There are a lot of remarkably cheap PCs on the market. Only a few hundred dollars will get you a basic model that will have you on the internet, download photos from your digital camera, and help you balance your checkbook. Since this is the case, why should you even consider building your computer yourself?

It would be very hard to build a low-end computer for less than it would cost to buy one ready made. Once, this wasn’t so. A plain-Jane PC just a few years ago could cost over a $1000. Techno geeks, like myself, could buy the parts for between $450 and $600. The savings were tremendous. An afternoon could be enjoyably spent putting one together, much as some people build model ships and such.

Now, if you search relentlessly for bargain parts, you may be able to meet the price of those low end store bought PCs. But price alone isn’t the only reason to build a computer.

The best reason for building a computer is the knowledge you’ll gain. If you ever need to install a bigger hard drive, or add more RAM, you’ll know how. You won’t be at the mercy of $40 technicians. Whatever need arises, you’ll be able to handle it.

High end computers, those sought by gamers, and graphics artists, can be built far cheaper than what you’ll pay in a retail setting. Wise parts shoppers who are willing to spend some time on the internet and at swap meets can save hundreds by building their dream PC themselves.

To learn how to build a computer, my guidebook, "Building A PC For Beginners" is available, as are several others.

Michael Quarles is the publisher at Monkey See Monkey Do Books

Offering secure public Internet access is not as easy as it may seem. As the IT manager for a mid-sized public library, it’s become apparent to me that creating a secure network of library workstations for use by the public is more important than ever before. System administrators have the responsibility of protecting the library’s networks and systems, while ensuring quality and speedy service to all patrons. Offering public Internet access requires a dynamic security plan that is constantly under revision, taking into account the technical changes of the times. Traditionally, the software options available for help in this regard come at a significant price, often forcing libraries to spend thousands of dollars securing their computer rooms.

Sold per module or license, many of these software solutions offer a variety of features, but often fall short of actually securing the workstation. Plagued with stability issues, it’s not uncommon for many of these security solutions to crash and leave an administrative-level desktop open for public use. After test-driving a seemingly endless amount of pro-active protection software packages, the PC’s I administrate were still accumulating spy ware, browser hijacks, and tracking cookies on a daily basis. That is, until I came across the completely free software solution that actually does what others claim to — tightly secure any and every Windows 2000/XP Pro workstation.

The Public Access Computer Security Tool is a complete software security system designed by, and offered freely through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Designed for any public access computer that runs Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional, it helps keep workstations secure by restricting public access to the machine, and creating customizable profile environments to meet patron needs, without compromising the ever-important administrative access to the terminal.

So how does the Public Access Computer Security Tool work? By utilizing three separate layers of pro-active security restrictions (system restrictions, profiles, and profile restrictions), patron access is limited to a desktop completely configurable by the Administrator, and locked down at the policy level. This results in a computer environment that performs flawlessly, despite the “heavy use” factor that’s become synonymous with the public access computing world.

After installing and configuring the Public Access Computer Security Tool on our library’s ten public access Internet machines, the days of spy ware, instant messengers, and search bars are now behind us. I’m confident our public access terminals are now properly secure. Stability is not an issue any more; the operating system itself is reconfigured to disable access to sensitive parts of the machine. There’s absolutely no way for patrons to intentionally or accidentally disrupt the functioning of the computer, as they are limited to the software we’ve given them access to.

Best of all, libraries on the tightest of budgets can use the Public Access Computer Security Tool for every public access terminal in the building, and not owe a single dollar. The software is completely free and requires no license/registrations. As an IT administrator, if you’re shopping around for public access solutions, I suggest you check out the Public Access Computer Security Tool. Further information and links to downloading the tool at available at: http://www.pacomputing.org/PACTool/pactoolhome.aspx.

Jim Frank is the Head of Computer Services for the Berwyn Public Library. He can be reached by emailing jiminberwyn@gmail.com. A support forum for the Public Access Security Tool can be found by visiting http://www.securepc.org. (NOTE TO EDITORS: This article may be edited for publication in your newsletter or on your website, but must include the author’s name, and the title of the article.)

