What to do when desktop harddrive crashes?

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gareth robinson

New member
I tried searching the archives, but didn't find much on this topic.

My desktop harddrive crashed a couple of weeks ago and I've just started the process of trying to reaquire the apps I currently use on my T1.

I've found how to make the selection to have the PDA overwrite the dessktop with the original Palm apps, but I'm concerned about my other secondary apps' databases being wiped clean.

If anyone could lend some advice on how to avoid the loss of the data I currently have on the PDA, I'd appreciate it.
Thanks
Andrew
 
I have ALWAYS trusted SD Card backup programs more than the desktop. Now's a good chance (on the positive side!) to start backing up to SD Card. There are several very good card backup apps; among otheres there's:

BackupMan
BackupBuddy VFS
Cardbackup (jkware)
TealBackup (tealpoint.com)

My personal preference is CardBackup AND TealBackup -- use 'em both. That way you have a daily backup (or as often as you want) of what's ON THERE NOW, so in the event anything catastrophic happens you can always restore from the card.

I found that setting to "handheld overwrites" was always kind of a "seat stainer," and you hoped for the best as you are doing; with some sort of Card backup system you're covered.

Failing that, use a file manager (freeware Filez or TealMover) to COPY, NOT move, important database files to a folder on your SD Card manually. Tealmover will move multiple files at one time. In that way you've got that "extra backup" in case the newly reloaded desktop "versions" overwrite your stuff.

If the data on your crashed drive was unrecoverable, and you did not burn regular backup CD's with a product like Nero, then you're right -- you might lose information. From now on, right click on the archive and backup folders within your Palm/user folder, and assign a desktop shortcut. Then you can always see, side by side, what's in each folder. Also assign them to a 2x or 3x weekly BURN TO CD using Nero (my favorite) or another type of CD "addendum session" burner; you always have a record then. Be sure and do thta when you're "back on your feet," and this will never happen to you again!! Just look at it as a valuable learning experience regarding "backing up the backed up backups." I actuallly burn 2 CDs, but then I'm not right in the head.

I'm sorry for your trouble but backing up the handheld to the card will (should) save you any heartache over lost data should it happen. Just restore from the card "image."
 
Paul, thanks for the reply.

Fortunately I do have BackupBuddyVFS (free) loaded so hopefully I'll be able to undo any ill effects from that first hotsynch.
And you're right. The one sure way to have avoided all uncertaintly in this situation would have been to conduct regular PC backups. Never again.

Thanks.

Andrew
 
Rkbarms2k,
I've never had a hard drive crash but I've changed computers several times since my first Palm IIIc. I've always set all the conduits to Palm overrides desktop and hotsynced. The only thing I've ever lost is game highscores.

It's good that you have a backup on an SD card but I'd add that before your first hotsync, backup your SD card on the new hard drive or CD, that way you have redundant backups in case of disaster.

Good luck.
 
One thing I've done is install a second hard drive on my system. The second hard drive is being used to store backups of all my important documents. I've also got a Ghost image of my C drive stored on the second hard drive and on cd. In the unlikely event of a disk crash, I simply run Norton Ghost to restore the image. Of course, images need to be updated to reflect any changes I have made like installing new programs, etc. But it is a backup.
 
egarc,
I hadn't thought about backing up the SD card, I'll give that a try. And that's good news about not losing much data; I hope that holds true in this case.

dwinget,
I've been thinking about a second hard drive as an option for backing up. Although I understand one drive is as "volatile" as another, it seems to me the likelihood of two drives crashing at the same time must be pretty low.

One more question. I have some apps like Agendus and SplashID that I purchased last year or the year before that I would like to download again. The problem is my registration codes are for older versions than are currently available. I sent Splash's technical dept a question regarding this situation, but haven't heard back from them yet.
Any ideas on this one?

Thanks all.

Andrew
 
You should have seen the computer that had lightning induced power surge. Everything fried (black wires/chips), testing it even fried our board test setup. Customer asked it it was covered under warranty. My boss said NO, "acts of god" are not covered. So customer was out $10,000 computer and his data (this was back in the '80s).

Best thing is to backup to second HD (first backup), backup to DVD/CD (second), and make another DVD/CD backup to store away from computer (third - store at friend's/relative's house or work).

You might want to make second HD fireware/USB2 as then you could leave it disconnected when not in use (a little protection from lightening, but not from fire/flood). But it would be a little slower than internal ATA/SATA drive.

Same with PDA, backup to SD (first), copy SD to computer (second), and add this directory to your backups for your computer (third - above procedures).

It never hurts to make multiple backups. Best if it's easy, and/or automatic.

I personally like BackupVFS 3.06 and BackupBuddy for PDA backup.

And I like Stomp BackupMyPC for PC backup.

I hear Dantz retrospect (mac/PC) is good too, but I've not tried the copy which came with my fireware/USB2 drives.

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One VERY important thing, ALWAYS use the verify feature of the backup software you use. An unverified backup is almost as bad as NO BACKUP.

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And if you want to be a little safer you can invest in a UPS (battery backup) for your PC.
 
You're welcome.

I forgot to mention that one should rotate backups.

Ideally I would backup every day to HD. Backup to CD/DVD every two weeks. The CD/DVDs would have three sets - most recent (at home), second recent off-site (work, etc.), and third ready for next backup session. This assumes one is using RW media.

Note that rotating backups that get virus/worms would be ruined... So keep AV/firewall up-to-date. Also because of this you might want to archive some sets, maybe like every year or every six months.

One other big problem is old backup media. I've yet to find good (and cheap) shredder that will shred CD/DVDs. For now I've got about 50+ CD-RW (2x) stored in my attic awaiting destruction. I don't want identity thief from my trash. :eek:

FYI - For old HDs I'm recycling I make certain to use a complete wipe program on floppy. Or if it's failed I disassemble it and manually trash the heads.

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Realistically I don't follow the above procedures except at work. Where we backup daily on our biggest systems, weekly on lesser systems...

At home I backup irregularly, something like once a month (or maybe every six weeks).

Also at home I have two computers and sometimes use the second computer as the backup location. But network is slow and I find my Firewire drives are a better choice for me.
 
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