OT: Words of sympathy for a fellow HSMTTer?
 

Hi Guys-

So while at home for Thanksgiving my harddrive crashed. I brought it to a computer technician who is trying to do data retrieval for me. My entire semester of thesis work is on there (college senior in architecture) and I only have some hard copies of recent drafts. I backed up my computer recently, but not recently enough.

Anyone ever been in a similar situation. Words of advice, compassion. Thanks all.

Mench

Re: OT: Words of sympathy for a fellow HSMTTer?
 

I'm sorry to hear that. I usually back my important documents up by E-mailing them to myself.

Re: OT: Words of sympathy for a fellow HSMTTer?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Hi Guys-

So while at home for Thanksgiving my harddrive crashed. I brought it to a computer technician who is trying to do data retrieval for me. My entire semester of thesis work is on there (college senior in architecture) and I only have some hard copies of recent drafts. I backed up my computer recently, but not recently enough.

Anyone ever been in a similar situation. Words of advice, compassion. Thanks all.

Mench

[/ QUOTE ]

There are some reasonably effective OCR programs that may have free trials. theyll save you a lot of time on the thesis if you have access to a scanner.

GL with the recovery.

Re: OT: Words of sympathy for a fellow HSMTTer?
 

Put harddrive in the freezer for a few hours and then connect it and boot up. If it works, quickly transfer your [censored] off. (i'm serious)

if that doesnt work you'll prob have to send it somewhere, and pay through the nose, but you cna likely get the stuff off.

Re: OT: Words of sympathy for a fellow HSMTTer?
 

Does anyone have any recommendations as to the best/safest online storage sites? Assume you want to store a lot of stuff (giant Pokertracker databases etc)

Re: OT: Words of sympathy for a fellow HSMTTer?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Put harddrive in the freezer for a few hours and then connect it and boot up. If it works, quickly transfer your [censored] off. (i'm serious)

if that doesnt work you'll prob have to send it somewhere, and pay through the nose, but you cna likely get the stuff off.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have done this before. It gave me enough time to back up all of my files. Seems kinda funny, but it works. I was close to being in your situation so I have an idea.

Re: OT: Words of sympathy for a fellow HSMTTer?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Does anyone have any recommendations as to the best/safest online storage sites? Assume you want to store a lot of stuff (giant Pokertracker databases etc)

[/ QUOTE ]

Rent a cheap server (cheapest possible if it doesn't matter to you) with tons of storage from some network center

Re: OT: Words of sympathy for a fellow HSMTTer?
 

OP,

don't know how good the computer tech guy is. I've been able to retrieve lost data from a crashed hard disk myself via using a Knoppix boot cd. Knoppix is a linux-based operative system, pretty easy to use.

In general, backup of data can be done through several means:
- On cd/dvd. Ok for users without a lot of data, and mainly non-sensitive data.
- External hard drive. Cheap and easy to use (connects via USB). Can be automated via various software.
- Netbased storage. Most secure alternative, possibly a bit more hassle (haven't used any myself).

If you're a student, you probably have access to a file area on your uni? If so, use that for backup, and do backups after each and every day of work. In fact, I would store my stuff there and rather use my laptop for backups...at least if your uni storage has backup routines available (which I assume they do).

When I taught classes about basic backup and thesis', I recommended the following:
* Use uni file storage as main system.
* Use versioning, so if you happen to e.g. save over one of your documents, you can easily retrieve them yourself (saves the hassle getting backup from servers).
* Keep a copy on your home computer/laptop. Backup to these less often, say once a week.
* If you're really, really paranoid, e-mail yourself copies as well. Don't bother sorting these, just keep as backup if [censored] really hits the fan.

Follow this, and if you still manage to lose your files...well, chances are you're dead anyway due to massive nuclear bombing or the like [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: OT: Words of sympathy for a fellow HSMTTer?
 

thanks so far for all the advice guys.

the technician was able to recover some files from another class that I used the same material for. So I have some stuff. But he thought he had the right folder, got me really excited and then realized he did in fact recover the folder but the documents were not in it. still trying to be optimistic though its not my strongest point.

Re: OT: Words of sympathy for a fellow HSMTTer?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'm sorry to hear that. I usually back my important documents up by E-mailing them to myself.

[/ QUOTE ]

yea I use the Gspace plugin for firefox for school stuff, its goot.