REALLY PROTECT YOURSELF
=======================


Backing up your data is only the first step.

You should also keep a copy of !Back_It, !Hform, !System & !Scrap on a floppy.
So you can run restore utilities in the event your drive dies.

Yes, it will die one day! :-)


Within !Back_It, you'll find in !Back_it.Resources several files to help you 
restore your data.

1. TESTBACKUP

This will retest the last known backup directory to see that the ZIP files
can be unzipped.
You will need to have ran !Back_It at least once before using this. 

2. UNZIPBACKUP

This script will, once you've edited it, will restore your files to
their destination with the minimum of fuss.


3. TESTDRIVE4

This script simply tests ADFS drive 4 (usually your main harddrive) for errors.
This makes use of !DiscKnight.
We've supplied you a copy of the test only version within !Back_It.

DiscKnight, a superb tool by the ARM Club checks drives for any data
errors and can fix a great many errors.

Keep a copy of this on a floppy along with the TESTDRIVE4 file as running this
script means that you don't need any !BOOT, !System, etc. to be present to run
!DiscKnght if you suspect your hardrive is failing.

Ensure you run DiscKnight at least once a month.

If you don't own a copy then get one at once.

http://www.armclub.org.uk/products/discknight/

The ARM Club site offers the free check-only version.
However you can find a copy of this excellent tool in
!Back_It.Resources.

If it shows an error get to the ARM Club site at once!
Note: Best torun it with the minimum of programs running as some files 
like choices, logs, scrap within !Boot may be changing as you run DiscKnight 
and give false errors.
If in doubt run it twice.




COMMON REASONS WHY HARD DRIVES FAIL.
====================================

1. You move the computer whilst the harddrive is working.

This causes the read head in the drive to crash into the surface and 
literally knocks holes in the data surface.
This reduces the life span of your drive and corrupts data.


2. Temperature.

If the harddrive gets very hot then the life span of your data is reduced.
Metals and other materials expand when hot and contract when cold.
So the mere act of switching off and on the device will slowly cause cracks
to appear on the drive data surface.
Eventually the drive will fail.
Modern 7,200RPM or higher speed drives get extra hot so you may need to
provide extra cooling.

If it's too hot to touch then you know you've got a problem...


3. Wear and tear.

A common fault is the ball bearings used in a harddrive.
Overtime they get worn and when the drive is switched off the motor tends to
rest on the ball bearings worn edges.
Eventually the drive can't startup. It becomes stuck.

If this happens you can sometimes recover the drive for a short time by taking
the drive out of the computer and whilst holding it firmly in your
hand, twist it sharply horizontally along its axis so the motor will move off
these worn ball bearings edges. This can sometimes be enough to get the drive
working to allow you to get the data off.

But don't be tempted to keep on using the drive...


4. Power cuts.

If the power goes whilst using your computer then any data in RAM will be
lost. However if the computer was in the middle of writing to the drive then
the drive probably will have errors on it now.

Best to use DiscKnight to check and repair errors after these sort of events
because errors in the drive tend to mount up and get worse and worse.
Eventually the data on the drive becomes a right mess.


4. More Wear and tear.

Harddrives are full of mechanical parts and _will_ eventually stop working.
You just don't know when. It could be today or tomorrow.



Lastly, there are companies who will try to get your data off the dead drive.
These companies will charge you a big fat fee, usually in the order of five 
hundred or more pounds. Can you afford this?


 Stuart Halliday 2003


