# Computer "jigs" to keep your system fast, happy, and flood/fireproof



## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

I used to be a PC tech, and would like to share what I do to keep my computer super happy. It's as reliable and fast today as it was 10 years ago when I built it. In brief: 

Basically, I did a super-clean install of windows and all software on one partition, and keep data on another. I use image and backup software to leapfrog physical media each week, where one copy is always at my wifes office. And the key thing: *Each week I overwrite windows and my software with the latest image file*. That's the crux of it all.


Part 1 of 3

Windows and other software were cleanly installed, updated, and told to save data (like email, bookmarks, etc) to the data partition. As I loaded and tweaked the software I often made sequential image files. When done, the last image file in the sequence was a picture of my fully updated fully customized lean mean virgin software environment. Brand spanking new. Fast. Clutter and error free.

During the week, crud starts piling up as I use it and over time the computer bogs down. At best it just bogs down, at worst it accumulates file errors and malware.

So, every monday I overwrite that partition with the last image file, do any required updates on the software, repeat any other changes I mad to the programs, and make a new image file. That way, every monday I basically have a brand new fully updated and fully customized operating system and software environment.


Part 2 of 3

I make an image file of my data partition every three months followed up weekly differential backups (which just backups stuff that changed from the last image file).


Part 3 of 3

For my image files and backups I use two USB drives, a big one and a small one. One is always at my wife's office, and I leap frog them. I overwrite whatever was on the small one, and save sequential files on the big one. The worst case scenario is a nuke or meteor takes out the city and its all lost. The next to worst case scenario is I only lose two weeks of data and that's only if there is total flood or fire in my office.



Even if there is no meteor or fire it is a certainty that every hard drive dies. Yours mine, everyones. Even if you make backups, have you TESTED whether you can restore from them? (Think of it like making a test cut on some scrap stock)

If anyone's interested in my approach I'll be happy to go into more detail.

SteveEl


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

*"If anyone's interested in my approach I'll be happy to go into more detail."
*

Go for it!


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## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

It's a big topic and could easily become a book. Do you have any particular questions, Gene?


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## Arkaneinc (Jan 4, 2011)

I do the same. All of my important items (files, scans, pictures) are backed up on two separate Portable Hard drives as well as burned onto DVD's. I also uploaded them to rapidshare.


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## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

Arkaneinc said:


> I also uploaded them to rapidshare.


Cool! That takes care of meteors.


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

SteveEl said:


> It's a big topic and could easily become a book. Do you have any particular questions, Gene?


I'd have to be more literate to know what questions to ask. 
I understand the concept of starting clean. It's the mechanics (steps?) that are beyond my ken.
Not to worry. I have nothing on my computer that is valuable. 
The next time my literate son visits, I'll have him read your post and he can walk me through it. 
Thanks.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Steve, I for one know that back up files usually give trouble if they work at all. This is based on Windows working under a certain environment. My brother in laws mechanic shop was set up with a expensive set of software, battery and data back up. When the time came and he had to replace the PC he tried to use the same HD but of course windows said to many things in the system changed and it wouldn't load or something. He tried to restore from his back up and it only had some files backed up, not the whole system. So we had to reload everything on a new HD then manually transfer all the files that didn't back up and he still needed.

wouldn't the same thing happen with images of the HD? I guess that's why system files and data or saved in separate partitions.

I tried running raid with 2 exact copies of the HD and it worked pretty good but you still have two bad drives if the files gets corrupted and such.

I do a manual back up of all my important things on a portable drive but I'm thinking I might start with the image idea. I already have like 3 copies of everything but that gets confusing with 5 computers. 

Thanks for the idea and I'm going to think about using your system or at least part of it.


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## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

Not sure I understood your question, Rich but I'll ramble a bit more and in case it helps. First, your two-drive approach is interesting. I haven't toyed with RAID. If the two drives are otherwise reliable (do a lowlevel chkdisk for bad sectors) you could do a low level format of one and start building up the two partitions. It does take some time to figure out what programs try to store your stuff in some default directory. Google sketchup is an example. In my clean install, one of the steps was to manually instruct sketchup to save my design work on my 2nd partition (the one for data). Same for all my other programs. BTW, I do not use the "My Documents" et cetera at all. That is on the same partition as my software, and I have taught my system to put data on the other partition, so I can easily overwrite my windows to purge the junk.