This article will help you with your decision by elaborating on the different factors to consider when buying that new sound card.

What Are Your Needs?
First thing to consider here is your intended usage of the sound card. If all you want is basic sound support and not spectacular 3D surround sound, I’d say go buy a cheap, simple card like the Sabrent 6-Channel or even rely on your motherboard’s on-board sound. If you want great surround sound and better speaker connectivity options, then you’ll want to consider a dedicated sound card like the TurtleBeach Montego or Sound Blaster Audigy 2.

What’s Your Budget?
As always, cost is an important issue to consider. A basic, no-frills sound card these days costs about $10, while the latest heavy-duty sound card with surround sound support can cost about $250. If you only need simple sound support, don’t waste money buying a high-end product with features you don’t need.

Surround Sound
A critical factor to consider is to take a look at what sound standards your sound card supports. Most high-end sound cards in the market today have EAX and 5.1 surround sound support. You can connect up to five speakers to these cards to enjoy a surreal, 3D audio effects. Some cards even starting to provide 7.1 surround sound support.

Special Needs
Do you have any special needs that you need to cater for? For example, if you’re into professional, multi-track music recording, you’ll want to get a proper multi-channel sound card. If you’re into things like MIDI, you’ll want a card that supports provides good MIDI support.

Is Your Computer Good Enough?
If you want to take advantage of the latest features in the new sound cards out there, you’ll usually need to ensure you have a powerful CPU to go along with it. No point having the latest super-duper audio card if you’re installing it into an old Pentium 3 computer.

Bundled Software
It’s also useful to look at what software comes with the sound card package. Cards like the Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS are wonderful because they throw in great music and audio software. This will save you money, especially if the software you’ve always wanted is found in the package.

Recommended Sound Cards

Now let’s take a look at some of the sound cards I’d recommend to prospective buyers.

Sabrent 6-Channel
You’ve probably not heard of the brand Powmax - but the Sabrent 6-Channel 5.1 3D Surround Sound PCI Card is one solid, reliable sound card. It is sold for a very low price (about $10) but provides up to 6 channels of stereo sound to any computer. Great for basic multimedia usage like playing games or watching DVDs.

TurtleBeach Montego
The TurtleBeach Montego provides 7.1 channel surround sound for a complete home theater experience. The 24-bit audio quality is excellent, whilst the wealth of connectivity options to external audio devices is a big plus for fans of high fidelity audio.

Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS
If you have the cash, this is one of the best sound cards in the market today. It can do almost anything imaginable with your computer’s audio. Among others, it incorporates support for DVD-Audio, Dolby Digital EX, wavetable synthesis, EAX and hard-disk recording. The moment my current sound card breaks down, I’m rushing out to get one!

Conclusion
To sum up, sound cards are an essential component in computers today - they’re your gateway to experiencing true multimedia. Make sure you consider your audio needs and do some homework before buying that sound card. If you don’t need certain high-end features like multi-track recording support, or hard-disk recording, then go for a lower-end card.

Gary Hendricks runs a hobby site on building computers. Visit his website at Build-Your-Own-Computers.com for tips and tricks on assembling a PC, as well as buying good computer components.

To Wire or Not to Wire

Wireless networks are en vogue, but your installation won’t be successful unless you chose the right type of network and set it up properly. Wired networks require that each computer be connected via a wire to a central location, called a switch or hub. This often involves installing cables through walls and ceilings and can present a challenge for anyone.

If the computers in your home or office are all within 500 feet of each other, a wireless network might be for you. A wireless network has no cables. It can connect computers on different floors of a building or even across the street. Aside from the obvious benefit of not having wires, wireless networks are more convenient since the setup, configuration, and reconfiguration can often be done within minutes, without extensive planning.

Wireless networks, however, are not as fast as wired networks. If you play computer games or want to view streaming video or other high-speed multimedia, a wireless network might not have enough capacity. But, if you just want to check e-mail and view web pages, a wireless network is a good choice. To install a wireless network, you need a Wireless Access Point and a wireless network card for each computer. You will need to buy a wireless network card for each desktop computer, although most newer laptops come equipped with one.

