Comments on: File Backup – Flipping the Bird to Your Computer

By: J M Gallagher

J M Gallagher — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 10:06:04 +0000

Thanks for the reminder! I usually send my ms to Kindle so I can edit it, but that would mean retyping the whole thing until I learned how to convert from azw back to word. =)

By: William D. Webb, jr.

William D. Webb, jr. — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 00:23:07 +0000

Lynn, I always thought you were the smartest knife in drawer. Don’t let that PC upstage your cerebreal vortex – or whatever. The key as you say so eloquently is an autoback-up. (Notice the auto?) I got me a bunch of Dells so I use Dell Stage auto back up. Runs in the background and I couldn’t lose a file if I was me. I also have a wireless network at home with a two terrabyte drive wired in that regularly snoops around for things to back up.

I also got me google docs for those things I work on with the work PC that I shouldn’t be working on with the work PC and another portable 800 gigawatsit drive to do the occassional parnoid back up -you know just in case. Lots of picures on that one.

It is necessary becuase I just changed my DDS’s (Dear Devoted Spouse’s) hard drive when it took a leapof faith with no net and crashed – right about the same time the DDS got mad and punched her PC out. (I am no tmakign that up.) The two incidents might be unrelated and so might my kids. Without that two terrafirma thingy, she would have been toast.

And we won’t go into the teen’s mother board that I replaced because children might be reading this.

Good luck with your back. Up.

By: tbrosz

tbrosz — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 18:35:15 +0000

I’ve had multiple backups of my data files, both on and off site, for years.

What makes me nervous is my applications and system files. I do “system images” on a regular basis, but I’ve never had to reconstruct a computer from a system image before. Will it work?

In the past, I’ve rebuilt my computer system from scratch, by laboriously re-installing the operating system and all the applications. If you’re working with a new computer, this is probably the way that creates the fewest problems. But what a pain.

By: sara bowers

sara bowers — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 16:33:36 +0000

Best advice to writers ever!

Personally I use dropbox. I work right from the files on it so I don’t have to remember to upload plus I always have the latest version no matter which computer I work from. I also have an external back up plan that I use every now and again. Loose the MS once and you’ll never do it again.

By: Julie Rowe

Julie Rowe — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 16:09:12 +0000

I use DropBox. It’s an online file storing/sharing system. You can use it to just backup your files or you cn upload your manuscript, enable your editor to access the manuscript for editing, then start working on those edits without using email at all.

By: stephanieberget

stephanieberget — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 14:43:00 +0000

Lynn, CrashPlan sounds like a program I’d better check out. I send email to myself with my WIP attached, but I sometimes forget.

By: lynnpricewrites

lynnpricewrites — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 13:28:16 +0000

Yeppers, I have Dropbox, too. Problem is, I constantly forget to save the files to it. I use CrashPlan, and it does the thinking for me…which I really need!

By: briancleggauthor

briancleggauthor — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 13:24:18 +0000

Lots of easy ways to do this now, too, Lynn. If you have a Mac, worth investing in a Time Capsule which takes automatic backups on an hourly basis. There are equivalents for PCs. But also get yourself a free Google Drive or Dropbox. Both appear as folders on your computer. Copy the file to the folder and hey presto you have a backup saved in the Cloud, so even if the house burns down you still have a backup. Being a belt and braces (suspenders you might say) person, I have both a Time Capsule and copy any WsIP to Dropbox every day.