So anyway.... like your bro in law discovered, going to a new motherboard is always a PITA whether you are just replacing the board or moving to a whole new PC. Since motherboards need specific drivers to boot up, the image file for system A probably will not boot up system B. Then its true, you still have to reinstall windows and the software, updated it all, and then customize your preferences. (If you use my approach first you partition, then you format, then you start installing)

Let's think about customizing your preferences. That's a LOT of time and settings to tweak. Is there a short cut? Yes, the short cut is the first time you keep good notes. Here's a sample from my file:

~~~~~~~~~~~
FULLBACK 30 4-9-2010
Overwrote C drive with fullback 29 
Updated trend, AdobeReader, windows
Created mail rule for newletters (google or sciencedaily in subject line)
Installed LandEx
Copied Short cut to ClearRecent Batch file in the startup folder so it runs when I reboot
Configured BrotherCentral options for scan to file, folder store D:\Scanned Images; PDF, B&W, 200x200
SAVED FULLBACK 30


FULLBACK 31 6-14-2010
Overwrote C drive with fullback 30 
Updated Adobe Acrobat Reader, Trend, and windows

Outlook rules:
"Wanted" or "Taken" move to wanted folder
"Swapshop" moveto swapshop folder
"Freecycle" moveto freecycle folder 
SAVED FULLBACK 31
~~~~~~~~~~~

I could much of that by picking and choosing the files that have the customized info. But who wants to learn that micro detail? So the short cut for making your life happy when your motherboard dies - and it WILL die because they all do - the short cut is good notes. My notes continue to grow as I make tweaks that I like.

Those notes and my other data are all on another partition. They are separate from the programs. Once the programs are up and customized, then I just throw my data - the whole kit and kaboodle, no picking searching choosing - back on the 2nd partition and I'm done. 

So That is mother board replacement like your bro in law did.

Let's talk about harddrive replacement. They all die. I'm on my third in this 10-year old machine. If this one goes this instant, no problem. I have an identical spare on my shelf. It's already partitioned and formatted. I could install the drive, and reload everything in about 30 minutes. I would lose "fun" type data from the last four days, since that was my last data backup, and that's all. (Spare copies of the few important things I did recently are on a USB stick)

========

Store those archives offsite! On clean-out robbery or fire can ruin your whole computer day.

========

The joy of my approach comes in the weekly overwrite of my windows and software with the latest lean mean virgin-state fully updated clean install. Its like instantly taking every iota of dust out of my entire shop, in about 15 minutes, with the push of the button. 

BTW, I also overwrite that partition before I do my banking, taxes, or online shopping, since my approach purges most malware if any snuck by my defenses.

=======

Another tip: I always try to get an installation disk of programs, or else download them and save them to cd. That helps when the time comes to repeat the clean install.

==========

Best, 
Steve El


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

OK Steve I'll make it simple.

If you have a PC crash and lets say you have to replace the whole thing. It's a completely new system. You restore from the earlier image file of the HD which was based on a completely different MB CPU, memory ect. It's been my experience that windows don't like that and responds negatively. 

Is it fair to say that you would have to do a fresh install of OS, all programs and just back up the image file for data?

I get that it's good to keep a clean system but seems like allot of work to me.


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## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

Sorry about delay Rich, I missed your reply

I guess it's a question whether you want to do work upfront or on the back end. It's like tuning your table saw and sharpening your chisels and planes. That's a lot of work to do upfront, but if you don't do it, you get to do a lot of sanding and filling work later.

Back to computers.

For motherboard installation my experience has been exactly like yours. With the approach I use you'd have detailed notes (sort of like a router template) to just follow along with. That would save you nearly all of the thinking-labor the 2nd time around but only if you do the prep labor the 1st time around. And if you use your machine enough a 2nd time around (((will))) come because (((all))) motherboards eventually die.

For harddrive replacement, the approach I use seems hard to beat, plus it would subject your procedures to testing to make sure they actually work.

About keeping a clean machine....

reading between the lines, that might not be as big a deal to you. If so, great! Your mileage may vary. I'm dependent on my machine for income, banking, online shopping and I recreationally use it to archive family photos. Downtime, identity theft, and thinking my computer is so old it needs replacement are all wiped out with the approach I use.

But it is work, you're right. If I just played with my computer I wouldn't do any of this (and that's not a slam to those who just play with theirs... in fact, I'm jealous of you types).

The bottom line is: all motherboards die. All harddrives die. You can decide whether there is a reward for doing prep work upfront. For some folks,there isn't a good reason, so don't bother... just don't complain when you have a hardware death in the family.

Best,
SteveEl


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## JohnWP (Jan 18, 2011)

rrbrown said:


> OK Steve I'll make it simple.
> 
> If you have a PC crash and lets say you have to replace the whole thing. It's a completely new system. You restore from the earlier image file of the HD which was based on a completely different MB CPU, memory ect. It's been my experience that windows don't like that and responds negatively.
> 
> ...


It depends on what you mean by a crash. If the HD crashes, then the image that he is talking about will simply transfer to the new HD. Windows doesn't see that as a big enough change to trigger what you are talking about.

If you have a motherboard or CPU crash (Pretty much all other components can be swapped in and out simply by installing new drivers), then you will need a new install anyway, as Windows will say "Hold on there bud, gotta make sure this license is good" and make you call Micro$oft for validation. In this case, the partition with your data is still good, as it's not too often that you get a MB/CPU crash AND a HD crash, and if that is the case, you probably have a much bigger problem. 

John


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## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

Whaddya know? Windows 7 has this ability built-in, and how to articles are in this magazine, on newsstands until May 2011 sometime:

https://shop.futureus.com/webapp/wc...ctId=962926&catalogId=19453&categoryId=336641


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

That makes it hard to resist installing 7, doesn't it?
Thanks.


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