Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: Silat on March 11, 2009, 12:09:09 PM
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Sandboxie - (there is a free version which is good for most needs) Never browse without it. Browsers are sandboxed. If I remove something from the sandbox then the always running SuperAntiSpyware (free and paid versions available) and Nod32 check it out for me. I have Malwarebytes for on demand scanning.
If I'm worried even more then I use something like Jottis to submit the item for examination.
I also use VmWare. Virtualization is great security.
I take regular images of my system for restoration if need be. I use ShadowProtect on one machine and Acronis on the other.
I have a rollback type program for those day to day or minute to minute errors. I use the original FD-Isr. Not available in its full form anymore.
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very similar to my setup, only thing I'd add is I have the really important stuff backed up to idrive. You can get up to 12G for free and its a nominal charge ($50 yr) for 150G. Not only great for backup but for file sharing etc. I don't ever have to bother transferring or syncing documents when I'm traveling. I can just go online and grab not only the current version but all prior versions etc (within 30 days or stored). Also great for scanned passport, travel itineraries, insurance, software serial numbers etc...
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very similar to my setup, only thing I'd add is I have the really important stuff backed up to idrive. You can get up to 12G for free and its a nominal charge ($50 yr) for 150G. Not only great for backup but for file sharing etc. I don't ever have to bother transferring or syncing documents when I'm traveling. I can just go online and grab not only the current version but all prior versions etc (within 30 days or stored). Also great for scanned passport, travel itineraries, insurance, software serial numbers etc...
Heh I wouldn't trust a webservice for any kind of backup. You can get a backup medium to home for 50 bucks that won't require internet connection and won't stop working if the company goes out of business.
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NOD32 and Malwarebytes for software. I don't make image backups since I like to reformat every 6-12 months. I have 2x250gb drives in RAID 0 for my OS and programs and have a 500gb as a temporary backup and keep my media files. I use AMD 1600+ system as a linux firewall/server box (ClarkConnect) that also has 4 old hard drive in that server as temporary file storage for my LAN. Also serves as an FTP server as well.
My main backup is DVD's and CD's. Making multiple copies of the really important stuff. I do store some limited stuff on my web server.
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very similar to my setup, only thing I'd add is I have the really important stuff backed up to idrive. You can get up to 12G for free and its a nominal charge ($50 yr) for 150G. Not only great for backup but for file sharing etc. I don't ever have to bother transferring or syncing documents when I'm traveling. I can just go online and grab not only the current version but all prior versions etc (within 30 days or stored). Also great for scanned passport, travel itineraries, insurance, software serial numbers etc...
I just have to ask how "secure" your "really important stuff" is backed up to a free Internet service?
Hard drives are cheap. I've got 8 of them between 2 desktops and a laptop. Buy a good hard drive with an external USB enclosure. The great thing is they are plug and play and you don't even have to turn it on if you're not using it so there's minimal wear and tear.
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I wouldn't leave external USB setups as your primary back up. They are still a hard drive and are still prone to failures. Or in the case of my brother, he used a external USB to back up all his stuff figuring he didn't need to burn CD's anymore. Then he got a hand-me down upgrade from me and when he reformatted he had the USB drive plugged in during Windows setup. Alas, he formatted the wrong drive.
Anyways, I'd really only recommend a RAID 1 or RAID 5 NAS system for a hard drive back up solution.
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I just have to ask how "secure" your "really important stuff" is backed up to a free Internet service?
Hard drives are cheap. I've got 8 of them between 2 desktops and a laptop. Buy a good hard drive with an external USB enclosure. The great thing is they are plug and play and you don't even have to turn it on if you're not using it so there's minimal wear and tear.
1st
I have an internal backup on a HD only for that purpose...
2nd
I have everything important backed up to my laptop
3rd
I have everything backed up to an external HD
4th
I have real important data files backed up to a 32G SD as well
5th
I have a full system disk image of the clean system and all important apps (acronis) so I can rebuild the entire system with all programs in 20 minutes or so on a clean HD (have one sitting there if needed)
Now beyond that I use idrive, its not a "free backup". It's a corporate system that offers 2G for free to individual users (expandable to 12G). Take a look at it before you knock it. I have the 150G a year plan and have found it to be exceptionally valuable. What happens if your house or business burns down or someone steals your infrastructure {this actually happened to a client of mine, they stole the entire computer room}.
Off site backup is the only true backup...
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As far as my boot drive back-up, I posted this a while back. This will produce a perfect, bootable copy of your boot drive....never reinstall, patch, configure Windows OS again!
I Cloned My Boot Drive
I think it's the ULTIMATE backup method for your OS. :aok
I made an EXACT copy of my C: drive.
Now, If my hard drive fails etc, all I have to do is unplug my current boot drive and plug in my backup drive. BOOM! I'm right back in business, no muss no fuss.
Here's a video from a guy that did exactly what I did.
(Actually, I followed HIS instructions on the video and it worked as advertised.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNROqKOFFAw
Here is the software I used. "Copy Commander 9.0"
Worked perfectly and simply, just like in the video.
http://www.avanquest.com/USA/pc-tools/disk-management-disk-partition/hard-disk-hard-drive/Copy_Commander_9.html
I'll probably make another clone of my drive and store it off-site for ultimate safety.
Losing my hard drive doesn't worry me anymore and I don't have to mess with backup disk images that can only be tested by extracting them to a new drive anyway.
By "cloning" my drive exactly I skip the disk image step and go directly to a ready to go, plug and play drive!
Have fun kids!
Sun
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I also use VmWare. Virtualization is great security.
Just be aware there is some vm aware stuff out there now.
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oops nm