How to Choose Right PC Diagnostic Software

Computer Diagnostics is a need to keep a healthy operating system and vital for business productivity, where a failure can be a costly mistake. PC diagnostic software can determine hardware and software conditions and possible failures, as well as current settings and connectivity.

A PC diagnostic program can also suggest the best performance settings in order to get the most of your system according to your hardware specifications. In addition, a PC diagnostic tool can help you to identify potential problems that can damage your hard drive or any other piece of hardware.

Some companies provide troubleshooting tools to test your PCรขโ�ฌโ�ขs electronic circuits, in the form of system plug-ins or stand-alone applications. Computer Diagnostics should also be able to check other computer components such as the BIOS, serial and parallel ports, USB and Ethernet ports, etc.

Choosing the best PC diagnostic software depends on your computer related knowledge. You may find a PC diagnostic program worthless if you do not understand what a benchmark diagnosis means, or cannot make changes in the settings that the PC diagnostic tool may suggest.

Computer Diagnostics provide end user with intuitive diagnostics tools for troubleshooting while improving performance. However, some of them can be risky if you do not understand what they can do, like those including the ability to reformat any type of hard drive.

Most software developers state, "use it at your own risk" because of the lack of knowledge that can lead also to massive data loss. Although data can be recovered, it is a painful process because of the required proper software or you may have to take the hard drive to a service center that can restore and reformat your hard drive.

Even then, there are no guarantees of getting 100% of your data back, so be careful choosing software intended for Computer Diagnostics, and always read before clicking any "OK" message that may pop up.

If a PC diagnostic tool returns the parameters of the hard drive, and allows toggling the IRQ directly to determine which I/O port is at which IRQ, make sure you understand what all this means before proceeding, because the software can read, write, overwrite and edit most values.

Perhaps the best PC diagnostic software is that which can only read, generating log files or an overall detailed report of your computer including all its components.

If the PC diagnostic program cannot write, the possibilities to damage your hardware or destroy your content are very low, although other problems such as a buggy, unstable version can ruin your operating system.

Natalie Aranda writes about information technology, computer and computer training. NETg training is one of the most effective way to master computer skills. Computer Diagnostics is a need to keep a healthy operating system and vital for business productivity, where a failure can be a costly mistake. PC diagnostic software can determine hardware and software conditions and possible failures, as well as current settings and connectivity.

5 Simple Tips to Prevent MS Access Database Corruption

It's important to understand that any time an Access client disconnects unexpectedly, it may set a "corruption flag" in the .mdb file indicating that the database is in a corrupt state (regardless of whether any data has actually been corrupted or not). Any user who attempts to open the database while this flag is set will receive a message, and the database will have to be repaired before it can be used. If the users don't have permission to perform the repair, or don't know how to perform the repair, there may be significant downtime before the database is available again. This can result in a loss of productivity as well as extreme frustration for the users. Following the 5 tips below will minimize your odds of data loss from corruption in your Access databases.

1) Split your database.

The single most important thing you can do to prevent corruption in MS Access databases is to split the database into a "front-end" and a "back-end". The front-end contains all of the forms, queries, and reports, while the back-end contains only the data tables. A copy of the front-end is placed on each user's computer, and the back-end with the table data is stored in a shared folder on the network. How does this prevent corruption? Well, consider the amount of information that must make it across your network to your computer each time you open a form or report. If one bit of that information doesn't make it intact, you risk corrupting your database. Alternatively, if the forms, queries and reports are all stored on your local computer, then the only bit of information that needs to traverse the network is the actual table data. By reducing the amount of data you need to move back and forth across the network, you significantly reduce the chances of corrupting your database. If you're having corruption problems with an Access database on a network drive, splitting the database is the single most important thing you can do to stop it.

2) Don't hold connections open.

This one applies to both programmers and users. If you're a programmer, make sure you close your connections as soon as possible after using them. Leaving the connections open will allow more opportunities for an "unexpected" dropped connection. The only time you may want to leave a connection open longer than required would when it's used inside a loop. For such a case, open the connection at the beginning of the loop, and then close it after the loop is completed. Just make sure it gets closed for all cases (including exceptions).

If you're using a Microsoft Access database or application, be sure to close it when you're finished. Again, leaving the application open provides the opportunity for corruption if a network connection is lost. Remind users to always close the application before going home, as nightly backup jobs may fail or cause corruption in the shared file if there are open connections.

3) Exit the database correctly.

Always close the database or application correctly. Ctrl-Alt-Delete/End Task can wreak havoc on Access databases. Whenever possible, complete your tasks, then close the application using the File - Exit menu option or alternative Exit option provided by the application.

4) Don't skimp on hardware.

Remember that the corruption flag can be set from the slightest packet loss between your computer and the database file. MS Access has sometimes been called "the canary in the coal mine". It has gained this reputation from being the first application to "die" when there's the slightest hint of trouble on your network. Just like the slightest presence of gas caused the canary to die, the slightest presence of network problems and packet loss can kill your Access applications. Make sure you're not using the cheap built-in NICs that come with some PCs. Instead, use brand name network cards. The same goes for cheap hubs. Whenever possible, match good brands of equipment throughout your network.

5) Compact and repair regularly.

Performing the built-in compact and repair function regularly is recommended to prevent corruption and improve performance. Consider automating this function with a utility to compact and repair all of your databases nightly or during the weekend.

Error messages to look out for - the following error messages may signal database corruption:

"The database 'databasename.mdb' needs to be repaired or isn't a Microsoft Access database file."

"Record(s) can't be read, no read permissions on 'databasename.mdb'"

"Unexpected Error 35012"

"Unrecognized database format รขโ�ฌห�databasename.mdb'."

"รขโ�ฌห�databasename.mdb' isn't an index in this table. Look in the Indexes collection of the TableDef object to determine the valid index names."

"The Microsoft Jet database engine could not find the object 'databases'. Make sure the object exists and that you spell its name and path name correctly."

"The database has been placed in a state by user '' on machine '' that prevents it from being opened or locked"

"Disk Error -- Reserved error (-1601)"

"The database has been placed in an unexpected state."

"Record(s) cannot be read; no read permission on 'MSysObjects'"

"Record(s) cannot be read; no read permission on 'MSysACEs'."

"The Microsoft Jet database engine cannot find the input table or query 'MSysAccessObjects'. Make sure it exists and that its name is spelled correctly."

Conclusion:

While you may never be able to prevent all Microsoft Access database corruption, you should be able to stop 98% of the problems before they occur by following these 5 simple tips. Follow these tips and implement a prudent automated backup schedule to minimize your odds of significant data loss.

Kevin Sparks is a technical writer for Kaizen Software Solutions, the producer of Digital DBA, an automated MS Access monitoring, backup, and compact/repair utility. For more information, visit their website at http://www.kzsoftware.com/products/digitaldba

A Little Trick to Backing Up Your Files Free of Charge

As with the majority of computer users, you have probably experienced some sort of computer failure. Whether it was a virus, hard drive crash, or a spilled drink, it probably caused some grief and disappointment.

If you have looked at file backup services, the prices may have turned you away. Luckily it is possible to backup your files online totally freeรขโ�ฌยฆ if you know where to look!

File Backup Secret #1: Gmail

With almost 3 GB of storage, Googleรขโ�ฌโ�ขs Gmail is a file storage service in disguise!

Once you have a Gmail account, itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs simple to store your files. Simply email your files to yourself at your new Gmail address. Thatรขโ�ฌโ�ขs it, the files are right there. (You might need an invite to get a Gmail account, but there are lots of people out there now that can invite you in.)

It works great especially for storing your digital photos. (And if you ever need to send a photo to someone, just forward them the message. No need to search your computer and attach a file all over again.)

This is a quick and dirty file storage option, but it does work. However, itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs not the greatest idea to store extremely sensitive or private data this way. It is not meant to be a secure file storage option so do not treat it as one.

File Backup Secret #2: Webshots

Another option for photos is to use a service such as Webshots where you upload your photos for public display. If you ever lose the photos from your computer, simply go to your webshots page and download them from there.

One problem with these solutions is the limit on file size. If you have files that are over 10 MB, it might not work. There are also restrictions on certain file types.

So if you are flat broke and need to backup your files somewhere, Gmail is a viable option. But if you are looking for totally secure, automatic, unlimited backup, you need to find something else. Most likely you will have to pay, but there are some very low-cost yet high-quality services out there.

Levi Bloom created the website PCBackupReview.com where you can compare online backup services. Check it out today to discover the best computer backup method that costs just $5 per month.

If You Need A Method For Backing Up Your Computer You Should Consider A CD-ROM

Computers today are used in every part of life. They are used for communication, work, play and even to buy food. Therefore, when you lose a computer or even just a file from your computer, it is like losing your best friend. You can't back up or replace a best friend, but you can backup files, or your entire computer if desired.

Several back up methods exist. Some computers will automatically back themselves up; you just need to find the folder where the back up is stored. If your computer does not have this function, or you are not sure if the function exists or is working, manually back up your files. For example, after creating an important Microsoft Word document, save it at least twice in at least two different locations.

