My wife has a laptop that we would like to connect an external hard drive to for the purpose of back-up.

I need at least 100meg drive and a reasonably simple way to connect it to her computer.

Any suggestions for an amature?

paul

There are a number of products that connect with USB and come with software to automatically back up the computer when the drive is connected. "One-touch backup" or something, since you just plug it in and hit a button.

There's plenty of choice now in USB hard drives. Here's a an example from a well known reliable HD manufacturer:

 

http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=674

 

You just plug it in and it'll show up as another drive in My Computer.

 

If you want specific product advice you could head over to HowToGeek forum and put a post there.

 

It would be a good idea to learn about backing up and imaging the whole system if/when it crashes or gets a virus...you can put the system back as it was in about 15-30 minutes...Norton Ghost is a popular commercial program or Macrium Reflect Free if you want a free one.

Thanks guys, I think I have enough information to get the job done. I will of course take all the credit, well I guess I can share it with the ones who actually deserve it.

THANKS!

Paul

Just have fun getting laid for presenting a quick and easy solution

Yeah, well at 60 and with a bad back (two bulged disks and a fractured vertabra), getting laid is a non-event. Maybe after the back heals...

Also, for small but important documents, email them to yourself. Then they will be available wherever you are.

Also, for small but important documents, email them to yourself. Then they will be available wherever you are.

 

So long as you use IMAP rather than POP for your email. If you use POP, you'll download the message from the server and it'll be stored on your computer anyway. Only IMAP keeps messages on the server.

Thanks guys, I think we use POP mail serers so emailing is not a great Idea.

We do have the first of many back-ups made so that is good.

I really thank you.

Paul

Yeah, well at 60 and with a bad back (two bulged disks and a fractured vertabra), getting laid is a non-event. Maybe after the back heals...

 

I have 5 very troubled vertabra myself at 41. I may have a bad back but I have a good front. NEVER GIVE UP!

I have 5 very troubled vertabra myself at 41. I may have a bad back but I have a good front. NEVER GIVE UP!

 

This thread has been taken over by middle aged men with bad backs - I am also in this select group. Guys this thread was about laptop back-up methods... or transfer this thread to Biology where everyone can comment

I did get the help I needed and have completed the back-ups.

I think I was the one that began the evolution to back problems so, I apologize for that.

It takes a lot of DVDs to backup all the data but itis cheaper than buying an external drive (which I may do in the future.)