Q: My computer's hard drive recently crashed, and I lost all my data. Is there anything I can do to keep this from happening again?
A: The only true safeguard against data loss on any machine is a complete backup: to either tape or floppy disk. Most companies use tape drives with software that backs up the computer system at a pre-set time - usually overnight, while system use is lowest.
The average hard drive size has grown from 20-40 Megabytes (circa 1985) to well over 2 Gigabytes. The good news is that data storage is more affordable for the average user. However, the bad news is that it is much more time consuming (not to mention "floppy consuming") for folks to back up their data to standard floppy disks. Unfortunately, most home PC users don't want to take the time to back up everything.
If a complete backup of your hard drive is out of the question for whatever reason, here are some steps you can take to potentially minimize data loss in the event of a system crash:
- Copy your floppies
! Most software today is distributed on CD-ROM, but the majority of us still have several applications on floppy disk. It is illegal to copy and re-distribute copywritten programs (also known as "pirating"), but it's perfectly okay to make copies of your install disks for backup purposes. Store these disks in a safe place, preferably in a safe deposit box or a fireproof box at home. Don't forget about the device driver diskettes that come with any hardware you may install.
- Keep your docs
! Save all manuals and other documentation you receive with hardware / software purchases.
- Backup your critical files
! Save copies of your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files (found in your root directory), and if you are running any version of MS Windows, you should save your WIN.INI and SYSTEM.INI files (usually found in your \WINDOWS subdirectory). Put these on a floppy disk and save it with the disks mentioned previously.
- Windows95 considerations.
Win95 uses it's registry to maintain information about users, programs and settings. To backup your registry, click on the Start button, then click Run. In the space provided, type "regedit" (without the quotes). This will invoke the Registry Editor. Under the Registry menu at the top, select "Export Registry File…". The program will then prompt you to enter a file name and location to export the registry. You may name this file anything you like, however it's usually a good idea to give it a recognizable name, such as "July5_1997.reg", or "Yourname.reg". This file can often be 3 or 4 Megabytes, so you will need to save it on your hard drive, then possibly use a file splitting utility to save it to several floppies (hmm...possibly a Tech Tip topic next month?).
- Make a bootable floppy
! One of the simplest ways to do this in DOS, Windows 3.x, or Windows95 is to go to the DOS prompt (usually C:\), place a blank diskette in your floppy drive, and type "format a: /s" (assuming your bootable floppy drive is A:\).
Unfortunately, these steps won't save all your data if your computer crashes, but your headaches will be minimal if you take a little time to prepare for the worst. Remember…"A byte of prevention is worth a Gigabyte of cure."