If however, you lose your entire hard drive, it won't matter how many times you have saved the same document. To avoid this dilemma, save your files on something other than the computer's hard drive. Floppy disks are not commonly used, but they will work for small files. Be ware that floppy disks can be unreliable and often crash just as your computer did.

USB Drives are becoming more popular as a back up tool. A USB drive is a small device that holds large amounts of information. It works like a floppy disk in that you can place files, delete files or move files around within the USB. All recent computers have USB ports that should be able to read any USB device.

CD ROMs are also a popular way to back up your files. A CD ROM looks just like a music CD you would buy in a store, but can hold up to 700 MB of information. This allows for large files or a large amount of small files to be stored on this disk. Once you put information onto a CD ROM, you can not add files or change the files on the disk. This can be one way of ensuring nobody else tampers with your work, but can also be frustrating when you would like to back up a newer version of your work. In this case, a CD RW disk may suit you better. RW stands for re writable disk. On this kind of disk you can add, delete and rewrite files until the disk is full. When using the rewrite option, be sure you do not accidentally rewrite something you wanted to keep the back up of.

Both CD options can be done on most home computers. You will need a CD (possibly two in case the first one ends up as practice!), and a CD burner. Almost all computers sold today, or sold recently, are equipped with a basic CD burner and burning software that is generally simple to use. If your computer is not equipped with these devices, you may purchase a basic CD burner and software for a relatively inexpensive price. Once you have created your back up CD, take care to keep it in a cool dry place where it will be safe from damage.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about this as well as data recovery at http://www.wegetyoustarted.com.

Choosing a Data Recovery Company in case of Data Loss!

The choice of a specialist data recovery company in case of severe data loss is really a big deal. When you have lost almost all the important data of the enterprise, which is the backbone of your business, the only hope for the survival of your business is to contact an expert data recovery company, believe or not, its not an easy job to find a professional company for this service in this situation. Any how, you have to take the decision for the survival of your business. Here are a few guidelines for those who have suffered data loss and need appropriate solution in no time.

The most important issue in selecting the right company for your problem is the authentication of the company whom your are going to approach in case of major data loss. You will probably ask this question, will this company recover my data after the disaster? Certainly, if your answer to above question is in affirmative then you donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt need to worry about anything else. You can further look for following when you choose a data recovery specialist.

รขโ�ฌยข Work history
รขโ�ฌยข Type of data recovery services
รขโ�ฌยข Clean room facility
รขโ�ฌยข Operating system agnostic
รขโ�ฌยข Expert engineers

The work history and reputation of a data recovery company is very important. A company who has got its fame after working for years would be more trustable and expert than a new one.

A lot of companies have specific area of excellence like some are good in retrieving data from hard drives; some are specialist in raid servers etc. So choose the best company which best suites your requirements.

Make sure that your target company is equipped with clean room support and sterilized facilities; this will help you to give some sort of guarantee that your data will be retrieved successfully. Software that is Operating System Agnostic will operate on many operating systems, so in order to find a recovery specialist, make sure they are really expert to deal with your media/device successfully. The cost factor does influence a lot while searching for someone with excellence in data recovery field, but it is not the primary decision to worry about; especially when you are sure to get your data back, you will not be anxious about other stuff.

Moreover, if you know a bit work history, the services provided and a few cases of successful salvaging of data, then go ahead in full confidence to submit your case to that company. There may be many more points and queries that can be asked to find the best data recovery company for your data loss; but above points will give you a few important ingredients that are possessed by your data recovery service provider. If you have damaged your hard drive due to any reason then find out your desired solution at http://www.optimumrecovery.com/hard_drive_data_recovery.html.

Hard Drive Data Recoveries

In a multi-million dollar enterprise, the hard disk is more or less the storehouse of all information. If the hard disk crashes, it could give a lot of people sleepless nights and headaches. Surprisingly, the most significant threat to hard drives comes in the form of the people who use them.

Advances in technology have ensured that data recovery is possible in most cases. If disk partitioning has been done then it could be only one part which has crashed, making recovery easier. If your hard disk is playing up, then back up and install a new one on an urgent basis.

One way would be to connect the drive to a different computer and access the software recovery system which specializes in this kind of work.

Recovery comes under many guises and financial implications. One can define hard disk failures as logical, where file systems get infected or corrupted and physical, which could be mechanical or electronic in nature. In logical failures, generally scanning and repairing takes care of the problem though it is time consuming. Physical, as the name suggests would mean replacement of parts, circuits etc.

There are software solutions available for the computer-savvy who can take care of certain problems. The cost ranges from $400- $600 for rectifying logical problems and $1200-$2500 for the physical. The success rate for any kind of recovery is around 70% to 90% depending on the severity of the crash. Be aware that software that offers to write on the damaged disk often leads to permanent loss of data.

The best thing to do in such cases is to get people who specialize in this line of work. This would ensure that you do not lose any more data than what is absolutely not avoidable. Backing up of data to counter such situations has proven to be the best method of keeping your information safe from all crashes and other dangers to the computer systems.

Recovery provides detailed information on Data Recovery, Recovery, Data Recovery Services, Hard Drive Data Recoveries and more. Recovery is affiliated with LAN Server Racks.

Disaster Recovery Services: Questions to Ask of a Service Provider

With increasing dependence on systems availability, the recovery of your core servers, applications and network are fundamental in the event of a disaster. In fact, as organisations rely more and more on รขโ�ฌห�anytime, anywhereรขโ�ฌโ�ข connectivity, รขโ�ฌห�systems availabilityรขโ�ฌโ�ข has become synonymous with รขโ�ฌห�disaster recoveryรขโ�ฌโ�ข.

According to industry analyst Gartner, "two out of five enterprises that experience a disaster go out of business within five years. Business continuity plans and disaster recovery services ensure continuity and viability." (Disaster Recovery Plans and Systems are Essential, September 2001)

This article discusses your considerations when selecting a service provider to deliver disaster recovery services รขโ�ฌโ�� a partner on whom the very survival of your business may depend.

Disaster Recovery Focus and Expertise

When reviewing your options for disaster recovery services, the pedigree of potential providers is vital. Here are some key questions to ask:

• What is their core business? If it is the sale of hardware or software, or the supply of Internet or telecommunications services, systems availability will be a secondary consideration รขโ�ฌโ�� an รขโ�ฌห�add-onรขโ�ฌโ�ข to other services or products.
• How many specialist engineers will be available to help you during the short window you require to get your systems up and running again?
• In helping you develop an appropriate disaster recovery plan, will they be more concerned with selling you additional servers or communications links, rather than formulating a cost-effective, multi-subscriber solution that complies with your corporate risk strategy?

Your best choice is an organisation focussed on systems availability, dedicated to the up-time of your key business systems, and with the technical expertise, facilities, economies of scale and procedures to deliver timely disaster recovery in an emergency.

Disaster Recovery Response

When a disaster occurs, time is of the essence.

• How long will you have to wait before you become eligible to make use of your disaster recovery service providerรขโ�ฌโ�ขs facilities?
• Then, once they accept a รขโ�ฌห�declared disasterรขโ�ฌโ�ข, how long will it take to have your systems functional?
• And can they provide examples of disaster declarations and how quickly they responded to bring the affected business applications back online?

Look for a disaster recovery provider who can guarantee to have facilities available to you within a maximum of 12 hours รขโ�ฌโ�� and with proven methodologies and the resources available to assist you in the rapid restoration of your business operations. These include the speed with which they can restore your data onto disaster recovery servers, availability of technology to propagate your standard operating environment onto their workstations, and access to sufficient experienced engineers to help get you up and running again.

Affordable Disaster Recovery

The strategy you choose to protect your business in the event of disaster will inevitably reflect a balance between risk and cost. Many mid-sized businesses cannot justify the cost of real-time application replication, when these applications can be recovered using a multi-subscriber solution within their desired disaster recovery window. Other organisations, however, require instantaneous recovery of applications to meet their disaster recovery strategies.

Your ideal disaster recovery service provider will offer a full range of solutions รขโ�ฌโ�� customised to your specific requirements รขโ�ฌโ�� from the premium option of housing live systems mirrored in real-time, to economical access to multi-subscriber equipment. If some of your applications are more critical than others, perhaps a combination of both solutions will satisfy both your risk and cost objectives.

The fee structure your disaster recovery service provider offers is also a factor:

• Do they require upfront payment for the entire contract period?
• Will you be faced with additional cost if you declare a disaster, or do they include a period of free use of their facilities?
• And are the days you require for regular testing of your disaster recovery plan included in your monthly subscription?

Disaster Recovery Facilities

Important considerations when choosing a service provider are the facilities for your staff within the disaster recovery centre.

• If the worst happens, and you lose access to key premises for an extended period, can your disaster recovery service provider cope?
• If you need to divert your customer contact centre, can the service provider offer necessary telephony equipment and switchboard functionality?
• And will key staff remain committed during the duration of the outage? Factors such as security, parking, kitchen facilities and access to public transport and amenities all come into the equation.

When choosing between a vendor and an independent disaster recovery service provider, questions you should ask include:

• Can they support multiple platforms? If your key applications rely on systems from a range of vendors, can just one of those vendors provide effective disaster recovery services?
• And are replacement servers proactively maintained by experts and supported by spare parts holdings in the same capital city รขโ�ฌโ�� or do they represent a storage facility for redundant equipment offering รขโ�ฌห�best effortรขโ�ฌโ�ข recovery?