Security is not a large concern in a wired network, since someone would have to physically connect to a wired network to break in. In wireless networks, a car parked outside with a laptop could easily connect to your network if you don’t have proper security in place. To prevent this from happening, encrypt your wireless network connections, or set a password to access the network, or do both.

Do It Yourself or Call a Professional?

If you decide to use a wired network, consider whether you will install it yourself or hire a professional. If you have a small number of computers that are all situated very close to one another, you may be able to buy pre-assembled network cables and connect them yourself. If you need to wire multiple floors and lay wire through ceilings and walls, you need a professional installation. If you go this route, it is best to begin with a floor plan of your office or home, determine what your current needs are, and consider how the network design can be adapted to future needs. A professional installer should be familiar with EIA/TIA standards, local wiring and electrical codes, and making custom cables. Network cabling professionals are often judged by the neatness of their work, because sloppy cabling is more apt to deteriorate over time, harder to manage, and poses more of a fire risk.

Having a wireless network or a wired network is not mutually exclusive. Many small offices have a wired network in addition to one or more wireless networks, depending on their needs. Wireless networks are continuing to get faster, more secure, and less expensive. Wired networks will continue to coexist with wireless networks, often in the same homes and offices.

Deryck Richards is the founder and managing partner of Desktronix. With an extensive educational background in computer information systems, Deryck currently manages hosting and data center operations for Desktronix. He also provides system administration and technical support directly to small businesses as he has since 2000. His areas of expertise include networking, Windows, Linux, and Macintosh systems and he is the author of The Guide to Technology for Small Business. For more information on Desktronix, visit www.desktronix.com

So how do you make sense of all the CPUs out there? Well, let’s start by splitting them into four broad categories:

• Obsolete Processors
• Budget Processors
• Mid-Range Processors
• High-End Processors

Obsolete Processors
These would refer to those processors which were around 5 or more years ago. They will typically come with older refurnished or budget computer systems. Be very careful if you are purchasing such CPUs as your system’s speed will definitely slow to a crawl. Worse still, some software on the market today simply cannot be run using older processors.

The Windows XP operating system, for example, needs the newer crops of CPUs to function. Overall, I’d only recommend buying these processors if you want to do extremely simple tasks with your PC - like word processing or general web browsing. Some examples of processors in this category would be: the older AMD Athlon CPUs and Intel Celeron CPUs, AMD Duron CPUs, and Intel Pentium III CPUs.

Budget Processors
Strapped for cash? Consider purchasing CPUs in this category - which include yesterday’s top-of-the-line CPUs which have been discontinued or the newer budget CPUs. While you may not get extremely good performance, these CPUs will give you the best bang for your buck.

While you’re not going to get super-duper performance for more CPU intensive activities like gaming and video editing, the speed provided by these CPUs will be more than enough for general applications. Under this category, you’d be looking at processors like the AMD Athlon XP, AMD Sempron, Intel Celeron (2.4 GHz and higher), as well as the Intel Pentium 4 (2.6 GHz and lower).

Mid-Range Processors
The CPUs in this category would have been king of the hill just 6 months ago. Due to the entry of newer, faster CPUs, processors will drop in price and become more affordable. These processors will still scream in performance and are very popular among current PC owners.

Whenever I upgrade my computer, I always go for CPUs in this category. To sum up: thes CPUs here give slightly outdated but extremely powerful performance. Examples include the AMD Athlon XP (2800+ to 3500+) and the Intel Pentium 4 (2.8GHz and higher) CPUs.

High-End Processors
Want drop-dead performance? The CPUs in this category will scream even if you run the most demanding gaming or video editing applications in the market today. Of course, be prepared to fork out serious cash. If you absolutely want no less than the best, be an early adopter and go for one of these CPUs.

Personally, I tend to avoid buying top-of-the-line CPUs for two reasons - the high prices and stability. These CPUs are not only expensive, they are also unproven - I’ve heard cases of extremely new CPUs crashing or overheating. CPUs like the AMD Athlon 64 FX and the Intel Pentium 4 Extreme Edition fall into this category.

