My Files Are Saved -- Ideas to Backup Your Files..

My Files Have Been Saved!

Ideas to Back Up Your Files...

If you have been following my blog , you know that a bad virus disabled my PC on Monday.

I was so worried about losing all of my files.... but I am happy to report that my computer geek friend was able to save ALL of my files. Yeah! Even all of my Outlook folders. Life is good.

Of course I want to ensure that I avoid this stress in the future and am going to (really) back up my files on a regular basis. Just like I preach to my clients all the time.

I've had several inquiries about recommendations for how to back up files.

You could copy files to a DVD or CD or stick drive. But the advice I was given this week that I will pass along to you, is to purchase an external USB drive. It is very similar in concept to a stick (thumb) USB drive that you probably already have, but it offers more. External drives can store more data and is ideal for large files such as pictures and video, along with your important personal and business documents.

I encourage you to research to find the external drive that will best meet your needs.

This is a link for information about the external drive I purchased this week:

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/403785/Maxtor-OneTouch-4-Mini-External-USB/

My next step is the Dell tech services call scheduled for tomorrow morning to reinstall my Windows operating system ... wish me luck! ... then I'll be able to easily copy my (saved) files from the new external drive to my fixed computer and I'll be back in business.

What is also very cool about the external drive is that I'll be able to schedule automatic backups of selected files/folders. Gotta love that!

In summary - you need to establish a means to back up your files. Consider an external USB drive to make it a smooth and automatic process.

My gift is being able to teach others how to use computer applications, and I am so happy there are others out there who know how to perform miracles, like saving files when computers crash:)

Happy computing!

Maureen Cody
maureen@codyonsitetraining.com
843-323-1013
www.codyonsitetraining.com
Providing customized onsite training since 1994
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Cobbler Has No Shoes...Back Up Your Files!

The Cobbler Has No Shoes = The Computer Trainer's Computer Crashed!

I am from the Boston area and when I was a young girl, Eastern Massachusetts was still a major player in the shoe-making industry. This meant there was a booming business for shoe repairs...and while it is a dying craft today, there were many cobblers around at the time. So the saying emerged "The cobbler has no shoes", meaning the cobbler was so busy fixing other people's shoes he didn't have time to tend to his own feet.

When my PC computer crashed yesterday, I felt like that cobbler! I am so busy helping my clients (and preach to my clients to back up their files), yet often I don't have the time (or make the time) to tend the same details on my own computers!

To my defense though, on Sunday I entered into my Outlook Task List a task to back up my files this week, really I did and can prove it because I printed my Task List before the crash :) Ugh, but ironically I didn't get to do it. I must have had a foreboding of this tragic event since I had a thought enter my mind the day before to add it to my task list.

How did this happen? I do a weekly update and scan with my McAffee virus protection application. I even performed another full system scan on Saturday, and no viruses on my computer - all was great. Somehow a Trojan worm got on my computer - I suspect through an email from a known contact- he had no idea he had he trojan on his computer. I am not too happy that McAfee allowed it past the wall since it was a known virus since 2005.... but that is another story.

The result is this trojan doesn't allow me to log on to my PC.

I am working with Dell tech support to restore the operating system.

What about all my files? I love to teach users how to use applications, but the real computer geek stuff, I leave to computer geeks.....fortunately I know a good one! He took my tower under his wing and thinks he can save my files. Holding my breath until I know for sure.

So, what are things you should consider to keep your computer in good health and to prevent going through similar stress?:

1. Back up your important files - schedule a weekly backup in your Calendar to remind you
2. Make sure you have an anti-virus software installed on your computer
3. Schedule weekly full system scans and updates for that anti-virus software
4. Delete temporary Internet files and Cookies
5. Never click links that seem suspicious

If you don't have an antivirus software on your computer - this site offers a free program which was recommended by my computer geek contact:

http://www.superantispyware.com/

Back up your files today!

Maureen Cody

maureen@codyonsitetraining.com

http://www.codyonsitetraining.com/

http://www.codyonsitetraining.blogspot.com/

Can Microsoft Office 2003 open Office 2007 documents? Yes...

Having to work between different versions can be frustrating!

You might have one version of Microsoft Office and your clients might have another. One way to deal with it is to install a compatibility pack.

If you have Office 2003 (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and someone sends you an email with an Office 2007 document attached it's probably not going to open....unless...

You have downloaded the FREE Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats, available on the Microsoft website:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=941b3470-3ae9-4aee-8f43-c6bb74cd1466&displaylang=en

Follow the link above and click the "Download" button.

Once installed, you will be able to open Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 documents even though you have a lower version of those applications installed on your computer. New features available in 2007, such as Smart Art may display as images and won't be editable. Most formatting should display normally and you will be able to edit the text.

On the other hand if you have Office 2007 and open an earlier version, you will notice it opens in "Compatibility" mode and will stay in the lower version file format unless you click "Convert" off the Office Button menu.

Good luck with your versions!
Maureen Cody
www.codyonsitetraining.com
maureen@codyonsitetraining.com
Providing customized computer application training to individuals since 1994