How to Backup Windows XP

Last week my wife’s computer crashed, and, if you are as an addicted gamer as she is, every hour down is like a junkie waiting for a fix. So needless to say I had to get the system back a.s.a.p. Luckily I used the least used feature XP has, System Backup. I replaced the hard drive, reloaded the OS, ran a backup restore and wam, I was done in 3 hours. I didn’t have to spend days reloading software, favorites, my documents, pretty much everything including desktop icons were restored. Nothing was lost up to the day of the backup.

What is this little known feature and how do I use it? First you need something to back up to. I recommend a stand-a-lone USB drive’though you can also back up to another partition, drive or CD/DVD.

Take stock of how much space your hard drive is using and get a USB device slightly larger. Once you have that you can back up your system. Go to Start / All Programs / Accessories / System Tools / Backup. This will open the Backup Wizard. On the Wizard opening screen just click ‘Next”. On the next screen choose ‘Backup files and settings’. When putting things back you would choose ‘Restore files and settings. On the next screen select ‘All information on this computer’.

Next browse to your backup device then enter a name for your file. I usually use the date. Then click ‘Next’. You will get a window confirming your selections. If they are correct click ‘Finish’, the system will do the rest. Don’t use the system while the backup is being created. How long it will take depends on how much data but figure about 15 minutes to half an hour. It can take longer.
That is about it, now you have a total back up of everything on the computer.

To restore the system backup, reload the operating system if you have to and here is the one catch. It has to be the same OS that was used to create the backup. Navigate back to backup under system tools, select ‘Restore files and settings’ and follow the prompts. When you are done everything will be back where it was at the time the back up was created. For this reason it is a good idea to keep the backup file up to date. I usually run a full system backup twice a month.
So there you have it, should the un-thinkable happen there is no need to panic. Just smile and remember how prepared you are.

Author Chris Kaminski is head web designer at Lone Bird Studio, an Asheville web design and SEO company located in North Carolina.

Please Don't Download

This week I had planned to continue with my series on online business. But, I had to stop to tell you this, stop downloading all that garbage off the net!
What I am talking about are all those little maintenance programs that promise to clean out the spyware or improve system performance.

You know, System this and Registry that or Spyware this or Destroy that (usually your machine). I know you have all seen them. They make claims about how great they are and what a wonderful job they do. Don’t believe it. Just because they say so does not make it true.

Now don’t get me wrong, there are good programs out there. But for the most part, even the ones with good intention just don’t deliver or conflict with other software on the system. They are not written well, properly tested or rushed to market. There are many malicious ones out there too that disguise themselves as system software but also as little devices to bring you weather or news.

These usually hide marketing and tracking software that compete for your internet connection. I had several come through the shop this week. That is why I write this article. One system to come in had downloaded a Spyware blocker. All it did was slow his system to a crawl. A major loss of system performance is a sure sign you got a bad one. Fortunately, we removed it without much trouble.

Another computer came in with a “Registry Cleaner”. After he installed and ran it the system developed a boot issue. The system was looking for a file no longer there. So what does he do? Download another to fix it! So please don't download unless you know what you are downloading and can be assured that it is a program that won't hurt your computer.

Google Website Optimizer

Ways to avoid identity theft

Identity theft has been the fasted growing crime for years now. In fact some studies say one happens every 3 seconds. How do they get this information? Surprisingly, not from you. Most are the result of data theft, thousands of records taken from a retail store for example.
What can you do? Nothing really. Something like that is out of your control. But, you can keep an eye on your credit and be notified if someone uses it. All three credit agencies are required to offer a free monitoring service.
To sign up is easy and free. First contact one of the main three reporting agencies (www.equifax.com, www.experian.com, www.transunion.com) and sign up for their Fraud Alert program. They will have paid offerings but the free one is what we are after.
Once you join several things will happen. First, the company you joined is required to also notify the remaining two agencies so all three will be watching. Second, while signing up, select to opt-out of un-solicited offers. This prevents random credit checks and will end those annoying credit offers.
Third and most important, you will be notified of any suspicious credit activity. If you don’t receive any alerts (a good thing) you will at least get a monthly report.
Now there is a catch, a free account is good only for 90 days so you will have to renew, but hey, it’s free.
There you have it. This is what companies on TV are charging you for. But, for a few minutes of your time you can do it yourself and save the money. I still wouldn’t put my Social Security number on the side of a truck though.

By Chris Kaminski
Lone Bird Studio Ltd.
Lone Bird Studio Ltd. is a web design and seo company in Asheville,NC

Welcome to the New Digital Economy

As we watch our traditional economy slow to a halt you can’t help but worry. I don’t need to go into why because that is covered enough on the news. But if you notice none of the institutions you see in the news are online. In fact the virtual business world, though sales are down, is still going strong. So if you have been paying attention to business trends, there is a way not only to survive but to grow, welcome to the new digital economy!

We are living in a unique time. A time when popular trends (moving business online), economic necessity and globalization (finding new ways to earn a living) and the technology of the Internet all come together and collide with a recession.

We have been through recessions before but this time we have a second virtual world to turn to. And when the real world fails we can fall back on this virtual one (scary huh).

Why? Let’s take a look. Fact, it is easier and less expensive to start and run a virtual business than a traditional one. Fact, in the past few years there has been a dramatic increase in telecommuting (working from home). Fact, the Internet has become the worlds business / banking / shopping / socializing backbone. Put all this together and this is truly the age of the entrepreneur.

Virtual business is the missing key that breaks the work from home world wide open. Whether you make sales calling on clients one by one or you sell and ship a product you can do it faster and with less expense then traditional methods.

How? Some examples: put your office online and you can access it from anywhere.

There are shopping carts and payment gateways to handle sales and shipping. To get your message out there is email, video, U-Tube, Google, and blogs to name a few.

Now don’t misunderstand me, every good idea needs a plan and some investment of time and money but you also have tools that were never before available. There is always opportunity if you look even in this economy, so take your idea find a web developer to help with your plan and use the virtual world to make real money.

By Chris Kaminski
Lone Bird Studio Ltd.