The advantages and disadvantages of each method is described below
Full Backup
Advantages
- Gets everything from your system
- Ensures nothing is missed
- Easier to restore
Disadvantages
- Takes longer to do
Incremental
Advantages
- Quicker to do than a full backup
- Disadvantages
- Can make restoring more difficult
- Can require more tapes/disks
If you elect to do an incremental backup, then you must first start with a full backup. When files are backed up, the computer sets the archive bit to zero (this is part of a files attribute). When new files are added (or files are changed), this is reset. This is how a backup program knows which files have changed and which have not.
There are some golden rules that you need to observe when doing backups . . . .
Do not use the same set of floppy disks or tapes to do your backups. Use at least two or three separate sets. If your only backup tape breaks you, have nothing to fall back on!
Keep your tapes/disks away from your usual work area
Always keep backup tapes and disks in their cases — out of sunlight, away from damp, dust and magnetic sources such as TV's and telephones.
Clearly label each backup tape/disk — that includes the tape/disk and the box you keep them in
Tools for Backups
There are numerous tools on the market for backing up your system. With today's gigabyte hard disks, a tape drive (or a rewritable CD-ROM), should be considered a necessity. When deciding what to use, look for the following things:
- Check that backups can be restored from DOS as well as windows. If Windows goes down and you cannot restore from DOS, you may have big problems!
- Check that the software compresses files as it backs up. This saves time and space
- Use a registered program! If you use a shareware title then register it as you may find that the software will backup but not restore until you have the full registered version. Of course, you may only find this out when it is too late!
- See if the program can be scheduled for a particular time and date. This helps you to remember to do your backups.
Windows 95 comes with a backup program that will handle floppy disks and non SCSI tape drives. This may well meet your needs (and you may need to install it from your Windows 95 disk as it is not automatically installed).