Conclusion
In summary, always consider your computing needs when selecting a CPU. If you want to do simple word processing or general computer tasks, go for the budget or low end processors. If you are more into gaming or do CPU intensive work like video editing, go for a mid-range or high-end processor.

Gary Hendricks runs a hobby site on building computers. Visit his website at Build-Your-Own-Computers.com for tips and tricks on assembling a PC, as well as buying good computer components.

The ability to easily move data from PC to PC with minimal inconvenience is just another benefit computers have brought to the current business world.

Over the past few years, the different options to save and move data have multiplied dramatically. Usually the floppy disk (with it’s 1.2 MB limitation), ZIP drives, CD-R’s & CD-RW’s, and even tape backups are the common ways to move data on non-networked PC’s.

The latest innovation, the USB Removable Flash Memory (Thumb Drive, Key Drive, Flash Drive, USB Drive, Micro Drive) brings a whole new meaning to easy transport of data. These USB compliant devices are small enough to fit on a key ring or carry in your shirt pocket.

As a way to protect sensitive information, the security of one of these drives can’t be beat. It’s in your pocket!

Their size belies a huge data storage volume; the current sizes start at 16MB and go up to 4GB. The pricing on these devices is steadily falling, making the purchase of one of these handy drives almost a must have item.

Check out the accessories at your local computer store or go online to get the best deal.

For very little cost you can now conveniently move data between PC’s just as easily as accessing the data on your internal hard drive.

© 2004 ODEC

Mike Burstein has been helping the SOHO and Small Business community grow & prosper for over 20 years by solving start up problems, creating best practices, automating their offices, getting free publicity and dramatically increasing traffic and sales.

Visit http://www.SOHOWiz.com for the latest FREE business tips.

Email the Wiz at: SOHOWiz@SOHOWiz.com

1. Get Rid of Dust
One of the most common causes of overheating is dust and dirt. So you need to keep your system clean, inside and out. Try to clean it once a year using lint-free wipes. Make sure you use an antistatic wrist strap as well to protect your system when cleaning inside the case.

2. Get Power Protection
One of the saddest things in many PCs is that they are not surge protected. Surge protectors are a good investment - they protect your PC from that unfortunate power outage or lightning strike. Try to get one that has a warning indicator and is UL 1449 certified.

3. Turn Off the Monitor
One tip I always apply at home - turn off the PC monitor when its not in use. I treat the computer monitor like a TV - don’t waste your monitor’s power if you’re not using it. This is especially important in LCD monitors, which may burn out or get bad pixels after long periods of use.

4. Keep the PC Running
Many people don’t realize that its harmful to power up your computer from a cold state. This is especially true when done repeatedly within a short timeframe. Try to leave your PC running as long as possible - or use the Microsoft Windows’ Power Management settings to put your machine into hibernation rather than completely shutting down.

5. Hard Drive Health Check
If you use Windows XP, you should regularly check your hard disk’s health with an error-checking utility. In Windows Explorer, click on the drive’s icon, select Properties -> Tools -> Check Now. If the check discovers several hundred errors, your drive could be full of bad sectors - you’d best backup your important data and then try to get it repaired.

6. Get an Anti-Virus Program
I still find it amazing that many home computer users do not have an anti-virus program installed. This piece of software is fundamental to any computer system. You should definitely consider getting a program like Norton Antivirus or The Shield Pro to protect against harmful attacks.

7. Check the CMOS battery
If you have a very old PC (four or five years old), the CMOS battery on the motherboard may need to be replaced. The first sign of a bad CMOS battery is when your system clock starts losing time.

8. Take Care when Opening the Case
Whenever you open the PC case, turn off the power and unplug your PC. Ground yourself first - by touching anything inside the PC to avoid destroying your circuit boards with a static charge. Another option is to wear a grounding wrist strap. I’ve destroyed my computer power supply before because I forgot about this point.

9. Maintain the Mouse
What’s one of the dirtiest components in a PC that you come in contact with? Yes - it’s the modest little mouse. Years of using a mouse will get it filled with dirt and grime.

