Backups

Backup Recommendations:

Why backup? Backups are a necessary activity to counter act Murphy's law. New computers and the latest operating system are no match for Murphy. Sometimes things go awry. Often times, for no apparent reason at all. In the winter months after a long cold spell computers fail. If a hard drive is more than three years old they fail without warning. Sometimes they act funny or weird at first, then fail. Every year in January and February we receive those frightful calls from dealers reporting "My computer won't come on". Rarely, I see old computers that are eight and ten years old that are still working. I must repeat "Rarely".

The first quarter of each year is tax time. When do computers fail? Murphy strikes again. All of last years data could be lost without a backup. Throughout the year we help dealers recover data and corrupted files from backups. It happens more often than what you would think.

Overall, dealers and employees are getting better about backups but, we sometimes get these responses when we ask for their backup. "What backup? What do you mean? "We don't do that."

Without a backup we cannot help you recover your files. Simply it is your responsibility to backup. We cannot do it for you.

Here are a few tips on backing up.

I have found that flash drives are the simplest tools for backups. We use them around here all the time. There are many styles and sizes. By size I mean the amount of data they will hold. A 256 mg is small. We typically use 1 gig flash drives. We have a variety of sizes in use around our office and home.

Cars*Plus has a backup inside the program, but you must choose to backup when you are ready. Backup when exiting the software is a good rule.You must be working on the designated server when backing up. Unless, a network technician has made a procedure for you that works on a network computer.

If you have a network make sure your network technicians setup backup procedures. Before the network tech leaves make sure you have a valid backup and a recovery procedures in place that you understand. You must make regular and consistent backups. Test your backups and verify that your backup drives contain the proper files. Set aside one flash drive for Cars*Plus use only. Don't mix other software programs with this flash drive.

If you need help we would rather help you with the backup setup than spend hours on the phone helping you recover your lost data.

When the flash drive is inserted, Windows assigns it a drive letter for example F:, G:, H:, etc etc. You must find out what drive letter is assigned in order to make a backup work. When the flash drive is inserted a popup displays showing the Windows acknowledgement of the drive. It will show the drive letter assigned. In a normal exit backup, You simple chose the drive letter that Windows assigns the flash drive to backup Cars*Plus.

Another way to find the drive letter. Right-click on the start button then choose the Explore option to open the Explorer. Now look through the folders on the left side column for a Removable drive letter.

Remember that backups are your responsibility. You need to have backup procedure in place and there is no excuse not to do it. It is your data not ours. If you don't have a backup procedure, take the necessary steps to make one. Get help if you are not comfortable making a backup procedure your self.

Only you can prevent data loss.

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