What is Your Backup Strategy?

If I have learned anything over the years, it is to backup my data. Like most new users, I learned this the hard way. Back when I was learning DOS (Disk Operating System) I inadvertently deleted some of the vital operating system files rendering the PC useless until I called on a friend and he was able to copy back the required files. In another instance, messing around with partitions wiped away all my data files I was keeping on that drive.

Then, when I started beta testing Windows Me (I am showing my age, eh?) I would have to wipe the C: partition, install the beta, test it out and if it was not that functional, I would go back to Windows 98. Of course to do this, I would have to reinstall from scratch. Other testers were mentioning imaging software that would take a ‘snapshot’ of Windows, compress it to a single file (or split it into a number of smaller files) so you could store it on removable media and restore it in minutes. I had to get a copy of this!

At this point in time, PowerQuest’s Drive Image was the program to have, so I got a copy for myself and never regretted the money spent. In fact, it saved my bacon one time when I got messing around again and lost my data. Sadly, PowerQuest (PQ) was acquired by Symantec in 2003. Since they already had Ghost as their imaging utility I knew Drive Image was to go the way of the Dodo.

But wait!

Some former employees of PQ startup a company called Storagecraft in Draper, Utah. Their imaging utility is currently called ShadowProtect and works like a charm, just like Drive Image did. It comes in an IT version for Enterprise use and a Desktop version for home users like you and me.

The point of this preamble is to introduce a new contest at the WinVistaClub forums,the prize being a copy of Storagecraft’s ShadowProtect Desktop edition! There are two (2) licenses to give away.

Just click over to the forums and post your backup strategy and/or your ‘backup nightmare’ when you lost data and did not have any backups. Winners will be chosen at random. Contest starts March 10th, 2009 ends on March 23rd, 2009

For more information on ShadowProtect, and to download a 30 day free trial, Storagecraft has kindly created a landing page to assist you.

Click the image below to go there.