If you have a mechanical mouse, you’ll realize this when the mouse starts to move erratically. To clean it, unscrew the mouse and use a small scraper to scrape the dirt off the two plastic rollers inside. Also remember to clean the scroll wheel if there is one. If you have a optical mouse, you need not worry about any internal rollers but you still need to clean the scroll wheel.

10. Clean Up the Registry
If you always add and remove computer programs in your PC, you can be sure the entries in your Windows Registry are pretty much in a mess. A clogged Windows Registry increases the time your PC boot up time and hogs system resources. Try to get a tool to help clean the registry safely, such as Registry Mechanic. Do not try to clean the registry yourself if you’re not sure what you’re doing.

Conclusion
I hope this article has given you many ideas on how to keep your good old PC in tiptop shape. Remember, take care of your PC and it will take care of you. Apply these tips once in a while to ensure a trouble-free computer system.

Gary Hendricks runs a hobby site on building computers. Visit his website at Build-Your-Own-Computers.com for tips and tricks on assembling a PC, as well as buying good computer components.

When it comes to sales of technology products over the Internet, there are now two factors that potential buyers must consider as possibly ‘too good to be true’. In the past, there was only price to worry about. If the price was too low, buyer beware. But now a second factor has emerged, in the form of a new kind of company for web surfers to consider as possibly also ‘too good to be true’. For if this company is ‘good’, then a new revolution on the web is about to occur. Because if this company is ‘true’, then the cleansing of the internet of corruption and lies has finally begun in earnest, with one company willing to police itself.

Enter TheHonestCompany.com, a website where its founder posts his experiences with internet fraud and his motives for fighting back against a corrupt web right on their home page. A trip to this companies ‘about us’ page serves to quickly establish their position as the anti-fraud internet company, numbering abusive tactics used by hoaxsters and detailing their humble beginnings from an LA area backyard garage to a B2B powerhouse that now offers almost 100,000 computer related items from a network of 23 distribution centers nationwide.

This may someday be ‘made for the movies’ stuff if it’s true. Move over Microsoft, Apple, and HP – here’s what could (hopefully) be the beginning of another rags to riches story with an ‘honest’ plot twist! An honest reseller bashes Internet scammers, preferring to do business the hard way – the honest way. Are we dreaming? Could this be real? Could the days when ‘The Customer is King’ be making a comeback in of all places, the web?

TheHonestCompany.com expects to earn a significant portion of the home and SMB computing technology markets web-based sales over the next few years.

“Top-tier technology resellers like CDW and CompUSA will not bother us as we will not impact them. They have decent reputations, loyal customers, and higher prices. It’s the second-tier, priced-based 90% of their smaller competitors that we are fighting,” says the founder of TheHonestCompany.com, David Johnston, “Those guys have corrupted the Internet and seriously hurt honest companies like ours. Every-time some scam web company rips off a customer, somewhere else a real person at a real company gets hurt too. By using honesty as a weapon, we intend bring the web consumer something they are starving for by making the web a better place to shop – it’s a dirty job that no other company was willing to be the first to start doing.”

According to David, Internet technology consumers have no idea of the great extent that fraud permeates the web. He says that if every web consumer knew what he knew about the extent of internet fraud, they’d pick one or two honest, technology web sales companies to do business with and lay low for awhile, because he says he’s got some serious mud to start slinging as his company gears up for an upcoming advertising and marketing blitz. ”There’s a massive pack of internet companies pretending to be real when they are not. Most other legitimate web companies have been acting rather sheepish. I intend to kill wolves by exposing them as what they really are to the Internet public.”

David is a man on a mission, passionate and articulate in his vision of his companies place on the web and their future. He leaves no doubt about this as he summarizes his company’s identity.

