I got a failing HD warning !

[Chris J Dixon]

During a general Quality Audit I performed on the company's IT department some years ago, back when all our PCs were stand-alone, they were only just starting to create and verify (on one of their PCs) a database of hardware, software and licences, as a belated effort to manage the chaotic situation. When asked where their backups were, they argued that nothing of importance was stored on their PCs.

When I returned a few weeks later for them to clear their outstanding shortcomings, they offered me two boxes of floppies which, despite what was penciled on them, had never been part of a backup set. I was not impressed.

Chris

[dennis]

You missed a very important rule..

test the damn backups!

[dennis]

I used to work in a group where they edited and compiled software on 8" floppies. There were piles of them everywhere.

Then we exceeded what would fit so I was given permission to buy two hard drives to fit the Intel MDS boxes.

I did a deal with Intel and bought the first Intel NRM system in Europe and a removable cartridge disk drive for less than the cost of the two hard drives. Some of the management weren't happy that I hadn't told them and they insisted Ethernet couldn't possible work, the engineers were over the moon as it worked really well.

It resulted in me installing the first Ethernet network in GEC too. Vampires at £1000 each, coax 1/2" thick, those were the days. ;-)

Intel were quite happy as the other development groups found out and we bought several more latter on.

[charles]

Indeed so. Our Parish Council's laptop was set to do auto backups. When we needed to use them, it turned out that all that had been 'backed up' had been the file names - not the vital bits, their contents.

[Mr. Benn]

"Mike P the 1st" wrote in message news: [e-mail]...

First priority is backup all important data now.

Then use the scandisc utility in Windows to check for disc errors. If that comes up as positive then invest in a new hard disc and re-install the saved data.

[The Natural Philosopher]

If the disk is > 3 years old don't bother, replace it anyway,

Think 'cambelt'..the cost of clearing up the mess is a lot more than the cost of a new disk..well assuming you can get one, that is.

(Not sure what WD is producing at the moment,. Think some production has restarted..)

[Cash]

John,

I must admit to having never actually having to reinstall anything from the 'cloud' as I was lucky enough not have any sudden computer failures or data loss - but I agree with your comments though.

As for restoring data after a reformat (or rebuild) - even using a cloned OS and drivers DVD, it still takes me around a week to get the applications that I use back to my way of thinking (I bloody hate most of the default settings on those applications).

As an aside, I have a brother-in-law (even older than me) who recently expected me to diagnose a fault on his desktop (knackered hard drive) and then replace it *AND* reinstall everything during an afternoon - he even had the cheek to rollock me because I couldn't recover his e-mails off the old disk!!

All good fun though for a retired old-fart with misfiring brain and plenty of time on his hands! :-)

Cash

[geoff]

month]) and always accessible.

I always make back ups to TWO USB sticks -having had one fail on me once.

[chris French]

In message , Cash

[Mark]

No WD or Seagates yet AFAIK.

[John Rumm]

You always want to backup to at least two of anything. Saves having to overwirte your one good backup!

[Weatherlawyer]

Really?

I just bought an old Dell and it just boots into the Windopes OS before I can do anything about it. I must say though, I never ever saw a Microsoft OS tool up so quickly. Fast as any Linux faster than some.

Hmmm...