Another important consideration is the ability of your disaster recovery service provider to deliver in the event of a disaster scenario affecting your multi-tenanted building, street, city block or even the entire suburb. Where will you come in the pecking order if your provider has committed to providing disaster recovery services to your neighbours? In the next article in this series, we look at how to mitigate your risks in such an event.

Clint Seagrave is Engineering Director of Interactive Pty Ltd one of Australiaรขโ�ฌโ�ขs leading providers of IT services. Established in 1988, and with a team of over 150 service staff รขโ�ฌโ�� supported by a network of thousands of highly trained support staff รขโ�ฌโ�� Interactive is the chosen supplier for critical hardware maintenance and disaster recovery services by 900+ corporations. Entirely focussed on systems availability, Interactive is 100% Australian-owned. Visit http://www.interactive.com.au

Offsite Data Backup or Online Storage - Which Solution Is the Most Suited to You?

Most people still think that backing up to an offsite environment is the same solution as moving files to an online storage system. If you want to know what the differences are, so you are able to make an informed decision, please read on.

Online file storage is a means for moving your digital photos, music, movies and projects off your computer via the internet to a remote storage facility, so you can access them from anywhere, share them with friends. Online file storage works by giving you and thousands of other people storage space on large internet servers. This storage is basically used as an extension to your local storage.

A typical example of use would be anybody how has non-critical data such as MP3, MPG, JPEG files who would wish to store data remotely in case of drive failure or loss and may also wish to share said files with friends. Please note this form of data storage is for file data only and would require manual transfer via ftp. Online storage is ideal for a home user looking to secure or store data offsite.

Offsite Backup is a commercial offering, originally used buy large corporate organizations who could afford high bandwidth connections ensuring their data is backed up to third party locations with highest emphasis placed upon security. As the cost of internet connectivity has greatly reduced, offsite secure backup services have become available to smaller businesses. I am sure you can appreciate, if a company, business or organization was to lose data, it would not know who its customers are, who owes money to whom, therefore creating many more challenges than a home user losing their MP3 collection would face.

It is not just an issue of moving file data to a remote location, there are many other factors a company has to address, such as:

What type of data has to be backed up รขโ�ฌโ�� most companies will have a database in one form or another such as, Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft SQL, MySQL, Oracle or Lotus Notes which will be running 24 hours a day. A backup solution must contain agents for backing up the databases in question whilst the database is running and must support multiple operating systems, such as Windows, Novel, Linux and Unix etc.

Security รขโ�ฌโ�� The data to be backed up is "sensitive" and you would certainly not wish to share this data. Before data is backed up it must be encrypted to the highest levels possible, levels used by your bank or the military for example. Your data must be stored whilst still in the encrypted state ensuring only you have access.

Data Backup can create a large manpower overhead, so your offsite solution must be totally automated requiring no human intervention, set and forget.

The hardware must be dedicated for backup and resilient as possible with no single points of failure and then for good measure this whole infrastructure must be replicated in real time to a second datacenter.

All the above factors will ensure your business data is backed up and available for restore regardless of data disaster.

In summary, online storage, great for home users storing MP3, Video and file data. Offsite data backup is a must for business use.

To find out more information about secure offsite data backup solutions, please visit www.perfectbackup.co.uk.

Online Backup: The Simple Value

"There are many reasons to use online backup. The simple fact is that your computer could get invaded or destroyed in minutes and it can happen completely suddenly as well. The fact is that more and more people are falling victim to this type of occurrence every day. What happens is that it leaves you without all that you know and need and leaves you without anyway of fixing it. Online backup is the perfect solution though because it allows you the ability to save whatever it is that you need to without thought or worry about anything happening to it.

Online backup should be thought of as a file cabinet for all of your important information. By using online databases to store this information, you are safeguarding it from anything that may happen to your computerรขโ�ฌโ�ขs hard drive or memory. You can store just about any type of information that you need to and it is completely and utterly safe. Most information that is saved in this manner is safeguarded from other people as well. You can make sure of this by not providing your personal information nor your username and password to retrieve it.

Why do you need online backup? Well, there are many reasons. And, there are many things that you can store in there. For example, you may find that there are business clients as well as a number of corporations that store their information on their computers. In these cases, a crash can be awful. In the case of the personal ecommerce entrepreneur, important contact information for clients as well the product lists and availabilities are all necessary and yet they too can fall victim to a crash if they are stored on the computer. Online backup systems can help to avoid all of this information as well as much more. "

for more information please see http://www.online-backup-help.co.uk

Does it Pay to Backup Emails from Clients Like Outlook Express?

How often do people loose their email data? Is this important to backup your email client before loosing important emails? Are you thinking it wonรขโ�ฌโ�ขt happen to you?

Well, for those who use an email client and loosing their emails is one of the worst nightmares. Unfortunately this situation is quite probable.

There are several causes for this:
- Hard disk failure
- Viruses and Trojans
- Windows crashes
- Some time un-expected things

Hard Disk can fail from several reasons: logical problems like bad partitions, hardware problems caused by dropping them or something on them, or, sometimes they just stop functioning. You can use several data recovery tools like GetDataBack or Acronis, which might save your day. But you might not be able to get back any byte.

Viruses are increasing their numbers day by day. Itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs hard to keep up even for the big players like Symantec or Kaspersky. They reduced the response time for a new virus, but if you are unlucky, the virus crashes your computer before you can apply the antivirus.

Well, we all know how reliable Windows is. There is no person that can say he never saw a "blue screen". Because most of the email clients store email, account and settings data in My documents, Program files or in Windows registry. When you reinstall the operating system you loose them all. Even Microsoft CEO Bill Gates acknowledged that they counted 5 percent of total Windows based computers to crash twice every day. Hereรขโ�ฌโ�ขs a small report: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/25/technology/25SOFT.html - September 1, 2005.

The best way to count those situations is to backup emails on a CD or another hard disk. People who know a little about Windows and computers can do it by hand. Outlook Express is still the most used email client.

If you want to backup Outlook Express by hand, you have to save registry keys and DBX files. Saving messages, signatures and the address book can be done within the email client, but for settings you have to search through Windows registry. It can be pretty difficult to do it for a beginner.

After a long search now I found a tool that can do this job automatically. Adolix Outlook Express Backup. You can use this software to backup Outlook Express, IncrediMail and some other email clients. Itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs an email saver program that can backup and restore emails, addresses, folders, signatures and options.

What it cannot do is backing up Outlook Express and restoring to Pegasus Mail for instance. Synchronization can take place between different instances of the same email client.

It can be used to move emails from one computer to another. For instance if you own a laptop and a PC, you can transfer emails between them. Furthermore, you can backup Outlook Express from Windows98 and restore it to Windows XP.

Adolix Outlook Express Backup has a wizard mode for beginners, but the most experienced users can use Standard mode for more speed. It costs only $24.95 and I think worth for too much.

Itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs pretty clear that anyone can loose emails. So backing up your email client is essential, but you have to decide whether to do it by hand or to purchase a tool like Adolix Outlook Express Backup.

Ted Peterson writes for Adolix Software. Adolix Software is a young company specialized in tools and utilities like Adolix Outlook Express Backup (http://www.adolix.com/outlook-express-backup/ ), Adolix PDF Converter or eCover Engineer.

Online Backup Service - The Right Questions to Ask

With all the disasters in recent news, more and more individuals and businesses are looking into remote backup services to protect their data. At the same time, more and more online backup providers are entering the market place. How do you choose? What should you be looking for?

To answer these questions, you first have to evaluate your risk and the level of loss you are trying to prevent. Most data loss comes from human error. You erase the wrong file. You overwrite a previous version of a file. If these are your typical scenarios, then you want a service that can provide a simple quick restoration process. Do you need to meet government requirements, such as those contained in HIPAA or Sarbanes-Oxley? If so, then your remote backup provider must also meet them. Is your primary concern, a natural disaster? Then, your provider should be located outside the disaster zone. Once you have listed your priorities, you can begin asking the provider some or all of the following questions:

1) What does online backup cost?

Some providers charge minimal amounts but force you to accept advertising. This means that their primary business is not online backup but marketing. They will be successful as long as their advertisers see a value in using them.

2) How much can I store?

Some remote backup services limit your storage capability and stop backing you up if you reach that limit.

3) What types of encryption are available?

Not all encryption methods meet government standards. If you need to comply with legislation such as HIPAA, be sure your remote backup provider uses approved encryption.

4) What levels of compression do you offer?

Compressed files reduce transmission times and storage utilization. Picture files, zip files, etc. are already compressed. You may not want your system tied-up recompressing these.

5) What levels of support do you offer? Can I talk with you over the phone? Can I get on site support?

Restoring data can be critical to your business. Can you get the help you need when you need it?

6) How do I know if my backup is successful?

Remote backups can fail. You need to know if your data is suddenly at risk.

Tom Sutton has been a programmer and network administrator for over twenty years. His firm HBS Consulting supports clients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. To learn more about HBS and their remote backup service, go to http://www.hbsco.com and http://www.remotebackup-at-hbs.com.

