Preparing for a disaster

[paulsiu]

So one day, the computer is going to crash and I like to be prepare for it. What I am doing current is to image the drive using AOMEI backuppper. This has been useful in the past when I had to restore the drive after it wouldn't startup after a windows update.

What else should I do though?
1. Should I create a windows recovery usb drive? In the past, this hasn't been useful because I would boot up the windows recovery only to discover that the version on the drive is too old. I also could not use a key generated on a different computer.

2. Are there encryption items that I need to record. I would think that if I had things like BIOS password, I would need to log that. I would also need to log things like bitlocker recovery password.

3. A lot of computer comes with some sort of recovery partition. I am wondering if they are still useful after a few years. That partition may contain really old version of windows.

Thanks.

 

[TechFreak1]

So one day, the computer is going to crash and I like to be prepare for it. What I am doing current is to image the drive using AOMEI backuppper. This has been useful in the past when I had to restore the drive after it wouldn't startup after a windows update.

What else should I do though?
1. Should I create a windows recovery usb drive? In the past, this hasn't been useful because I would boot up the windows recovery only to discover that the version on the drive is too old. I also could not use a key generated on a different computer.

2. Are there encryption items that I need to record. I would think that if I had things like BIOS password, I would need to log that. I would also need to log things like bitlocker recovery password.

3. A lot of computer comes with some sort of recovery partition. I am wondering if they are still useful after a few years. That partition may contain really old version of windows.

Thanks.

1) Are you using a self built PC, Pre-built or laptop? - Usually mostly prebuilts and laptops come with recovery partition - however they only reinstall windows and nothing else.
2) Yes, that is correct if you are using bitlocker or a bios password or both.
3) If you really want to prepare for the worst - then you will have to take the time to clone your entire hdd / ssd to a seldom used ssd or hdd weekly or monthly - or daily if you are that inclined.

Generally speaking, hard PC crashes are rare occassions these days however again it depends on what you are using. Laptops have a slightly higher chance of being locked up due to buggy drivers or buggy windows updates.

 

[paulsiu]

1) These are pre-build pc, some are laptops.
2) thanks.
3) I already image the drive and also save the file regularly, so I was wondering if there was anything else.

My main issues are bugs introduce during windows update. On one of the desktop, the machine stop booting and had to be restored to an time period before the update. Eventually one of the subsequent update will fix the issues. On the laptop, an update messed up one of the drivers, causing the ethernet network to drop to 3 Mps.

 

[TechFreak1]

Well, to be honest beyond what you are doing and cloning the drive regular - there is not much that can be done.

Other than the impractical - not using the devices at all :winktongue:.

 

[RTGent]

So one day, the computer is going to crash and I like to be prepare for it. What I am doing current is to image the drive using AOMEI backuppper. This has been useful in the past when I had to restore the drive after it wouldn't startup after a windows update.

What else should I do though?
1. Should I create a windows recovery usb drive? In the past, this hasn't been useful because I would boot up the windows recovery only to discover that the version on the drive is too old. I also could not use a key generated on a different computer.

2. Are there encryption items that I need to record. I would think that if I had things like BIOS password, I would need to log that. I would also need to log things like bitlocker recovery password.

3. A lot of computer comes with some sort of recovery partition. I am wondering if they are still useful after a few years. That partition may contain really old version of windows.

Thanks.

I do not do these, and admit that I have always neglected these good practices. But your thread is a good reminder. FWIW, being retired, I only, though routinely, use Macrium Reflect to do image copies, and FreeFileSync to do standard file backups of the non-partitioned 2TB HDD C and 256GB SSD D drives in my Win 7 NUC machine, both to a 5TB external drive. This software is easy, powerful, and reliable enough for my needs. I also redundantly copy and paste, or drag and drop music, photo, and video files to a 2TB external. Both externals are unconnected so I do all this backing up manually -i.e., not scheduled/automated. I've had only one HD failure in almost 4 decades of home/home office micro-computing -about 10 years ago, and I've never experienced any other kind of "crash" or system failure, nor a serious Windows update issue. BUT, yes, it can happen, and it does, and it is smart to anticipate and prepare. The more critical your files are, the more adventurous your computing practices are, and the more elaborate or open your system is, the more important are your backups. It's like other insurance: you've gotta do it, always, and it's got to fit your situation.