OT computer help and ???

Anonymous-0 · Dec 17, 2008

I am thinking of picking up what I think they call a memory stick that plugs in to what I think is the USB port. My question is this would it make good back up of computer documents pictures and files and folders? To be put in a strong box or bank box in case of a fire or some other destruction from mother nature.

Next question I can not forward E mails with windows media player on them even if I separate the link in to a new E mail or more then 1 picture it just keeps going around and around and never sends them. I can receive this stuff fine but can not send any of it. Is it me or something I need to addresses with my E mail provider? It has always done that from new.

Thanks for any help
Northeast puller1

Brian in Ohio · Dec 17, 2008

OK, first of all, I've had good results with a USB memory stick (jump drive) If you wanted to store files, photos, etc and lock it away, you should be fine. Just make sure that you get one that has enough memory to store everything you are looking to safeguard.

As far as your second question, are you trying to email music / video that should be played on Windows Media Player. (I'm trying to understand what your task is.) if you want to email me direct, I can try to answer your questions.

Coloken · Dec 17, 2008

Memory sticks, jump drives, are one of the best things ever. Get a couple. You will e suprised what you can store on even a 512 meg one.

Coloken · Dec 17, 2008

Just looked at my paper--big lots, if you have a store, has Kingston 4GB on sale for 14 dollars.

Kenny

Anonymous-0 · Dec 17, 2008

You may want to check to see how long the data will last on these types of devices (shelflife) I think they still have a small battery on them. Backups of backups are always nice.

kyhayman · Dec 17, 2008

I dont trust the flash memory devices to archieve images. If its something that needs to save 'forever' I burn to a CD or DVD and keep in the lockbox at the bank. With photography, I've got several different flash memory devices and they do go bad, get corrupted, etc. With the burned images on disk, as long as the disk doesnt get scratched it there.

Howard H. · Dec 17, 2008

Be aware that those USB memory sticks can corrupt every now and then and need to be reformatted. They are supposed to remember for however long - there is no battery in them - but they are not fool proof. I wouldn't trust them with the only copy of the family heirloom pics...

I would burn a few copies of everything on CDROM and stash them in different places.

Not sure I totally understood your second question, but if you are trying to forward a really large attachment, it may just take a long time. Depending on your Internet connection, you may have a much faster download connection than upload. Some ISP's have very slow upload speeds.

Also, some ISP's limit the size of files you can send. If you can forward regular emails, you should be able to forward email with attachments in just the same way...

Howard

Bob85355 · Dec 17, 2008

Thumb Drives, Memory Sticks and such should be considered as temporary storage only. If you really want to archive some information or photographs, put it on CD or DVD. Even easier is to get yourself an external hard drive and copy or clone your entire system. Then update the thing every week. Takes about 30 minutes for mine to copy everything.

Bob
Central Arizona (No Snow)

Crem · Dec 17, 2008

Bob, how do you copy or clone your entire system? Is it hard to figure out how to do it? I have been thinking of getting an external hard drive for backup. Thanks.

Clarkbug · Dec 17, 2008

Honestly it depends on what kind of external hard drive you buy.

I bought one earlier this year, and it came with backup software on it that works pretty well. You can have it automatically make a copy of certain files (like pictures and documents), or it will take an image of your hard drive at a certain point in time and just copy all of your files over.

Otherwise, there are several free solutions out there that work pretty well for backup, and some that come with Norton utilities that will back up everything as part of a virus scan suite.

Coloken · Dec 18, 2008

Bob, how do you copy or clone your entire system? Is it hard to figure out how to do it? I have been thinking of getting an external hard drive for backup. Thanks.
I'm not Bob but just go get Acronis® True Image
Kenny

old bc · Dec 18, 2008

If you use CD's of DVD's get archival quality. I copied this off a web page. If you want to read the article copy and paste the link.

Unlike pressed original CDs, burned CDs have a relatively short life span of between two to five years, depending on the quality of the CD," Gerecke said in an interview this week. "There are a few things you can do to extend the life of a burned CD, like keeping the disc in a cool, dark space, but not a whole lot more."

http://www.computerworld.com/hardwaretopics/storage/story/0,10801,107607,00.html

Anonymous-0 · Dec 18, 2008

I just bought a 160 GB external hardrive that connects USB for $78 at Wally world. I backed up my whole computer, It will also back up your emails if your using Outlook.

kopeck · Dec 18, 2008

(quoted from post at 23:09:42 12/17/08) If you use CD's of DVD's get archival quality. I copied this off a web page. If you want to read the article copy and paste the link.

Unlike pressed original CDs, burned CDs have a relatively short life span of between two to five years, depending on the quality of the CD," Gerecke said in an interview this week. "There are a few things you can do to extend the life of a burned CD, like keeping the disc in a cool, dark space, but not a whole lot more."

http://www.computerworld.com/hardwaretopics/storage/story/0,10801,107607,00.html

Bingo. While a USB drive would be better then nothing, they suffer from a write limit, that is they can only take so many cycles of being written to.

I would use a archive quality CD personally.

K

JML755 · Dec 18, 2008

(quoted from post at 16:46:28 12/17/08) I am thinking of picking up what I think they call a memory stick that plugs in to what I think is the USB port. My question is this would it make good back up of computer documents pictures and files and folders? To be put in a strong box or bank box in case of a fire or some other destruction from mother nature.

Next question I can not forward E mails with windows media player on them even if I separate the link in to a new E mail or more then 1 picture it just keeps going around and around and never sends them. I can receive this stuff fine but can not send any of it. Is it me or something I need to addresses with my E mail provider? It has always done that from new.

Thanks for any help
Northeast puller1

As others have said, thumbdrives are a poor archival device. They are intended solely as a transfer media. CDs & DVDs are better, Streaming tape drives are the best. DAT Tape drives are not cheap ($500-$700 depending upon capacity) and neither are tapes (tens of dollars, depending on size). They're up to DAT160, storing 160gb on a single tape cartridge in compressed mode. Another thing to consider is storing your archival stuff offsite. Maybe a relative's house or safety deposit box. It's no good to have archives if there's a fire and you lose the computer AND the backups.

Mattlt · Dec 18, 2008

Regarding your 2nd question, could it be a size issue? Maybe the attachment is too large to send? Usually it's the receiving side that complains that it's too large. (You would get a bounceback message saying something similar)

Mattlt · Dec 18, 2008

And regarding the first question... A USB Zip drive is another option. These are also very handy for transferring stuff between two machines. Very portable.

relaurain · Dec 18, 2008

Here's another option: There is software and or companies that allow you to back-up your entire system VIA internet to their servers. This could be any file/files on your computer.
There is also free webspace that you could do the same thing with if you knew how. File storage hosts. Thumb drives are sweet but an ext. hard drive - USB would be the best way for a large amount of data!

Anonymous-0 · Dec 18, 2008

Thanks for all of the input. I will look into the better archival CD and do it that way. I will call my E mail provider and see if they have a size limit as to why I can not send more then 1 picture at a time and never forward windows media player.Thanks again

Northeast puller1

OT computer help and ???

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