The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men, or, how I Learned to Stop Worrying and use Surge Protection

'The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry...' Thus the paraphrase goes of the words of the great Scottish poet Robert Burns. These words ring very true to me this morning. You see, my software company has leased a server for almost three years now, at a hefty monthly fee. This server has hosted a number of websites for various clients and has really been a great, if somewhat expensive, asset. Finally, however, I decided that it was time to bring this in-house, as they say. So, I got some office space, a phone line, and a business-class DSL line that would provide more than enough bandwidth to serve what I needed. I then converted a powerhouse PC into a web server to host some web sites owned by my company, Centrant LLC. For web hosting clients that need more than what DSL service can provide, and for purposes of redundancy, I have a number of partnerships that allow me to provide the service level that is required.

All the bases were covered.

All set with my arsenal of cost saving new toys, I was almost ready to make the switch from my leased server to the new one sitting in the corner of my new office. I had spent hours installing software and configuring the server. It was almost ready. Already locked down tight so hackers would have a very tough time trying to break in, all that was left was to install anti-virus and anti-spam software to protect those who would use the server for email. The result of around 40 hours of work was at hand, and I would finally be able to stop paying those outrageous monthly bills for a server located half a country away.

Now, I know better than to leave any piece of electronic equipment unprotected. Believe me, I've learned that mistake the hard way. A few times. So, I made sure that all the equipment was under the constant watch of a quality surge protector. The server itself, since it is so valuable, was even removed again from other equipment so that an intermediary device would have to first succumb before the server was hit by a surge of electricity. Not bad planning, huh? Pretty slick, right? I thought so too. And, well, it was good planning. And it was pretty slick. But remember the words of the old Scottish sage. 'The best laid plans...' Over the weekend, Saturday night to be exact, we were hit by a very forceful storm. Lightning and thunder came crashing in and seemed determined to destroy as much as possible before moving on. And destroy they did. As I came into the office on Sunday afternoon to do some work, I noticed that the network router was dead. Then I noticed that the phone was dead. Then the server that I had spent so much time installing and configuring and losing sleep to get ready was, you guessed it, fried. Does this stop me from moving the server? Nope. It only means that it will take a little longer to get it going, and it will take a little more money to replace some things. I'll have to pay for that leased server one more month maybe, and this time I will make sure that there are redundant surge protections in place. Did I lose any data? Again, nope. I've learned to make backups often. Did any site go down as a result of this? Nope. Everything is working great as far as my clients are concerned-- remember that there are partnerships in place that I can utilize to protect against any loss of service.

It was a big personal let down, however. I put a tremendous amount of work into something and now have to start over. But, it was neither the first nor the last time that I've had to start over, and this time I'll do it faster and better.

What's the point of telling you all this? Where's the 'Tech Tip', you might wonder. The tip for this week is that, even when you do everything right, sometimes things just go wrong. Every phone line and Internet connection in the entire building that houses my new office space was dealt a lethal blow. A direct hit can wreak havoc on any computer system. You know, now that I think of it, this applies to life in general, not just computers. Hmm, interesting.

As always, if you have any questions or suggestions for future articles, please email me at mike@mikebryant.com.

Mike Bryant has worked as a professional software developer for over ten years. A born entrepreneur, he currently owns Centrant, LLC, a software consulting firm specializing in custom software for small businesses. He currently resides in Jackson, Kentucky with his wife, two kids, and five computers. For more information, please visit MikeBryant.com.

Why Should You Worry About A Malicious Code?

A malicious code can be a program. It can also be a part of a program. Further a malicious code can attach itself to a good program. In that way the malicious effect occurs first when the good program runs.

The last time you installed a large software, let us say a photo program, you just executed one command, for instance INSTALL or SETUP. After that the installation program took control, creating and deleting files. A few minutes later you have a lot of new code and data installed. You had really no idea of what you had received. Hopefully all you received was good and may be it was. But think for a minute of all the millions of byte that were transferred and all the modifications that were made to the existing files. And all this was going on without your consent or knowledge.

A malicious code can do anything other program can. It can write a message on the computer screen, erase a stored file or stop a running program. Malicious codes can do different things every time. They can also do nothing most of the time and then suddenly act in a very dramatic way.

What is a malicious code? How is it possible that it can take control of a system? How can you recognize a malicious code? Is it possible to stop it? Let me try to give you some answers.

A malicious code is an undesired effect in a program or in a part of a program, caused by an agent intent on damage. A virus is a program that can pass on a malicious code to other good programs by modifying them. A virus "infects" a program by attaching itself to the program. Then the virus destroys the other program or it exists with it. Also the good program can be modified. It then acts like a virus and starts to infect other programs. A transient virus acts when the attached program runs and terminates when the attached program stops. A resident virus locates itself in the memory of the computer and can remain active even if the attached program stops.

A Trojan horse is a malicious code that besides its primary effect even has a non obvious effect. It can for example take the identification and password of a user, passes the identifi-cation information on to the rest of the system, but keeps a copy of the information for later use.

A logic bomb is a type of malicious code that goes off when a certain condition happens. A time bomb is a logic bomb, where the trigger is a time or date.

A worm is a malicious code that spreads copies of itself through a network. The difference between a worm and a virus is that a worm operates through a network and a virus is spread through a medium, usually a copied program or data files.

The only way to prevent an infection by virus is to avoid sharing an executable code with an infected source. Of course you cannot know which sources are infected, the best advice I can give you is to expect that any outside source is infected. The problem is that you cannot cut out all contact with the outside world. However there are some techniques to obtain a fairly safe community for your contact with the outside world.

1.	Use only commercial software from established vendors  2.	Test all new software on an isolated computer  3.	Made a bootable disc and store it on a safe place  4.	Make backup copies of executable system files  5.	Use virus scanners regularly

You can never be quite safe for a malicious code, but at least you have a good chance to diminish the harm if you follow these fairly simple rules.

Born in Turku, Finland. Working as a lawyer in Stockholm since 1975. A Law Firm of his own since 1982. Masters in Law and IT 2000. Internet Marketer and Happenur.

Back up Your Mail - Get Your History Safe (Outlook Express Oriented)

To get control over your own mail store in Outlook Express means to be up-to-date in terms of private business and procure order in all kinds of epistolary relationships. These affirmations are out of question.

Just imagine a thunder crash over your pc followed by the magic disappearance of all your mail information ever received or sent. Considering the fact that this sort of nightmare is the most usual catastrophe that cruelly interrupts the continuous flow of your day after day life, it is highly possible that it has already happened to you. One crash could delete your history! We know how lamentable it could be. Being eager to prevent the irreversible loss, you might try to save your mail manually, letter by letter.

What happens? Right! Great difficulties and even greater waste of precious time.

Supposing that the support machinery (meaning personal computers) does not exactly represent the field of your interest or knowledge, it is still very likely that you depend on a pc as the most important tool for your work. That is why you are not primarily interested in the cause of "universal" crash (that might be a hardware failure, viruses, windows crash etc.) but you want to keep yourself away from wastage. Once you have installed your most convenient tool of communication, like the Outlook Express program, you are ready to enjoy all the advantages of being a part of the net and to face the few drawbacks of the high technology state.

Why do you have to save your electronic letters? Well, because you cannot proceed as you did in bygone times of paper mailing.

You cannot keep a virtual mail in a real drawer!

The first step to be undertaken is to get informed in virtual order issues. There are several programs ready to propose their help in making your life easier. Outlook Express contains a suite of tools given to your use.

In addition, you would need a way to save your writing history (private and business mails) from computer crashes by easily clicking around - a program able to save your entire data to a single, compressed protected file so that it can be restored easily. This is what we call high performance.

There is no need to mention the deep necessity to have all your information contained in mails kept in order and safe from loss, as well as there is no need to mention the importance of communication. Get convinced, get informed, and get your business improved.

Ted Peterson writes for Adolix. You can visit http://www.adolix.com and check the latest version of our utilities and tools like Adolix Outlook Express Backup, eCover Engineer and Adolix PDF Converter.

Data Processing And Management Services

If knowledge is power, then todayรขโ�ฌโ�ขs world of cut throat corporate competition relies on the wisdom imparted through data. In the modern business world, all kinds of strategic operations depend on the amount of knowledge that can be manipulated, molded, shaped and reshaped in order to get the best of results.

The collision of globalization with the complications and complexities of various digital devices and procedures has increased the need for automated data processing units and proper data management systems and related services.

Understanding the value of information in the day-to-day operations and functioning aspects of a firm is a fundamental criterion for the formation of an effective and successful management strategy. Data processing is not just the process of implementing the data in the right place at the right time; it also encompassed a range of methods for how data is processed and to what extent the data is prepared to yield the best of results for the company. Ideally, data processing services assist in streamlining a wide range of corporate activities. Data processing and related management services are not only used to present the full and processed data to be used for the overall benefit; rather, their fundamental function is to present an insightful interpretation of the data as well.

Data processing and management services are vital for all kinds of businesses, including small firms. Such services help provide companies with a sharper foundation for analyzing their operations, strategies, policies. Perhaps the greatest opportunities for data processing services lies in the health care industry due to the digitization of medical records.

Data Management provides detailed information on Data Management, Data Processing And Management Services, Data Management Software, Clinical Data Management and more. Data Management is affiliated with Data Recovery Services.

