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Help With Edh


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First off, this site is just wonderful; there is so much information here and so many great, helpful people willing to spend the time to help others!

 

I'm just a couple of weeks old when it comes to digi sbing and have bought an ehd (500GB!!!) after reading about them on here. I've read all the posts on here about setting them up but I'm so scared I'm going to do it wrong and lose all my hard work. Can someone help me, please?

 

First question... do I copy my entire computer hard drive to this ehd to backup everything I have?

 

then: Backing up vs synchronization? isn't it the same thing?

 

How do i find the files I should be backing up daily?

 

Gawd, I'm have such a blonde moment <day>!!! Please help me!

 

PS... I'm using ACDSee's Photo Manager 10 and Photo Editor 2008; pc op system is vista

 

Bobbi

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Bobbi, I don't have those programs. But, when I set mine up I was able to drag and drop files to my ehd. I made folders, such as scrapbooking, and dragged all of my scrapbooking files to that folder on my ehd. I made folders for my school stuff (I teach) and dragged those files there. I usually back up my stuff once a month. When my hard drive died on my laptop a few months ago, I was in pretty good shape I only lost a few files of new school stuff I had made but hadn't backed up yet. Usually with my scrapping stuff I backup more often and didn't lose anything. I hope this helps, if not I am sure someone will come back with a better answer!

 

Welcome to scrap girls!!!

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Bobbi -

 

Welcome to ScrapGirls!

 

Here is what I am doing: I couldn't get the synchronization program that came with my edh to work properly so I used the briefcase option that comes with Windows (any version). You can create a new briefcase on the edh, name it whatever you want and then drag the folders you want to back up into it. When you want to update, you just right click the briefcase and select "update all". I actually have 3 or 4 separate briefcases on my edh for different things. I know there are probably dozens of other ways to do this, but this method seems to work for me.

 

Hope this helps.

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Here is what I am doing: I couldn't get the synchronization program that came with my edh to work properly so I used the briefcase option that comes with Windows (any version). You can create a new briefcase on the edh, name it whatever you want and then drag the folders you want to back up into it. When you want to update, you just right click the briefcase and select "update all". I actually have 3 or 4 separate briefcases on my edh for different things. I know there are probably dozens of other ways to do this, but this method seems to work for me.

 

My first thought when I read this was "Well, J, just what rock have YOU been living under?!?!"

What a neat tool . . . and I've never heard of it!

 

Thanks so much!

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I haven't actually used briefcase with Vista yet, but used it on previous versions. I typed in "briefcase" into the search in the help box & here is what I got: (there is also a bit further down in the help that tells you about removable media - you EHD)

 

You can use Briefcase to keep files in sync between two different computers, even if the computers are not on the same network. If the computers are not on the same network, you can copy files from one computer to another by using removable media, work on those files using the other computer, and then use Briefcase to sync the changes back to the original computer.

 

To prepare Briefcase to sync

Open the folder where you want to create a new Briefcase.

 

Right-click a blank area in the folder window, point to New, and then click Briefcase.

 

A new Briefcase appears. Type a name for the Briefcase, and then copy any files you want to sync into the Briefcase.

 

Note

You can also create a Briefcase on your desktop by right-clicking a blank area on the desktop, pointing to New, and then clicking Briefcase.

 

Hope this helps a little

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Thanks ladies! This briefcase thing sounds good... I did a search on my computer (vista) but it's not finding it. I even opened hidden files. Any suggestions?

Bobbi

 

I have XP. This is the info I found by using the Help & Support function on my Dell computer. I was going to give you the MS links, but there were too many to go to, so I'm just copying the info I saved to a Word file. Didn't copy over very pretty, but I think you can use it.

 

Briefcase Overview (windows’ briefcase)

If you frequently work on files outside your main computer (using a portable computer, for example), you can use Briefcase to synchronize the files with their counterparts on your main computer when you finish working on them.

When you reconnect your portable computer to your main computer (or insert a removable disk containing the modified files), Briefcase automatically updates the files on your main computer to the modified versions. You do not need to move modified files out of Briefcase or delete the existing copies on your main computer.

Briefcase stores files and displays their status. For instance, it can show you whether a file is linked to the original file on your main computer, or whether it is an orphan file. This information helps you keep files organized and prevents you from accidentally deleting or copying over the most recent version of a file.

Note

• When you are using Briefcase to copy files from your main computer to your portable computer, the two computers must be connected, either over a network or with a direct cable connection.

Related Topics

 

Choosing between using Briefcase or Offline Files

Windows offers tools for working with files that are stored on your main computer or with files that are stored on a network. You should choose the appropriate tool depending on your needs.

• Briefcase is the best tool if you frequently transfer files between computers using a direct cable connection or a removable disk. Using Briefcase, you can synchronize the files you modified on another computer with their counterparts on your main computer. You can keep your files organized by creating multiple briefcases.

• Offline Files is the best tool if you want to work with shared files on a network. Using Offline Files, you can make changes to shared files while disconnected from the network and synchronize them the next time you are connected to the network.

 

To create a new Briefcase

1. To open My Computer, click Start, and then click My Computer.

2. Click the folder in which you want to create the new Briefcase.

3. On the File menu, point to New, and then click Briefcase.

Note

• To create a new Briefcase on your desktop, right-click anywhere on the desktop, click New, and then click Briefcase.