“TheHonestCompany.com is transforming the web purchasing experience by providing web shoppers with a trusted, reliable source of technology products along with prices far below those of most traditionally recognized web retailers. With a staff of top-notch industry professionals at its core, offering prompt and full service to each and every customer, The Company encourages phone calls from any customer with questions or comments before, during, and after a purchase. TheHonestCompany.com does not outsource, does not spam, and does not sell or share its customer’s personal information. The company operates as a safe-haven for the price conscious customer leery of unbelievable prices from no-name websites, restoring confidence in buying over the web. This is business done right.” Bravo, David. Honestly, it’s about time!

Derek Kadonaga has worked in the retail technology industry for over 10 years, first as an executive with CompUSA. In the past several years he has applied his industry knowledge to helping technology start-ups.

A Lot More Bandwidth
First, to understand PCI Express, we need to know what it is capable of. Traditionally, most of our computers these days come equipped with PCI or AGP based graphics cards. Most of the latest PCs come decked with PCI Express enabled cards. Technologically, PCI Express allows graphics data to be transported at about 4 GB/s as opposed to 2 GB/s that the AGP 8X interface provides. That is twice the speed and hence twice the graphics horsepower we’re talking about.

What does this mean for game and content developers? Plenty. Given its speed, PCI Express will allow game developers to squeeze in more realistic content then ever imagined possible in a release. Video will never be the same again. If you can imagine yourself playing Half-Life 2 or Painkiller at the full graphics resolution and settings, then you can imagine what PCI Express can do.

Backward Compatible
PCI Express comes with a number of other benefits. One of the most important is its ability to be backward compatible with PCI. If you have an old PCI based motherboard, you should be able to use all your cards in a new PCI Express motherboard. That’s great, because you certainly do not want to be buying PCI Express peripherals just because your motherboard has been upgraded to PCI Express.

Not Just For Video
Remember that PCI Express is not limited to graphics – although initially the implementation will mostly be seen in graphics boards. We’re talking about sound cards, network cards and what have you all going the PCI Express way.

Conclusion
If you do intend to go the PCI Express highway, then you will want to first upgrade your motherboard to the latest PCI Express type. Then, from there, get a PCI Express graphics card. As time goes on, we should see more and more PCI Express cards – not just graphics cards – coming into the market. By then, you will be ready for them.

Gary Hendricks runs a hobby site on building computers. Visit his website at Build-Your-Own-Computers.com for tips and tricks on assembling a PC, as well as buying good computer components.

The data on your hard drive is the most critical item inside your computer, and the only item which can not be replaced. It may be an unwanted hassle and expense to replace a defective memory module, monitor, or processor, but there is no replacing data once lost.

In addition to the possibility of a simple hard drive failure, the threat of internet borne worms and viruses has become an increasing risk to data loss or corruption. Although you may not be able to provide absolute protection to your hard drive, there are various ways that you can ensure that the data on your hard drive is protected. Five methods of backing up your data are summarized below…

1. USB Flash Drives

Although I am not recommending that flash drives be used for the actual data storage, they are a convenient means of transferring data from one computer to another. Important files can be quickly loaded onto a device such as the MINIDISK-512-DGRY-CS USB 2.0 Flash Drive, and transported to another computer for safe keeping. Installation and operation is extremely simple, and other than perhaps having to install a software driver, the use of a USB flash drive is a matter of having an available USB port on your computer. Just about every computer produced over the last several years has USB ports included, with more modern systems supporting the USB 2.0 standard. USB 2.0 allows for data transfer rates of up to 480 MB/s, which is a tremendous improvement over the original USB speed limit of 12 MB/s, and allows a user to fill their drives with data in a relatively short period of time.

Although the storage capacity of flash drives has increased greatly over the last year or so, users are still limited to common sizes of 512MB and 1GB. Mass storage is obviously not an option, but even 512MB may be enough to backup your “My Documents” folder, several albums of MP3s, or other important files to be stored elsewhere.

2. CD and DVD Writers/Re-Writers

The falling prices of CD and DVD writers/re-writers have made them a staple of just about every modern computer. These devices can typically be found installed in a computer case, but external devices supporting USB 2.0 or Firewire are available for greater flexibility and ease of installation.

