How to make back up copies?

[Naamah D.]

How do you make back up copies of work when you don't have a printer or a flash drive? I'm writing my novel and am worried about getting a virus and don't want to hand write.

[Emily]

I usually email super important files to myself when I'm feeling paranoid (in addition to printing and saving on a flash drive xD). As long as you keep the email in your inbox or folder, you'll have the files. Also, if they're in your email, you can access them anywhere with an internet connection.

[jcpet]

Email is good, like Emily said. If you have a lot of files, you can use cloud drives, such as Dropbox, or Microsoft Skydrive.

[The Bandit]

if you have a gmail account, you could use google drive.

[Naamah D.]

I just emailed the work from one of my alternate emails to my main email.

[Mouseykins]

You can also email from yourself to yourself (same account). I've done that quite a few times with my hotmail account over the years with little tidbits of information I need to save. But using skydrive or google drive is probably the easiest, since you can also edit there too and don't have to continuously send yourself a dozen copies of the same document when you make changes.

[Clumsy rockyroad1]

if you have a gmail account, you could use google drive.

 

But it takes so long. 6 HOURS for ONLY 1 GB.

[Rebecca~]

 

But it takes so long. 6 HOURS for ONLY 1 GB.

Or you could just do all the work on there from beginning to end. It saves as you go, so there's no worry about having an old copy on there, or about the long upload wait time. ;)

It's also super easy to send your work to people for proof reading or editing. :)

[Thomas_T]

I think you can use a dvd writer for the same and if you don't have dvd writer then you can use E-mails or Google drive as most of the E-mails provide uploading facility up to 25 mb for free.

[hottieangel]

Emailing files to yourself is a workable solution, but it requires conscious thought and action.

 

I would suggest perhaps using a service like Dropbox. You can make a free account with 2GB of storage. You can then install the desktop client on your computer - it will create a folder on your computer and anything you put in that folder will be uploaded and saved. That way, you can just move your files to the Dropbox folder and every time you save it, it will be backed up automatically (if you have internet, of course).

 

This is a great solution because:

a) you have a local copy AND a copy on the internet - if something happens to the Dropbox server, you'll have a local copy. And if something happens to your computer, you'll have a copy on the internet

b) it doesn't require you to do anything once you have it set up. :) No forgetting to save the lastest copy

c) Dropbox also stores older copies of your file, so if you make a mistake, you have the option of recovering earlier work (this has saved me big time in the past!).

[helloearthling]

If you're allowed to install programs on your computer, Dropbox is 100% the answer. I just work straight out of it - so novel.doc is in my Dropbox folder, and if ever something should happen then there are up to 250 backups on the server. (So, every time you save.)

 

I've done programming work and almost had a heart attack when a main file got corrupted, but Dropbox had my back - I restored a version from 7 minutes earlier, and lost 7 minutes of work.

 

This link is a referral link, so you'll get a little extra bonus space over the usual free amount. I honestly can't recommend this program enough.

[Thomas_T]

If you're allowed to install programs on your computer, Dropbox is 100% the answer. I just work straight out of it - so novel.doc is in my Dropbox folder, and if ever something should happen then there are up to 250 backups on the server. (So, every time you save.)

 

I've done programming work and almost had a heart attack when a main file got corrupted, but Dropbox had my back - I restored a version from 7 minutes earlier, and lost 7 minutes of work.

 

This link is a referral link, so you'll get a little extra bonus space over the usual free amount. I honestly can't recommend this program enough.

I already installed Dropbox in my system but don't know how to sink it with my gmail account.Can you help me out to resolve this problem.?

[MargaretaMcDaniel]

Before installing dropbox I was using to save the file as a draft on my Gmail account. But now dropbox is offering a really good service.

[pwndbymalakh]

if you have a gmail account, you could use google drive.

 

 

 

But it takes so long. 6 HOURS for ONLY 1 GB.

 

Google Drive provides the most Free cloud storage space, with the pay storage starting at only $5.00. You also get Google Docs, Gmail, Calendar, Contacts, Google Play, etc. integrated, plus it's supported by most mobile device OS's. The upload speed can be slow, especially depending on the amount of files per folder, individual file size, and your internet connection type/speed, but those things apply to any cloud storage, and the first two apply to any sd card, flash, external hard drive type storage as well. Something I don't like about Google Drive is the lack of uploaded file versions. The Drive storage is also shared with your Google Docs and Gmail storage. I also don't like the desktop app because it's Always running, it's the biggest cpu hog out of my little list here.

 

Microsoft Sky Drive is alright, but less space than Google Drive, and the pay plans are high for very little extra space. It integrates well with the free bare-bones online version of Microsoft Office, but it's just that - bare. I can't do anything I really want to in the applications.

 

Dropbox is good for faster uploads and file versions. Decent amount of free space as well. The desktop app is still annoying, but not nearly as much as the Google Drive app.

 

Box is like Dropbox, but without the file versions, and it's a bit slower than the three listed above.

 

NOTE: I work my computer like a slave, 24 hours every day. I back up the critical stuff to cloud storage once a week in case my current computer dies of exhaustion - no joke - and back Everything up on a 1 TB external hard drive once a week as well. And all my dvds and cds get backed up to their Own external hard drive. I have more data than anyone I know, and it's critical to my life to make sure all my stuff is backed up and safe.

 

But..... if all you need is a place to type your writings, have the basic security that they are auto-saved as you go, and have them accessible to you via any internet-connected device....

Just use Google Chrome browser and the Springpad application.

[laceew45]

I use cloud accounts such as Dropbox and Copy. Both are amazing. I don't know what I would do without them.

[minksey]

You could also burn it to a dvd disc which acts like a flash drive.

Just look up 'burn data disc' and it'll give you helpful programs and

step by step instructions that work best for you. :)