and my backup drives account for the extra 20 gigs. This Let's Note is only available at retail bought overseas give or take and I can't find it less than about $2275.

 

Thankfully I've dropped my current Toughbook countless times just never screen open face down so it all sucked in slow motion. The system (despite this particularly intense drop) is still in perfect condition. Guess I'm stickin' with toughie here.

[+ deej]

Yeah, for $860 I'd go for the repair. If you're going through the official Panasonic repair channel, the repair itself should convey some sort of warranty (not an inconsequential consideration).

 

Laptops generally have useful mobile lives of about 3 years. Repairs in the first year are a no-brainer, particularly if done at factory-authorized centers with their own warranty.

 

The second year is more dicey, but repair still usually wins.

 

In the third year, technology has moved along enough that you might want new hardware ANYWAY (or not), so the decision gets difficult.

 

By the fourth year, the decision isn't even worth spending time on. Plan on (and budget for) replacement in that time frame and you usually won't regret it.