The Case of the Crashing Hard Drives

Lately, we’ve had several customers calling us with crashed hard drives. We don’t know why we’ve had more of them recently; maybe it’s due to power fluctuations in the area. Of all the components of a computer, losing a hard drive is the most disruptive and is usually the costliest. That’s because the hard drive stores your programs and data, which have to be restored after the drive is replaced.

The best way to prevent a hard drive crash is to get an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). This is essentially a battery that plugs into the wall, and you plug your computer components into it. The battery in the UPS protects your computer from power outages, voltage drops, power surges and line noise. It is much better than a surge protector, since that only protects the computer from power surges. The cost of UPSs has dropped lately; you can get a good one for about $50.

The best way to recover from a hard drive crash is to have CDs of Windows and all your programs, as well as backups of your data. If you have a commercial PC (from Dell, Gateway, Compaq, etc.,) it should have come with a Restore CD that will put it back the way it was when you first purchased it. You will also need the CDs of any additional programs that were subsequently installed. Backups of your data can be on diskettes, Zip disks, re-writable CDs, or tapes.

So remember: get a UPS, keep your CDs handy, and make backups!

Backup Choices

As mentioned above, it is critical to make sure you have extra copies of all the documents, e-mails, spreadsheets, customer information, and financial data stored on your computer. It is very easy for us to set up a backup solution for you that is inexpensive and easy to follow. Here are the four choices in more detail:

Re-writable CDs (CD-RW) are fast becoming the backup of choice for many people. The CD-RW drives come on most new PCs (or can be purchased for less than $100), the disks are inexpensive (about $1.00 each), and can store lots of information (650MB). The only downside is that you have to tell the backup program which folders to back up.

Tape drives are still the best way to backup your entire hard drive at one time. We recommend getting a tape drive that has the same capacity as your hard drive (10GB to 100GB or more); that way you can backup your entire hard drive onto just one tape. The drives can be expensive ($300-$800 or higher), the tapes cost $30-$70 each, but the convenience can’t be beat.

Zip drives used to be very popular, before CD-RW became so affordable. The drives cost $100-$200, the disks cost about $15, and they store 100MB or 250MB each.

Diskettes are still used by some people because the drives are built-in on every PC. But the problem is that each disk only holds 1.4 MB, so it usually takes several (or lots of) diskettes to make backups. And if backups are too much of a pain to do, people just won’t do them.

So let us know if you would like an easy-to-use backup system.

Should You Upgrade to Windows XP?

Microsoft has been working towards the goal of making Windows stable yet compatible with old hardware and software. It may have succeeded with Windows XP.

Microsoft used to have two different versions of Windows. Windows 95/98/ME were designed for compatibility with older hardware and software. Windows NT/2000 were designed for security and reliability. The good news is that XP is the best of both these versions. The result is a secure, reliable and compatible operating system.

One of the most radical changes is to the GUI (Graphical User Interface), or the way it looks. The interface looks different in many ways and is designed to be visually appealing and easier to use. It does look pretty, but some people may find it unfamiliar to use. You can also make XP look like Windows 98 or ME.

XP was designed to boot-up (turn on) up to 34% faster. For the mobile warrior, XP has made changes that work well with laptop computers, including support for wireless networking, and hibernation wakeup as quick as 20 seconds. If and when you do have problems, XP has a new remote assistance feature. Remote Assistance can allow a technical support person to connect to your computer through a network or Internet connection, remotely view your screen, and use your mouse and keyboard.

Windows XP comes in two versions: Home Edition and Professional Edition. The Professional Edition costs more and has additional features for the business environment such as Remote Desktop, ability to join a large network domain, encrypted files, and enhanced backup.

Now the bad news – all of these new features come at a price. XP takes some substantial horsepower to run. Microsoft recommends a computer with a clock speed of at least 300MHz, 128MB of RAM, and 1.5GB of free disk space. XP also requires product activation or registration through the Internet in an attempt to eliminate “casual copying” of XP on multiple computers. XP Home is a $99 upgrade ($199 full version) and Professional is $199 upgrade ($299 full version).

So, should you or should you not upgrade? If your computer is relatively stable and does all you need of it, then no. If your computer does not meet the minimum hardware requirements, then ah… no. If you are planning to replace the computer then wait, as the new computers will come with XP. If your computer crashes too frequently or needs remote connectivity, and is less than 2-3 years old, then maybe yes. Clerc Computer Consulting can analyze your system and determine if an XP upgrade would work with your system/software, and be right for your needs.

2nd Pair of Hands – Your Personal Concierge

Do you ever wish that you could pay someone to do your everyday chores because you are too busy making a living to stop and do the grocery shopping, pick up the cleaning or pay the bills? Are there things in your life that if you could pay someone to take care of them you would because you just don’t want to have to deal with them?

Help is here… 2nd Pair of Hands is a personal concierge service. A personal concierge is someone that provides delivery services, secretarial services, house and pet sitting and personal shopping. We are bonded and insured.