Laptops - backing up data via an external disk

Introduction

If your laptop's (or computer connected to the laptop network) hard disk breaks down, or the laptop is lost or stolen, the data on it can be lost forever if it was not backed up. Unlike data on your DAMTP desktop, backups on laptops do not happen automatically. If you keep important data on your laptop _you_need to arrange to perform backups. A number of different options are available for backing up data, e.g. transferring files to another computer (which itself might be backed up), or writing the files to CD/DVD. The one described below is based on an external disk that plugs into the USB port of your laptop. The advantage of such backups is that you do not need to be plugged into the network, and you can backup more data than on a CD/DVD (and the DAMTP network). This disk is the same as that in a desktop pc, it's portable, can be read by other computers yet provides a medium to help safeguard against loose of work should your laptop suffer a fault. The following options explain more about these disk and their use with Microsoft Windows. Mac and Linux running laptops are covered in the last two options.

Option 1

One manuafacturer in particular, Maxtor, sells an external USB disk that works with their own make of backup software, 'MaxBlast 4'. The software works with laptops running Windows. Users can control the software using a graphical interface. There are certain limitations with this method of backing up mainly the fact that it only works with laptops running Windows 98SE, Me, Windows 2000, and Windows XP, not Linux or MaxOS. Note that it DOESN'T backup hidden files!. The cost of such a system is approximately 90 pounds. Of course you can use XP's built in backup program to write the backup data to an external USB disk. This software will backup hidden files, it allows you to select the folders/files to backup and can be scheduled to run when you want it to.

Option 2 - Windows XP

USB disks can be purchased from other vendors. They possibly won't provide any software but there are programs out there that provice backup solutions. One product that is free to use is called DriveImage XML (Windows XP home and professional only!) http://www.runtime.org/dixml.htm. It allows you to create backups while you are working on your laptop. Backups can also be writen to cd/dvd's and you can restore indervidual files or directories from backup if you should wish to.

Another option if you're running Windows XP is to use its own backup program. This allows similar functions to DriveImage, you can also schedule backups to happen whenever you wish to.

Option 3 - Linux

For Linux running laptops, a free product to use is called PartImage. This comes as part of a bootable cd image provided by Knoppix. Disk partitions can be saved to image files that can be further saved to cd/dvd's. PartImage doesn't save Windows partitions.

Option 4 - MacOSX

Mac users can use a program called Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC). This too provides a scheduler, it's also free and is bootable. It won't backup to cd/dvd's.

Conclusion.

Backing up at least your data is a must for anyone using a non-networked computer. For a small initial cost, you can give yourself a means to safeguard your work against hardware failure, theft and any other eventuallity that could result in the loss of your hard work.