Uses for cd-r/rw
#1
01-08-04, 10:33 AM
cd-rw
Hello
My goal is to back up data like budgets, car records, doctors reports etc. I have been using floppies but I just got a pc with a cd-rw and am toying with; A- windows software and B-the Recordnow software(sonic) that came with it. I've mentiobned this before but I have a somewhat better idea now.
In your opinion am I better off with floppies, windows software re cd-rws, or Sonic?
The surface conflicts seem to be; 1-floppies are limited to size, 2-Sonic may not be readable by another machine-altho I have tried 3 and they read fine, and windows cannot remove a single file.
With this information have you an opinion?
If floppies are the choice I have to wonder what cd-rw's are used for besides music and pix.
Thanx for listening.
Pete
My goal is to back up data like budgets, car records, doctors reports etc. I have been using floppies but I just got a pc with a cd-rw and am toying with; A- windows software and B-the Recordnow software(sonic) that came with it. I've mentiobned this before but I have a somewhat better idea now.
In your opinion am I better off with floppies, windows software re cd-rws, or Sonic?
The surface conflicts seem to be; 1-floppies are limited to size, 2-Sonic may not be readable by another machine-altho I have tried 3 and they read fine, and windows cannot remove a single file.
With this information have you an opinion?
If floppies are the choice I have to wonder what cd-rw's are used for besides music and pix.
Thanx for listening.
Pete
#2
01-08-04, 11:43 AM
I like Nero Burning for writing CDs in Windows. The burner program that comes with XP seems to do a good job.
Floppies don't hold very much. In my mind they aren't so durable as a CD. Most everyone has a CD reader. Floppy drives are starting to be optional equipment on some lines.
I prefer CD-R to CD-RW for cost considerations. I use them to back up hard drives and seldom rewrite them. At $.25 apiece, CD-R disks are cheap enough. Since a CD will hold about 450 times the data of a floppy, it seems to be a good choice.
Hope this helps.
Floppies don't hold very much. In my mind they aren't so durable as a CD. Most everyone has a CD reader. Floppy drives are starting to be optional equipment on some lines.
I prefer CD-R to CD-RW for cost considerations. I use them to back up hard drives and seldom rewrite them. At $.25 apiece, CD-R disks are cheap enough. Since a CD will hold about 450 times the data of a floppy, it seems to be a good choice.
Hope this helps.
#3
01-08-04, 01:15 PM
cd-rw
Hello Chfite
You mention xp having a good system;do you mean to copy and paste a file to the E: drive for example? I do not think you can erase a single file that way, can you?
It seems as though we have a bit different needs as I change a lot of data during the week in my files and then backup on the weekend.
Do you ptrefer Nero over xp software? Can you erase single files with Nero?
Sorry to ask so much but I'm trying to learn as much as I can so I can make the best choice among xp or Recordnow(cd-rws), and floppies.
Thanx
Pete
You mention xp having a good system;do you mean to copy and paste a file to the E: drive for example? I do not think you can erase a single file that way, can you?
It seems as though we have a bit different needs as I change a lot of data during the week in my files and then backup on the weekend.
Do you ptrefer Nero over xp software? Can you erase single files with Nero?
Sorry to ask so much but I'm trying to learn as much as I can so I can make the best choice among xp or Recordnow(cd-rws), and floppies.
Thanx
Pete
#4
01-08-04, 01:27 PM
You can erase files with either, as I recall. The variable is having a CD-RW. I don't use my CD as a working medium as it seems you do. But, I have a file server to serve as an intermediate storage platform prior to backing files up.
I prefer Nero over the XP program because we use it so much at work for data recovery and archives.
Hope this helps.
I prefer Nero over the XP program because we use it so much at work for data recovery and archives.
Hope this helps.
#5
01-09-04, 04:38 AM
CD-Rs are cheap
CD-Rs are cheap. No, you can't erase like you can with a CD-RW, but since they are cheap, you don't need to (and really shouldn't on a CD-RW).
You have a couple of choices here.
1) Back up everything every week. Keep as many weeks as you think is important. Personal data may only need a month or so. If this is for a business, keep at least 3 months worth (if not 6 months - 1 year).
2) Make a master back-up on CD-R. Then once a week, back up only the changes for that week. If you need to recover, you will may need all back-ups since the master copy. There is software available that will keep track of changed files and only back those files up.
