Best backup practices and recovering lost data.
Backup and Recovery
How do I build a network attached storage solution?
Episode 1056
Phillip from
Phillip would like to create network attached storage. Leo likes Synology's 4 bay Nas's, there's also Netgear's ReadyNAS. Or, you can built your own with OpenNAS and FreeNAS.
How can I back up text messages on my iPhone?
Episode 1056
Terri from
Terri has a ton of text messages over the last five years on her iPhone that she'd like to get onto her computer. Leo says that it's more than just texts, it's also images. First, Leo says she should backup her phone. Then get a program called iExplorer, by Macroplant. It will not only get her music, but also will allow her to export text messages to PDF, along with images. It'll also save voicemails.
How can I transfer my files from one PC to another?
Episode 1056
Zach needs a new computer and wants to know how he can transfer all his music, videos, and images. He has thousands of pictures and a lot of duplicates. He also has a backup drive, but he's not sure it always backs up. Leo suggests just dragging the documents and settings folder over to the external drive. That will get everything.
How can I clone multiple computers on one drive?
Episode 1055
Bill from
Bill bought a Seagate 4TB hard drive and wants to do a mirrored backup with two different computers. Leo says to just make four folders and do the mirror into each folder. No need to partition, but he should just remember that he'll need to periodically back it up to make sure he's getting the new data.
Imaging options include:
Why does Windows bug me about backing up when I already do?
Episode 1055
Satvir is getting notifications from Windows to backup his hard drive, even though he uses a third party backup program. Leo says that's a setting in Windows Security Center. He should click on the house with the pennant in the tray, go into the settings and then turn it off.
What's the best external hard drive for backing up my Mac?
Episode 1055
Joe from
Joe just got a new iMac and wants to know what external hard drive would be best use as a back up, USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt? Leo says that Thunderbolt drives are few and very expensive. He doesn't really need that. USB 3 is more than fast enough and very affordable. And they're formatted to be read on Mac and PC.
Could I use RAID 0 for backup?
Episode 1052
Tom bought an iMac and a GTech RAID drive, but he realized it runs RAID 0. Leo says RAID 0 means it has two discs linked for performance and speed. It's also known as "scary RAID" because it's twice as likely to fail. If he's using it just for basic backup, then it's fine. Drobo does a simulated RAID 5, but Leo isn't sure Tom needs all that.
Will restoring a hard drive include recovery partitions?
Episode 1052
Lynella brought her sister's laptop in to get fixed, but she didn't make a copy of the hard drive before she did. Leo says techs usually wipe the drive or replace it and then restore the OS from a backup recovery disc. But that may not include the restore partitions that originally came with it. If they claim they restore to manufacturer specs, then it should have the recovery partition. If they refuse to restore that for her, then Lynella may be able to get recovery discs from the laptop manufacturer. Recovery discs are better anyway because then she still has it if the drive dies.
How can I find out which drive in my RAID has failed?
Episode 1051
Ed from
Ed has a custom built Windows 7 computer with 4 1TB hard drives in RAID 1+0 configuration. He rebooted it and now the operating system is missing. RAID 1+0 is striped and mirrored, meaning that if one dies, then he can swap it out, recover the data, and continue. He's using the RAID that's in the Asus motherboard BIOS. Can he recover the data without rebuilding the RAID? The key is to find out what drive has failed. There is a RAID tool which can help, but he can't get the computer to boot.
Why is my file sharing so slow?
Episode 1049
Jim had a hard drive crash and now that he's restored his data, his file sharing is horribly slow. Leo says that could be due to a problem with the file sharing servers, but if they're working OK with other computers, it may be a bad restore. Leo says it could also be a security issue in Windows or even the router itself. Jim should try bypassing the router to see if it works better. If so, a reset of the router may fix the issue.