A combination drive, such as the NU Technology DBW-521, will provide the user a high speed CD reader/writer, as well as a DVD reader, for under $40. The extremely low price of the drive (and the blank media) makes for an inexpensive means of creating data backups, and the re-writable media increases the convenience by allowing the same disc to be erased and reused many times. The main limitation of using a CD writer for data backups is that the discs are generally limited to a capacity of 700MB per disc. Not nearly enough for a full backup, but adequate for archiving key files.

The popularity of DVD writers/re-writers has surged thanks to dropping prices, and they are pushing the stand alone CD burner towards extinction. DVD media affords the user far more storage capacity than a CD, and DVD burners can generally burn CDs as wells as DVDs. The recent availability of double layer DVD burners, such as the Sony DW-D22A-DO-N, represents a large boost in the capacity of writable DVDs, taking the previous limit of 4.7GB per disc and nearly doubling it to 8.5GB.

With proper storage, CD/DVD media can provide long term storage that can not be jeopardized by hardware failure. The data on a CD or DVD can easily be read by just about any computer, making it a good choice for archiving files that aren’t excessively large.

3. External Hard Drives

As the name might imply, external hard drives are generally the same type of drive you might find inside your system, but housed in a smaller, external enclosure of its own. The enclosure will feature at least one data interface (such as Firewire, USB, or Ethernet), and the capacity is only limited by the size of hard drives presently available and the user’s budget.

The Ximeta NetDisk is an example of an external hard drive that provides a user the option of connecting an additional 80GB, 120GB, or 160GB of storage to their system by using either a USB 2.0 or Ethernet connection. Installation for such a device is rather simple, and may involve the installation of some basic software, as well as making the necessary connections between the computer and the external enclosure.

The capacity of external hard drives makes them ideal for backing up large volumes of data, and many of these devices simplify the process by including software (or hardware) features to automate the backup.

For example, some Seagate External drives feature a “one-button” backup option right on the case.In addition to being a convenient method of backing up large volumes of files locally, most external hard drives are compact enough to be portable. The inclusion of a common data transfer interface, such as USB, allows an external hard drive to be connected to just about any modern computer for data transfer, or for more than one computer to share the external hard drive as a back up.

4. Additional Hard Drives

By simply adding an additional hard drive to you system, you can protect yourself from data loss by copying it from your primary drive to your secondary drive. The installation of a second hard drive isn’t difficult, but does require a basic understanding of the inner working of a computer, which may scare off some users. We do offer a “how-to” section on our site for many tasks such as installing a hard drive into a computer system.

To take the installation of a second hard drive to another level of security and reliability, the hard drives may be installed in a RAID array. RAID stands for a Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks, and can be configured in several manners. A thorough discussion of RAID and all of its variations would be an article all by itself, but what may be of interest to this discussion is what is known as RAID 1. A RAID 1 array requires two hard drives of equal size to be installed on a RAID controller, which will then mirror one drive to the other in real time. Many motherboards now come with RAID controllers onboard, but the addition of a PCI slot controller card, such as the Silicon Image Sil0680, is an inexpensive purchase that will add RAID to any system. With a RAID 1 array in place, if one hard drive should ever fail, the system won’t miss a best by continuing to run on the remaining good drive, and alert the user that one drive may need to be replaced.

5. Online Storage

Online services, such as Xdrive, allow users to upload their files to a server for safe keeping. Although it may be convenient to have the data available wherever an internet connection is available, there are a few limitations.

The services generally charge a monthly fee relative to the amount of storage space required. At Xdrive, for example, 5GB of storage costs $9.95 per month, which can quickly add up to more than one would spend on any of the other options discussed.

Security is supposed to be very tight on these services, but no matter how secure it may seem, it is still just a password keeping prying eyes from your potentially sensitive documents.

The speed of your internet connection will also weigh heavily on the convenience of your backup, and no matter what type of connection you have; it can’t compete with local data transfer rates.

Final Words

Although not a comprehensive list of options available for backing up your data, the five items listed provide some simple and relatively affordable means to ensure that your data is not lost. Data loss is an extremely frustrating and potentially costly situation, but one that can be avoided.

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Jason Kohrs
Computer Geeks tech tips and computer advice