3) If you are keeping business data the smart choice is to backup all data files every weekend. Then backup changes on a daily basis.
Put the master copies on a CD-R. Intermediate back-ups can be on CD-RWs if you don't want to use CD-Rs. But - use several cd-RWs - one for every intermediate backup between master copies.
If this sounds like a lot of hassle - how much hassle would it be to recover a weeks worth of business data? Could the business survive if that data is lost? What if that file you deleted two weeks ago had data you really need today?
Potential lawsuits? In todays litiguous society, you may well be leaving yourself open without adequate back-ups.
Sorry to sound so gloomy, but with CD-Rs being so cheap and software available to automate the back-up process, it is just foolish for a business to not do it.
You have a couple of choices here.
1) Back up everything every week. Keep as many weeks as you think is important. Personal data may only need a month or so. If this is for a business, keep at least 3 months worth (if not 6 months - 1 year).
2) Make a master back-up on CD-R. Then once a week, back up only the changes for that week. If you need to recover, you will may need all back-ups since the master copy. There is software available that will keep track of changed files and only back those files up.
3) If you are keeping business data the smart choice is to backup all data files every weekend. Then backup changes on a daily basis.
Put the master copies on a CD-R. Intermediate back-ups can be on CD-RWs if you don't want to use CD-Rs. But - use several cd-RWs - one for every intermediate backup between master copies.
If this sounds like a lot of hassle - how much hassle would it be to recover a weeks worth of business data? Could the business survive if that data is lost? What if that file you deleted two weeks ago had data you really need today?
Potential lawsuits? In todays litiguous society, you may well be leaving yourself open without adequate back-ups.
Sorry to sound so gloomy, but with CD-Rs being so cheap and software available to automate the back-up process, it is just foolish for a business to not do it.
#6
01-09-04, 06:27 AM
cd-rw's
Hi bob F
You say cd-rw's should not be erased; my software allows me to replace a file that I have amended. Is that what you are referring to?
Pete
You say cd-rw's should not be erased; my software allows me to replace a file that I have amended. Is that what you are referring to?
Pete
#7
01-09-04, 10:25 AM
misunderstood me
I'm not talking about replacment. Rather deleting a file because you think you won't need it again. If space is a premium, deleting unnecessary files is a good thing.
That is not an issue with proper backup procedures.
CD-RWs are good for temporary storage. Don't use them for long term back-ups. They will indeed last as long as a CD-R. But CD-Rs are so cheap, it makes sense to use them for long term back ups. CD-RWs can be erased rather easily (read by mistake).
That is not an issue with proper backup procedures.
CD-RWs are good for temporary storage. Don't use them for long term back-ups. They will indeed last as long as a CD-R. But CD-Rs are so cheap, it makes sense to use them for long term back ups. CD-RWs can be erased rather easily (read by mistake).
#8
01-09-04, 10:40 AM
Of course, if you want a real backup solution, use a remote backup solution. I've been researching this lately, and the cheapest I've found so far is FirstBackup.Com - after putting in a search through a broker, they returned my e-mail and followed-up with a phone call almost instantly. I'm happy so far, and will probably start using their service shortly.
We've been using a CD-RW solution for backups for a few months now - recently there was a crash and we had to do a restore, the CD was corrupted, so we had to go back one more day. Not a big deal, but if I had a remote solution, it would have been much easier to restore back 1 day rather than 2 and then have to re-enter all the invoices from that day.
I believe 1stBackup starts at $4/month. That's cheaper than buying CD's. Of course, it all depends on how much data you want to backup too.
The nicest thing about a remote solution is that most of them come with software to schedule automatic backups - you don't have to touch the computer to make a backup.
Good luck!
We've been using a CD-RW solution for backups for a few months now - recently there was a crash and we had to do a restore, the CD was corrupted, so we had to go back one more day. Not a big deal, but if I had a remote solution, it would have been much easier to restore back 1 day rather than 2 and then have to re-enter all the invoices from that day.
I believe 1stBackup starts at $4/month. That's cheaper than buying CD's. Of course, it all depends on how much data you want to backup too.
The nicest thing about a remote solution is that most of them come with software to schedule automatic backups - you don't have to touch the computer to make a backup.
Good luck!