 

To synchronize files stored on a removable disk using Briefcase

1. Insert a removable disk into a disk drive on your main computer.

2. Open Briefcase, and then copy the appropriate files to Briefcase.

3. Drag Briefcase to the disk.

The files in Briefcase are copied to the disk.

4. Remove the disk from your main computer and insert it into a disk drive on your portable computer.

5. Open Briefcase from the disk and work on the files. When you are ready to synchronize the files, remove the disk from your portable computer and reinsert it into a disk drive on your main computer.

6. Open Briefcase from the disk, and then do one of the following:

o To update all the files, on the Briefcase menu, click Update All.

o To update only some of the files, select the files you want to update, and then on the Briefcase menu, click Update Selection.

 

To synchronize files on connected computers using Briefcase

1. While the computers are connected, open Briefcase on your portable computer and copy the appropriate files from your main computer.

2. Work on the files on your portable computer.

3. When you have finished working on the files, connect the two computers if they were disconnected, open Briefcase on your portable computer, and then do one of the following:

o To update all the files, on the Briefcase menu, click Update All.

o To update only some of the files, select the files you want to update, and then on the Briefcase menu, click Update Selection.

Notes

• When you are using Briefcase to copy files from your main computer to your portable computer, the two computers must be connected, either over a network or by a direct cable connection.

• While you are working on your files, the two computers do not need to be connected.

 

To check the status of files in Briefcase

1. Open Briefcase, and then click the file you want to check.

2. On the File menu, click Properties.

3. Click the Update Status tab.

Notes

• To find the copy of the file that is outside Briefcase (which is the counterpart to the copy that is stored in Briefcase, on the Update Status tab, click Find Original.

• If you want to view the status of the files that are stored in Briefcase and the status column does not appear in the right pane of the Briefcase window, on the View menu, click Details.

 

To separate files stored in Briefcase from their counterparts outside Briefcase

1. Open Briefcase, and then click the file you want to split.

2. On the Briefcase menu, click Split from Original.

Note

• After you split a file stored in Briefcase from its counterpart outside Briefcase, it is labeled an orphan file and can no longer be synchronized.

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First off, this site is just wonderful; there is so much information here and so many great, helpful people willing to spend the time to help others!

 

I'm just a couple of weeks old when it comes to digi sbing and have bought an ehd (500GB!!!) after reading about them on here. I've read all the posts on here about setting them up but I'm so scared I'm going to do it wrong and lose all my hard work. Can someone help me, please?

 

First question... do I copy my entire computer hard drive to this ehd to backup everything I have?

 

then: Backing up vs synchronization? isn't it the same thing?

 

How do i find the files I should be backing up daily?

 

Gawd, I'm have such a blonde moment <day>!!! Please help me!

 

PS... I'm using ACDSee's Photo Manager 10 and Photo Editor 2008; pc op system is vista

 

Bobbi

'

You've already gotten some great advice.

 

You usually don't need to copy your entire hard drive, because you have programs and your OS on there as well. You don't need to make copies of programs or your OS. If you download a lot of programs, you should burn copies of the programs to a CD or DVD. If there is an e-mail with an activation number, instructions, or anything like that, I make a text (Word) file out of that information and burn a copy of that file to the CD with the application. That has saved me a lot of headache when I have needed to move the application to a new computer later.

 

I made a backup of my files on Wednesday to my EHD. Everything is synchronized at that point. I worked with some of the files on Thursday and a few more on Friday. Friday evening, I will synchronize my files by backing up only the ones that I worked on and changed. I don't need to do a complete backup, I only need to back up the changed stuff. If I added new files and changed some files, I'll add the new ones and update the changed ones.

 

Where you can get into trouble is when you move and re-name files.

 

Imagine you have a file called 'Tree' and you back it up. Then you realize you named it badly and you rename it 'Trees'. And you back it up. Now you have two copies of the same file with different names. Then you decide your organization isn't right and you move the 'Trees' file under the 'Plants' directory. And you back it up. Three copies, now. Then you decide that you have too many trees and you break it into 'Evergreens' and 'Deciduous' under the 'Plants' directory. Now you have the same data, perhaps with slight changes to it, FOUR times in your backup files. Yikes! Your backup file is much, much larger than your main file, because you only have one copy of the 'Tree' data on your main drive, but you've got it at least four times on your backup.

 

What I do at that point is draw a line in the sand, pull the backup file out of active use and move it into an archive that I won't need often. I put a date on it and put it away somewhere safe. Then I start over with a fresh, complete backup of the files that I am using in the organization system that I'm using and go from there. I will have copies of 'Tree' and 'Trees' somewhere safe, I won't have lost a single file. But I won't have a backup with fifteen copies of 'Tree' in some form or another.

 

 

Always test your backup somehow. Open and look at the files, restore files, use your restored files. If you can't use your back up, your back up is worthless.

 

How frequently should you back up? How frequently do you do work on your computer that you do NOT want to lose? It's a personal decision. Some are automatic, backing up every time they hit 'save' or exit an application. Some are fine with weekly or monthly. I'm in the monthly group, with updates mid-month if I feel the need. It works for me.

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