Why It Is Especially Important That You Backup Files On Your Laptop

The mobility afforded by laptop computers makes it very popular for most people around the world. If you have a laptop, you can actually work anywhere you like without much trouble. You can even work in the park or at your favorite coffee shop if you want to. With the growing demand for laptops all over the globe, this technology is currently evolving at such a very fast pace. Every now and then, manufacturers would churn out some improved versions of the laptops with more sophisticated features. Unfortunately, even though this technology is improving very fast, there are still many things that people who are using laptops need to contend with.

Some of the most notable problems that laptop users often experience are that sometimes; they could not access their hard drives, they have trouble booting or that their laptops are making those funny noises while they are using them. Such problems could actually lead to hard drive failures and loss of data. Recovering data from your laptop could be more complicated than recovering data from your desktop computer. Note that a laptop is compact and lightweight thus it will need special parts to go with it. Moreover, a laptop is sealed so that it would be more difficult to gain access to the insides of this machine than with the desktop. In the event where you experience troubles with your laptop, if would be a good idea to bring it to the authorized service center for check up.

The technician may need to open up the laptop to find out what is wrong with it. It is not advisable for you to open your laptop on your own especially if you have no special knowledge in laptop technology. The danger with experimenting on your laptop by opening it and tinkering with the parts inside is that you could actually damage the system and lose all your files.

Some system damage could be irreparable so don't tinker with the system if you are not sure of what you are doing. Another reason why you should never attempt to open your laptop on your own is that laptops are very sensitive to dusk. If dust gets into you're the systems of your laptop, this could really wreck havoc on the systems. Laptops should only be opened in certain places where they could be protected from dust and other particles. Otherwise, you could seriously compromise the systems if you just open it without taking precautions.

When it comes to important files on your laptop, it would be wise to back up your files periodically. Remember that the mobile nature of the laptop makes it more susceptible to damage so you should be better prepared for any eventualities. You can burn important files to CDs, the USB drive or in one of those large capacity external drives which you can easily attached to the ports in your laptop.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about this as well as a computer repair at www.internetcomputerrepair.com

Data Recovery Experts

Hard drive data recovery is the process of retrieving deleted or lost data from the hard drive of a desktop or laptop. Data is lost due to logical or physical failures of the hard drive. Logical failures can occur due to a virus, accidental deletion of key files or registry components, and, in some cases, even electro-static discharge. Physical failures can occur due to mechanical or electronic problems.

Hard drive data recovery experts are trained professionals and provide data recovery services to clients. These experts have in-depth knowledge about data recovery solutions. When a hard drive crashes, it is removed from the hard drive bay and sent to a data recovery expert. A particular expert is selected based on its reputation and pricing policies.

Recovery experts perform initial checks on the hard drive and make an assessment about the probable cost of recovery. The final recovery process starts only after getting the clients approval. The recovery process starts with making a sector-by-sector mirror copy of the damaged hard drive. Advanced software is used to recover lost data from this copy. Recovered data is stored on a different storage medium and sent back to the client.

Different recovery experts offer different data recovery rates, which can range from $50 to $5000. Some offer flat rates while others have variable rates. On average, charges for logical hard drive recovery costs range from $400 to $600 for standard IDE drives. Physical hard drive data recovery costs range from $1200 to $2000. If it is an RAID or an SCSI hard drive, prices can be as high as $15,000.

To simplify the data recovery process and reduce costs, some experts offer user-friendly hard drive recovery software. This software enables users to recover lost data without physically removing the hard drive. Users are also provided online technical support while using this software.

Recovery provides detailed information on Data Recovery, Recovery, Data Recovery Services, Hard Drive Data Recoveries and more. Recovery is affiliated with LAN Server Racks.

Microsoft SQL 2000 Disaster Recovery with SANRAD V-Switch - Planning Guide

Introduction

Designing a disaster recovery system requires planning and consideration of the available options that will best fit your companyรขโ�ฌโ�ขs needs, SLA and budget.

With SANRAD DR Solution there is no need to use Log shipping (which requires extra recovery steps) or Microsoft SQLรขโ�ฌโ�ขs built in replication mechanism (which requires the configuration of a publisher and a subscriber). SANRAD DR makes the data and transaction log available to the SQL server on the remote site for immediate use. Even if there is no SQL server on the remote site, once built after a disaster, it will be able to access the data immediately with minimum recover time. SANRAD DR solution is a "hot standby solution" when there is a server on the remote site and a "warm standby solution" when there is no SQL server on the remote site (which will be built after a disaster).

This guide will help you design Disaster Recovery plan for Microsoft SQL 2000 in conjunction with . The guide assumes that you have basic knowledge of SANRAD V-Switch and MSSQL 2000 Administration.

Disaster Recovery Planning For Microsoft SQL 2000 This section discusses both general and MSSQL specific considerations that need to be addressed when designing a disaster recovery solution combining and Microsoft SQL 2000.

General Considerations

solution allows for flexibility with Microsoft SQL 2000 disaster recovery design. The most influential factors affecting design consideration are:
รขโ�ฌยข Budget limitations
รขโ�ฌยข Recovery Time Objective (RTO) requirements (the time until the data is back online)
รขโ�ฌยข Recovery Point Objective (RPO) requirements (the amount of data that can be lost)
รขโ�ฌยข Network bandwidth between the local site and remote site
รขโ�ฌยข Replication method: Synchronous versus Asynchronous
รขโ�ฌยข Replication frequency (only for Asynchronous replication)
รขโ�ฌยข Initial volume synchronization

RTO (Recovery Time Objective)
รขโ�ฌยข With high level RTO, duplicate hardware is required to allow quick recovery making the solution more costly.

RPO (Recovery Point Objective)
RPO requirements are best defined by the amount of data that the company is willing to lose.
รขโ�ฌยข High level RPO requires more bandwidth for both Synchronous and Asynchronous replication.
รขโ�ฌยข Low level RPO requires less frequent replication and smaller bandwidth.

Network Bandwidth between the Local and Remote sites
Bandwidth between the sites is generally the most crucial factor affecting the replication component of a solution.
รขโ�ฌยข T1 (1.5Mb) links impose less frequent data replication and the use of asynchronous replication methods.
รขโ�ฌยข T3 (45Mb) links or a 1Gb links allow frequent replication and the flexibility to choose between synchronous replication or asynchronous replication methods.

Replication method
When considering which replication method to choose it is important to remember:
รขโ�ฌยข In Synchronous Replication the I/O commands are written to the local disk and to the remote volume at the same time. Every IO command requires an acknowledgment from both the local and remote sites before the next command. Consequently, synchronous replication is best deployed with a high bandwidth connection in order to allow the remote acknowledgment to arrive back to the local site as fast as possible and the replication can run faster.
รขโ�ฌยข In Asynchronous Replication the I/O commands are written to the local volume and local journal volume which in turn is replicated periodically to the remote volume as periodically defined by the user. Consequently asynchronous replication can work well with lower bandwidth (minimum recommended for Microsoft SQL 2000 replication is 1.5 Mb).
รขโ�ฌยข For Asynchronous replication, you must decide the data replication frequency. There are three factors that must be considered:
1. The size of the network bandwidth between the sites.
2. The amount of data changes that need to replicate each time. For example, large amounts of data changes take longer to replicate using T1 links.
3. The RPO requirements.

Initial Volume Synchronization solution can be used to protect existing production Microsoft SQL 2000 data. solution supports both online and offline synchronization. When using with existing Microsoft SQL 2000 data, an Initial synchronization of the Microsoft SQL 2000 volumes on the local site to the remote site must be performed.

The initial volume sync method depends on:
รขโ�ฌยข The size of the volumes needed to be synchronized.
รขโ�ฌยข The network bandwidth between the sites. For example, the bigger the volume size, the longer it will take to synchronize over a T1 link.
Online synchronization starts immediately when replication is started and uses the same network link that will be used during the replication.
Offline synchronization is a manual process where prepares the volumes on the primary site and the user must copy the data to the remote site. It is the userรขโ�ฌโ�ขs responsibility to make sure the volumes on the remote site are synchronized.

Microsoft SQL 2000 Considerations
Any Microsoft SQL 2000 Disaster Recovery planning should (at the very least) consider the following requirements:
รขโ�ฌยข Quick access to the most recent copy of the Microsoft SQL 2000 database and the transaction logs. In a disaster situation provides fast access to the most recent replicated data on the remote site.
รขโ�ฌยข The Microsoft SQL 2000 database and its related transaction logs must be replicated together to the remote site. uses consistency groups to ensure simultaneous replication of all volumes assigned to a consistency group.

SANRAD is a leader in IP Storage Networks enabling organizations to effectively Access, Share & Manage Stored Data across Standard Ethernet Environments.

SANRAD delivers simplified networked storage with excellent price/performance by coupling open IP storage connectivity with comprehensive network-based data management using IP Storage Area Networks (IP-SANs).

