Are you storing your research online?? Please heed ----
I ran across a blog last week that was pretty much filled with complaining customers.
It seems that their research and websites had been stored "safely" on the host's servers.
And then ...... with no notice, the host shut down. The subscribers lost pre-paid money, but more importantly, had lost years of research which they were maintaining on their websites and which they had uploaded to their websites for storage. They--understandably--believed that online with a reputable host was a safe place to keep data.
This is a true tragedy, as we in family research well understand.
Please---backup, backup---and don't consider your reputable online service as the safest place to keep your research.
I am thinking about this particularly because of the blog I ran across---and also because I had a crash this weekend. Luckily I had backed up my research on my external hard-drive and did not lose the hundreds of photos and document images stored on my computer.
Just a caution to store online if you wish, but to backup everything--and keep it updated--in multiple places. Losing our work is a tragedy to us and also to the research buddies we help.
And don't think a data loss won't happen to you. As the old-time users know, it's not a matter of **if** there will be a major crash---it's only a matter of **when**.
Warmest Regards for the New Year---
Donna
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Re: Are you storing your research online?? Please heed ----
Good warning; but there again everyone backs up their really important data and stores it in multiple places don't they ? Don't they ?
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Re: Are you storing your research online?? Please heed ----
Here's what I do for backing up my tree:
I use Family Tree Maker 2010, and it's on my C drive. I backup the whole FTM to my D drive. I copy the backup to two portable harddrives, my E and F drives. I then copy that backup to my laptop. I use Mozy to back up the backup on my D drive. I also create a GEDCOM backup to each of those drives, and I upload that GEDCOM to Ancestry.com at least once a week as a private tree.
I've learned from hard experience that backing up is a very serious part of genealogy. My method may seem like overkill, but I've had to restore more than once because of computer harddrives crashing and it works.
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Re: Are you storing your research online?? Please heed ----
Hi Kirk,
It doesn't sound like over-kill as I do similar:
PC used to do all on-line searches is backed up to internal and external drives daily. Laptop used to keep off-line database (roots magic) and copies of documents, again internal and external hard drive daily back up.
Weekly - back up laptop to PC external drive and vice versa, and ensure ancestry is updated.
Most important though: if the house burns down and all computers and hard drives go with it, duplicate laptop back up and keep in another location (USB stick at work)
can't beat a good system crash to make you realise how big the basket is and how many eggs are in it!
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Re: Are you storing your research online?? Please heed ----
I'm also in the habit of uploading all important documents to my email account as self-addressed drafts. Whatever it takes to preserve my work.
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Re: Are you storing your research online?? Please heed ----
Best way to ensure your research is to print it out. Hard drives fail, computers get stolen, technology changes.
If you were to disappear tomorrow, who would know your passwords or websites?
No matter how many times you copy it, electronic data is only temporary.
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Re: Are you storing your research online?? Please heed ----
I couldn't agree more. Create an email account with a letter in the Draft folder that has instructions for what you want done with your research, and id's and passwords for all of your accounts, and then put in your will what the account is with the password. Use a safe deposit box to store your will and your work will be preserved and available for the next person to continue your work.
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