12 Web Notes

New backup and restore feature is introduced in Windows Vista. It provides two main backup types: Windows complete PC backup and restore and Automatic file backup. The application is controlled and set up via Backup status and Configuration panel that provides easy and understandable information and step by step instructions that are easy to follow and do not require specific computer knowlege.

It can be started from the Start Menu Button - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - Backup Status and Configuration. It is also accessible directly at the Control Panel - Back up your computer option under System and Maintenance icon. The interface provides information about the last backup and possibility to create new backup, change the backup settings, restore files or to restore the entire computer.

What is new and what is different?

First of all the user interface is entirely changed. The new interface is simple, intuitive, and provides step by step guidance. There are not many advanced options and this make it easy and confortable for beginners and for the average computer users too.

In the new file backup interface it is possible to select the files that must be backed up by their type; document, images, sound files, video files, etc. It is possible to create many backup schedules for different sets of file types, depends on how the computer is used. The interface of the schedule is simple and easy to use.

For backup media it is possible to select any special backup device if such is attached to the computer, the local hard disk, CD or DVD media or shared network resource if any.

Backup Status and configuration window provides information for the last successful backup date and time as well as for the backup when it is scheduled and on which device.

The complete PC backup function, similarly to the file backup is also very easy and simple to set up and use. It allows the user to choose whether to backup the entire machine including all hard disks and all data files or to backup only the system desk and applications. there is the same possibility to select different backup media. Then according to the selection, complete backup image is created.

If the system crash, there are two possibilities to restore the PC using the complete PC image:

(1) Using the Windows Vista installation disk, start the PC from the installation disk and when prompted choose “repire your computer” then follow the dialog on the screen. On the System Recovery Options menu, select Windows Complete PC Restore.

(2) Restart your Pc and press F8 repeatedly before the Windows logo appear. Then in the Advanced Boot Options menu, highlight Repair your computer, and press ENTER. Follow the dialog on the screen. On the System Recovery Options menu, select Windows Complete PC Restore.

When the computer is restored from a Windows Complete PC Backup image, it is a complete restoration. It is not possible to choose individual files or disks to restore, and all of the current programs, data files (if included in the backup image) and system settings will be replaced. The newly created files after the date of this backup image will be lost unless if they are backuped to separate media. If such fresh file backup exists, then it should be used after the complete PC restore to update the data files on the disk to their last version.

To sumarize, this functionality is perfect to handle the average user’s day to day need for creating a backup of their working files and from time to time for backuping the entire system. However, for the professional users, it might looks a litle bit limited.

By the way, do you know what is the need of system and file backup and how most efectively to use it? I am going to write an article about it these days, so come back again to read about it.

Many people have more than one e-mail box and collect all e-mail messages in one and the same e-mail client application. Often one or more of the e-mail accounts receive big number of spam messages. Usually such e-mail boxes are used to subscribe for diferent on-line services, bulletins, news letters, etc. Yesterday I found an excelent article on how to reduce the spam level posted by Yaro Starak at Entrepreneurs Journey. The article name is How To Reduce Your Email Spam by 75% and it gives an example how the authour of the post achieved such result.

Combaining different tactics, switching off the old e-mail addresses and forwarding the e-mails to new one while sending back an information about the change in the e-mail address appears to be an excelent startegy in long terms. Some might say that sending your new e-mail address back to the spammers is not good idea at all, but it is known that the spammers usually do not receive messages on the e-mail addresses from which they spam. Hence, only (or mostly) the real customers would receive and pay attention to the auto reply.

Encoding the new e-mail adresses published on the web site is also one of the ways to slow down the process of spamming them, however it is just a matter of time to get the same spam level again. But now we know, when it happens, we will just recicle the e-amail addresses again.