With SANRAD, organizations of all sizes can leverage the benefits of networked storage to link employees and clients with stored data for full storage availability, flexible and scalable storage using an economical Ethernet (IP/SCSI) network.

for further reading: http://www.sanrad.com/objects/support/Library

Data Backup Solution: Why You Need a Backup Plan in Place - Part 1

Is a data backup solution part of your computer plans? Do you have a way to protect yourself if something goes wrong with your computer or data? Computers are a useful part of our lives but we don't always protect ourselves from their loss be it fire, theft or hardware failure.

We often don't consider how fragile our computer data really is. Do you keep sensitive information on your computer that you would be upset if you lost it? Not sure? Consider this. If I told you that I was going to format your hard drive right now and you will lose all of the information on your computer, would you be ready? Or would you need to get a few files first... If you are in the second group, chances are you don't have a proper data backup solution in place to help you handle disasters.

What happens if your computers are stolen?

I recently had a business colleague of mine who's office was robbed and who had all of his computers stolen. He naturally felt helpless and victimized over the situation. What was especially frustrating was that he thought he had taken the proper measures to secure his office. He had a good security system in place, had secured his premises and yet they were still able to cut his phone lines, disable his alarm and have their way in his office. Don't think a computer theft can happen to you? You know what? It can happen to anyone and you don't have to own a business.

Computer hard drives do crash

If theft doesn't get your computer, a hard drive failure certainly might. Hard drives are the devices in your computer that store the information on your computer. Your computers' long term memory if you will. They are built with rotating mechanical parts. These parts break down. If they break down, your data can be gone. Are you prepared?

Data on a hard drive can often be recovered by expert data retrieval houses but their prices usually start at $10,000 and up. Want to avoid such costly recovering options? Establish a data backup solution.

A fire can wipe out your computers and your data

If computer theft or hard drive failure don't destroy the data on your computers, a fire certainly might. This threat speaks to an off site backup storage solution. While the first two can be averted by simply burning a CD of your most critical data, fire can destroy your CD's too if they aren't stored off site. Fire is just one more reason why a data backup solution needs to be a part of your vocabulary and your action plan.

Protecting your data just makes good common sense. If you have data that you don't want to loose รขโ�ฌโ�� and most of us do รขโ�ฌโ�� you owe it to yourself to protect your data. The next article in this series gives you some simple steps you can follow to protect yourself from data loss.

Joe Duchesne is the webmaster of GreatComputerInfo.com a computer hardware information site. Reprint freely as long as you maintain the live keyword rich links in this resource box.

Planning A Backup And Restoration Of Files For Disaster Recovery

The Backup utility creates a copy of data on a hard disk of a computer and archives data on another storage media. Any storage media such as removable disks, tapes, and logical drives can be used as a backup storage.

While taking a backup of files, the Backup utility creates a volume shadow copy of the data to create an accurate copy of the contents. It includes any open files or files that are being used by the system. Users can continue to access the system while the Backup utility is running without the risk of losing data.

Volume Shadow Copy

Backup provides a feature of taking a backup of files that are opened by a user or system. This feature is known as volume shadow copy. Volume shadow copy makes a duplicate copy of all files at the start of the backup process. In this way, files that have changed during the backup process are copied correctly. Due to this feature, applications can continue writing data to the volume during a backup operation, and backups can be scheduled at any time without locking out users.

Types of Backups

The Windows Backup utility provides various types of backups. While planning for a backup strategy, it is important to choose an appropriate type or combination of different types of backups. The backup type determines which files are transferred to the destination media.

Each backup type relates to an attribute maintained by every file known as archive (A). The archive attribute is set when a file is created or changed. When an archive attribute is set, it means that the backup of this file has not been taken or it is due.

Note: When it is said that "The file is marked as backup", it means that the archive attribute of the file has been cleared.

Normal Backups

When an administrator chooses to use a normal backup, all selected files and folders are backed up and the archive attribute of all files are cleared. A normal backup does not use the archive attribute to determine which files to back up. A normal backup is used as the first step of any backup plan. It is used with the combination of other backup types for planning a backup strategy of an organization. Normal backups are the most time-consuming and are resource hungry. Restoration from a normal backup is more efficient than other types of backups.

Incremental Backups

An incremental backup backs up files that are created or changed since the last normal or incremental backup. It takes the backup of files of which the archive attribute is set. After taking a backup, it clears the archive attribute of files. An incremental backup is the fastest backup process. Restoring data from an incremental backup requires the last normal backup and all subsequent incremental backups. Incremental backups must be restored in the same order as they were created.

Note: If any media in the incremental backup set is damaged or data becomes corrupt, the data backed up after corruption cannot be restored.

Differential Backups

Differential backup backs up files that are created or changed since the last normal backup. It does not clear the archive attribute of files after taking a backup. The restoration of files from a differential backup is more efficient than an incremental backup.

Copy Backups

A copy backup copies all selected files and folders. It neither uses nor clears the archive attribute of the files. It is generally not a part of a planned scheduled backup.

Daily Backups

A daily backup backs up all selected files and folders that have changed during the day. It backs up data by using the modified date of the files. It neither uses nor clears the archive attribute of the files.

Combining backup types

The easiest backup plan is to take a normal backup every night. A normal backup every night ensures that the data is restored from a single job the next day. Although the restoration of data from a normal backup is easy, taking a backup is time consuming. Hence, an administrator is required to make an optimal backup plan. An administrator must consider the following points before creating a backup plan:

ร�ยทThe time involved in taking the backup.
ร�ยทThe size of the backup job.
ร�ยทThe time required to restore a system in the event of a system failure.

The most common solutions for the needs of different organizations include the combination of normal, differential, and incremental backups.

Combination of Normal and Differential Backups

An administrator can use a combination of a normal backup and a differential backup to save time in taking a backup as well as for a restoration of data. In this plan, a normal backup can be taken on Sunday, and differential backups can be taken on Monday through Friday every night. If data becomes corrupt at any time, only a normal and last differential backup are required to be restored. Although this combination is easier and takes lesser time for restoration, it takes more time to take backup if data changes frequently.

Combination of Normal and Incremental Backups

A combination of normal and incremental backups can be used to save more time for taking backups. In this plan, a normal backup is taken on Sunday and incremental backups on Monday through Friday every night. If data becomes corrupt at any time, a normal and all incremental backups till date are required to be restored.

Backing up a System State Data

System State Data

System State data contains critical elements of the Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003 operating systems. Following are the files included in the System State data:

ร�ยทBoot files, including the system files and all files protected by Windows File Protection (WFP)
ร�ยทActive Directory (on domain controller only)
ร�ยทSYSVOL (on domain controller only)
ร�ยทCertificate Services (on certification authority only)
ร�ยทCluster database (on cluster node only)
ร�ยทRegistry
ร�ยทIIS metabase
ร�ยทPerformance counter configuration information
ร�ยทComponent Services Class registration database

For backing up the System State of a computer, the System State node is included as a part of the backup selection in the Backup utility.

Note: On domain controllers, System State can be restored only by restarting the domain controller in Directory Services Restore Mode. NTDSUTIL is used to recover deleted objects in Active Directory.

System Recovery

In the event of a system failure, the recovery of the system is difficult and tedious for administrators. Recovery involves reinstallation of the operating system, mounting and cataloging the backup tape, and then performing the full restore. To make this process easier, Windows provides a feature called Automated System Recovery (ASR). ASR is used to perform a restore of the System State data and services in the event of a major system failure. An ASR restore includes the configuration information for devices. ASR backs up the system data and local system partition.

How to create an ASR set?

Take the following steps to create an Automated System Recovery (ASR) set by using the Backup or Restore Wizard:

1.Run Backup from Start Menu > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Backup. 2.In the welcome screen of the Backup or Restore Wizard, click the Advanced Mode link. 3.On the welcome page of the Advanced Mode of the Backup utility, choose the ASR Wizard option from the Tools menu. 4.In the welcome screen of the ASR Wizard, click the Next button. 5.On the Backup Destination page, specify the location of the backup, and click the Next button. 6.Click the Finish button.

Note: An ASR backup does not include folders and files.

Best practices for Backup

According to Microsoft, administrators should take the following steps to ensure the recovery in case of a system failure:

ร�ยทDevelop backup and restore strategies and test them.
ร�ยทTrain appropriate personnel.
ร�ยทIn a high-security network, ensure that only administrators are able to restore files.
ร�ยทBack up all data on the system and boot volumes and the System State.
ร�ยทBack up the data on all volumes and the System State data at the same time.
ร�ยทCreate an Automated System Recovery backup set.
ร�ยทCreate a backup log.
ร�ยทKeep at least three copies of the media. Keep at least one copy off-site in a properly controlled environment.
ร�ยทPerform trial restorations.
ร�ยทSecure devices and media.
ร�ยทDo not disable the default volume shadow copy backup method and revert to the pre-Windows Server 2003 backup method.
ร�ยทBack up your server cluster effectively.
ร�ยทBack up the cluster disks from each node.

About the Author: uCertify was formed in 1996 with an aim to offer high quality educational training software and services in the field of information technology to its customers. uCertify provides exam preparation solutions for the certification exams of Microsoft, CIW, CompTIA, Oracle, Sun and other leading IT vendors. To know more about uCertify, please visit http://www.ucertify.com/

New USB Storage & Data Backups - Prevent the Need for USB Flash Drive Repair & USB Drive Recovery

Pexagon Store-It 1.8" - New USB Storage Device Now this drive is large. A USB Hard Drive is a razor-thin light-weight portable USB hard drive with a built in one button data backup. A new USB storage device from the "Store-It" series. 30% smaller in size and a 40% weight decrease compared to the 2.5" "Store-It" USB Drives; it uses a Hitachi Travelstar hard disk drive.

Ya want a backup system? The included software, a one touch backup program, uses the Retrospect backup software supporting numerous sources. This new technology allows for you to back up more than one drive. The cool new Progressive Backup system only backs up new or changed data after the first backup is made. This is a great new feature, the USB storage device allows you to encrypt, password protect, and proof/verify your backups with ease. This USB storage drive is exceptional for adding storage to or backing up any USB enabled desktop or laptop computer. Smaller than your hand, this features a rugged aluminum enclosure to safely protect your data and prevent USB Drive Recovery.

TravelDrive ID - Memorex TravelDrive ID USB Flash Drive with Display
To much to remember these days, I know I must have 1000 passwords. Can you remember what's on your personal USB thumb drive? Want to avoid plugging it into your notebook or desktop to remember which files are stored there? Why should you do that! This Memorex TravelDrive ID, can allow you to scroll through the drives LCD display clearly showing you a breakdown on all the files stored on your device. If you have many devices and hate plugging them in then get a few of these as it will allow you to decide on which drive to bring and which one to leave behind on the go.

Reminds you of a popular song (Should I stay or should I go now?) by the Clash. The only drawback is price - $80 for 512MB up to $200 for 2GB, almost double the price of a few competing USB products. For those who are a bit slow and have needed USB Drive Recovery services before, we recommend this device to prevent the need for data loss and USB flash drive repair. The more you move your storage around the better the chance for data loss and damage; ease your mind just get one of these and prevent USB Flash Drive Repair issues.

Flash Drives for Those Who Do not Understand Technology USB flash drives are easy to use & compact usb storage devices that are similar in use to your computer hard disk. USB flash drives are small enough to slip into your pocket, conveniently wearable around your neck or can be attached to your key chain for amazing portable storage possibilities and uses. USB flash storage drives fulfill the promise of the digital age: freedom and mobility at its best. eProvided writes these stories to help end users avoid USB Flash Drive Repair issues by recommending the use of brand name devices from smart choice manufacturers. Some manufacturers use very cheap parts (Crystals, chips, capacitors) when building products, use the larger names. USB Drive Recovery is available at eProvided.com's website but prevent improper use today, get new devices and back your stuff up folks!

Example of Actual USB Flash Drive Repair Error Message - One of the USB devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned, and Windows does not recognize it. For assistance in solving this problem, click this message.

Author Bio: A writer and founder of many successful online businesses, writes optimized content and press releases for numerous large corporations. Bruce is the manager of one of the Super Bowl 1/2 time show online marketing sites. Bruce also writes stories regarding USB flash drive repair and USB drive recovery issues.

Leave Data Recovery For Your Computer To The Experts

Computers seem to run our lives. We rely on computers for our banking needs, tax preparation services, weather forecasts, contact with friends and family members, shopping, customer support, and more. If a computer crashes, it can be crippling to a business or individual.

During some occasions, a computer can lose vital information. In order to recover the information, it is necessary to attempt a process called hard drive data recovery. Unless you are extremely knowledgeable about computers, you should never attempt to retrieve lost information by yourself.

If you are working from a computer system that is having troubles, attempting a disk repair from programs on your computer is often worse. These programs take a computer system and begin rewriting information into damaged files and folders. This can cause endless problems.

To have data recovered, you will either call in an expert or take your computer to a computer repair organization. Look for insured and licensed experts, as you know they will have the quality your computer deserves. They will do a scan of your system to uncover the problem or problems and then give you the diagnosis.

Often, you will find the cost is extremely high. Computer repairs are not inexpensive. It is worse if you attempt to fix the problem yourself. What starts out as a simple recovery, can turn into a troublesome issue. Instead of having an expert revamp a percentage of your hard drive, you will suddenly be facing a hard drive failure. If you think a simple recovery is expensive, wait until you are paying for a full system restore.

Hopefully, you are intelligent enough to know that pulling apart a hard drive by yourself is never a smart idea. Hard drives are full of minuscule pieces. One missing piece can mean you need to buy a new computer. The pieces inside are clean, magnetized, and delicate. Even the tiniest speck of dust can cause a hard drive to fail. Never take the hard drive apart.

For the same reason, hitting your computer can cause irreparable damage to a hard drive. The drive is full of magnetized plates that are used for storage. There is also a motor that makes the computer run. Damage from hitting can destroy your computer. Hard drives are expensive and troublesome to replace. Do not allow damage of this nature to occur.

In times of computer trouble, you must rely on an expert. Though the price might seem steep, it is often far cheaper than requiring a brand new computer. Today's computers rarely come with full software versions, so the money in programs alone will usually top the amount you would have paid by having an expert fix your computer.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. For more on Fantasy Football or other fantasy sports news go to www.fantasysportsdesk.com

Get A Full Night Sleep, Knowing That Your Data Is Safe

Reliable Backup Strategies for Small Business

Small Businesses today use technology and rely on the validity of their data just like the big companies do. However, they do not normally have the budgets to have elaborate tape storage or network storage devices to have multiple versions of customer databases, accounting data or any other bits of information that are important to the overall success of their business.

Most small businesses that experience a serious data loss or catastrophe never fully recover or even stay in business. Events in the past few years like Hurricane Katrina or 9/11, have shown the importance of backup and then securely storing your critical business data outside of your office in a secure storage facility.

Here are some basic recommendations so you can sleep at night, knowing that your data is securely backed up and also that you can confidently restore your data when you ever need to. Remember it is not if you need to restore it is when.

Versioning and Saving

One thing that I have found to be effective in my own backup of files, especially this article, is to save versions of the file as you work. If your document or spreadsheet becomes corrupt for some reason, you can always go back to a previous version. Also, ensure you save often. Nothing worse than having a system crash or freeze and you lose hours of work.

Invest in a Server

Most Small Businesses chose consultants or resellers that rarely show the real value that a server can bring to your organization. Microsoft has priced their Small Business Server so that all Small Businesses can put in a server with email services starting around $3,500.00.

What does a server offer?

A server will provide you with a central and secure system to store your corporate data. Permissions can be set on files to prevent unauthorized access, which could lead to data deletion. Most data loss due to deletion comes from accidental deletion or disgruntled employees that are upset with the owner or management.

Also with a server you will have one place to backup your data to tape or disk, your data is not scattered on your computers all over the network. This will also save you consulting dollars due to the ease of administration.

Windows Servers today come with a service called "Volume Shadow Copy" that will take a snapshot of your data periodically throughout the day, giving you yet another level of backup. You can now recover data from your server without paying those expensive IT consulting bills.

Tape or Disk Based Backup Systems

If your company is using tape or disk (hard drive, CD Rom, or DVD) based backup systems, it is important to ensure that you are doing a full backup every evening. This way if you need to restore from tape or disk, you can feel confident that all your data was backed up the night before.

It is important to ensure that you have a GFS (Grandfather, father, and son) backup system in place, you can do this easily with tape based back ups, you need about 10 tapes to make this happen. I recommend have 4 tapes for the Monday to Thursday backups, 4 or 5 more for each Friday of the month, and then 1 tape for your month end. This is a minimum, you can add more tapes if you wish.

Offsite Media Storage

Storing your backup media offsite is critical to the success of your company. I do not recommend taking this home or leaving it in your car, this is not a secure way to store your business data. There are many organizations that have secure vaults and will charge around $60.00 per month for a basic storage plan. I recommend solutions from Iron Mountain, Kestrel or a local organization, in Calgary we recommend Calgary Archives (http://www.calgaryarchives.com)

Electronic Backup

The next level of protection is electronic offsite storage, this is a backup that is done electronically and sends your critical data across the Internet to the service providerรขโ�ฌโ�ขs secure electronic vault. Your data is compressed and encrypted at your office and then securely transmitted to the service providers. We recommend the services provided by eBackup (www.ebackup.biz). Their services will backup your critical corporate data, your mailboxes on your Small Business Server and your critical customer databases.

Conclusion

The most important thing about any successful backup plan is to ensure you can restore from these backups. Proper and frequent testing of your backup plan will ensure that you can restore from backup in the event of a loss of data or catastrophic disaster such as fire, theft or critical system failure. Remember, you can never have enough backups of files or enough types of backup. Better to be safe than sorry.

Stuart R. Crawford is the Director of Business Development, at IT Matters Inc. (http://www.itmatters.ca), a Microsoft Gold Partner, Small Business Specialist and Microsoft IMPACT Award Finalist 2005 - Network Infrastructure Solution of the Year. He can be reached at scrawford@itmatters.ca. Stuart is also a business coach specializing in IT companies with execuCoach International (http://www.execuCoach.net).

Data Recovery: Safeguarding Your Information

When people buy computers, for either business or personal use, the need to prepare for data loss is perhaps the last thing on anyone's mind. We probably don't believe that anything could go wrong until it is too late.

Data loss could be a devastating blow to anyone. On the business front, it could, within minutes send a small business from active and operating to 'out of business'. In addition, on personal grounds, you could loss weeks, months or even years of very valuable data, with very slim chance of ever re-creating it.

Data loss could occur because of whole lot of things, whether you accidentally delete data or software that is very important to your business or you suffer a computer crash due to a power surge or an electrical storm. Possibly your computer got an overdose of viruses, spyware and adware and couldn't hold up anymore. Whatever the cause, if you aren't prepared, it could mean that all your valuable data is gone for ever.

There are a whole bunch of data recovery programs that you will find very helpful in the event of such problems occurring. When you have a quality data recovery program on your computer, you needn't be really bothered about losing vital data, even when these unavoidable things happen, once in a while. Data recovery programs give you the confidence that your business or personal information is always safe and there is always something to fall back on in the case of data loss.

It is amazing that many people do not know about or use these data recovery programs, probably because they don't realize their importance. It takes only minutes to have data recovery software installed on your computer and you won't have to bother about maintenance, it really takes care of itself. The price? Most of these programs are not overly expensive; you will find out that they are more affordable than you probably think. I am sure that the price is worth the safety of your vital data. It is never too expensive to safeguard your personal or business information

Besides having good data recovery software running on your computer, there are a couple of things you can do regularly to keep your personal or business information safe from loss or recoverable in the event of an unavoidable loss.

The first advice is to always back up your data. Do this routinely, and if you can get a program to do it automatically, like most data recovery programs do, so much the better. To be absolutely sure, back up even your back ups and always have a current back up offsite, just in case of worst case situations.

Secondly, if you will have to leave your home for a considerable length of time, it is advisable to ensure that all electronics are plugged into a UPS, powered down and unplugged from A.C., if possible. You never can tell what will happen before you return home.

Thirdly, whenever you hear strange sounds, or observe unusual functioning of your computer, which could be a sign of a pending hard disk crash or some other computer problems, switch off your computer and go see a repair specialist immediately.

However, we never can be too safe; in the event of an unavoidable data loss, it is better to go see a data recovery specialist immediately as trying to recover data yourself could only worsen an already bad situation.

The bottom line here is that, although emergencies occur that sometimes are unavoidable, you can still be in control and be ready for all eventualities.

-------------------------------------------------------
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Data Recovery
-------------------------------------------------------

Things You Can Do With Your Computer To Prevent A Loss Of Data

Have you ever experienced a hard drive failure that wiped out your files? Whether we like it or not, our hard drives are not as stable as we would want it to be. There will be times when our hard drives would malfunction causing damages to our data. There are many things that could cause our hard drives to malfunction.

The most common causes of hard drive crash downs are viruses, overheating, power surges and natural disasters that we do not really have the power to fully control. There are so many viruses that could destroy your hard drive totally. Some of these viruses may be able to pass detection from your anti virus software. When viruses breach the security of your computer, you have a big problem on your hand. Depending on the type of virus that attacks your systems, you could lose a lot of files. On the other hand, power surges and over heating are also very common causes for computer failures. There have been many cases where computers would break down due to these factors and files could be lost in the process.

In order to protect your files, you must always make it a habit to save them on some back up storage places like your USB drive, your external hard drives or in CD or DVD format. Note that although there are many data recovery software programs available in the market nowadays, there are times when the damage on your hard drive is such that the software could no longer recover the important files. You must always remember that data recovery software have their limitations. If the hard drive is totally dead, even the most powerful data recovery software available in the market could not bring it back to life.

When your hard drive fails, note that it is always best to consult a professional when trying to recover sensitive data from your computer. If you really do not know what you are doing, do not attempt to recover data in the event of a hard drive failure. You could cause more damage than good to your hard drive if you try to perform some procedures that you really are not familiar with.

It is better for you to bring your computer to a technician when you experience a hard drive failure. In most cases, the computer technician will still be able to reconstruct your computer and recover your files. However, there are also cases where the files are so damaged that they are virtually useless to you. In the end, the best option for you to maintain the integrity of your files is to create back ups. It is best for you to be ready for any events that could really compromise your data.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about this as well as a hard drive recovery at www.internetcomputerrepair.com

Top Computer Problems Leading To Data Recovery

Common And Easily Remedied Computer Problems

There are a number of easily remedied computer problems that users often fear will require data recovery. Fortunately there are a number of equally easy solutions to many of these problems. There are a number of reasons computers can act up. Some may be powered up correctly, others may have incorrectly connected or poorly connected cables. It is important you investigate all potential problems before panicking and assuming our data has been lost.

Here are some common problems that may or may not necessitate data recovery:

Your computer freezes up and you can't extract your data. Usually this is a temporary situation. This often occurs when the user has too many applications open at the same time. You may have to manually restart your computer to get things working again. Chances are no data recovery will be necessary in this situation.

Power outages. In some cases your computer may stop working due to a power outage or failure. The best way to check this is to check your outlet. You can minimize your risk of data loss and the need for data recovery in this case by using a surge protector. This is particularly beneficial during storms.

Computers also tend to act weird when contaminated whether by dirt, dust, food particles or even unintended spills. Be sure you routinely clean your computer and keep the area you work in free of potential hazards that can wreak havoc on a computer (like a large spill). Doing so will minimize your risk for major computer meltdown and subsequent need for data recovery.

Article by Frank Owen, visit his web site on data recovery for more information on data recovery http://www.datarecoveryinsiders.com

When Disaster Strikes: How Long Would Your Business Survive if Files On Your Computer Disappeared?

A Tornado? In Birmingham? In The United Kingdom? Unthinkable!

Yes, in July 2005 (while I was putting finishing touches to my cave-house in Spain) my house, along with many of my neighbours' houses was struck by a powerful tornado that literally tore up the streets. Leaving people homeless as their homes were bulldozered (with all their possessions inside).

Thankfully, my house was still, pretty much intact and won't be being demolished but I work from a home office. I have lots of critical data and information on my computer - marketing information, accounts information, key contacts, books in progress to name a few. If my house was bulldozered (and I didn't have an adequate off-site backup system) I would have lost the lot. As it was, I was still able to access my key files even from Spain.

But how would you fare? What if your computer went kaput this very minute? What if a freak accident, theft, or natural disaster literally destroyed your computer and you lost all your files? Would you be able to get back up and running with minimal fuss or would your business be crippled for a long time to come?

No one wants to think about it, but in light of recent world events it makes sense for every company to have in place a business continuity plan. This might include installing a backup generator for power, having a second office available for re-location, and ensuring your insurance policy is current, relevant and up to date.

Some of the above may be more applicable for larger companies, however one element that's 100% critical for ALL businesses regardless of size, is to keep an up to date copy of your computer files.

Files can be lost instantly by a power surge, fire, flood, theft, virus and of course the most common risk ร�ยญ human error (i.e. accidental deletion)!

This information is the lifeblood of your business, and needs to be backed up regularly. Unlike your office or the computer itself, your computer files cannot be replaced, yet without them you have no business.

For most companies, files to be kept safe will include:

* Databases

* Client records

* Presentations

* Invoices

* Emails

* Historical work archives

* Research

* Digital photos

A simple risk assessment question to ask yourself:

"How long would my business survive if the files on my computer disappeared right now?"

Unless you have a current 'back-up' or copy of your information it is quite likely that your business will cease to operate for some time, if not indefinitely soon after. In our business our database (of people like you) is extremely important. It's taken years to build up and is irreplaceable. Which is why we have taken active steps to protect it.

There are a number of ways for you to make back up copies of your information, and these methods can be divided into 2 main categories.

1. Manual processes, which use recordable media such as tapes or disks.

2. Online backup services, which use your Internet connection to transfer data.

Manual processes rely on you carrying out the backup, rotating the media and then removing it off-site every day. Consequently they can be labour intensive, costly and in addition the media can be unreliable (i.e disks can be scratched). You don't need me to tell you that doing it this way is certainly not lean. It's a boring, time consuming, yet critical task, that's not automated (but should be) that simply gets in the way of you doing your real work while putting you at unnecessary risk. See the 'Pain or Gain' chart in your free Lean Marketing Detox eBook for a recap.

For this reason, many companies are now signing up to online solutions, which via a small piece of software backup your information securely and automatically each day for you.

Furthermore your information is stored safely off-site so if and when disaster strikes your files are completely safe and can be instantly restored to any machine.

It's human nature to think, "itรขโ�ฌโ�ขll never happen to me", however it is more accurate to think, "when will this happen to me?"

Don't gamble with your business, back it up today and keep it safe.

For our online data backup we use and recommend www.DepositIt.com, why not check them out and make sure to set up a backup plan as soon as you can. You never know when disaster will strike!

'Dangerous' Debbie Jenkins
debs@debbiejenkins.com

(c) Copyright 2005 www.BookShaker.com

SUMMER CAN BE SLOW FOR BUSINESS
But don't let that get in the way of your success.
This is the ideal time to work on your business
rather than in it. Get 2 F'REE eBooks and prepare
for more success with less effort here...
http://www.leanmarketing.co.uk

I'm wondering if... You Know Other People who should be reading this too? So do us all a favour (they get 2 free books - we get a new subscriber - you get to look good) when you Pass On This link... http://www.leanmarketing.co.uk