Backup Software?

[Skubbs]

I've just got my external hard drive back from the lovely folks at uni; I wasn't able to access any of the files on it, the computer just wouldn't register that there was a hard drive connected. PC World refused to touch it because they thought they were going to have to open it up, and that would invalidate my warranty.

I'm going to be sending it back to the manufacturer to get it fixed, and I will be buying a back-up hard drive, but in the meantime is there any decent enough free software I can download to back up all my files to discs? It's not ideal but it's a quick-fix for just now, my parents had a disc with something like this on it but they're 40 miles away and I really want it done now.

I'm pretty useless with computers, so something that will basically do it for me would be good. I have googled it but just wondered if anyone has any good suggestions?

I have loads of music, but itunes is being odd and not letting me back up the files to a disc... and lots of uni work, consisting of PDF files and powerpoint presentations.

Thanks

[Skubbs]

Aaah I've managed to figure out how to do it using Windows backup, yes I am that thick when it comes to computers. Appears that I can't burn discs now... what the hell, honestly? My laptop has stopped playing dvd's but I can burn discs using itunes, and now I can't make backup discs. Any advice? Or is this a trip to PC World to get it fixed?

[Le Stu]

Try Img Burn, it's what I use to burn data to disc:

The Official ImgBurn Website

Free, of course

[stuartmaxwell]

livedrive is the way to go.

DO NOT ever go with Carbonite; one of the poorest softwares known to man

[Soda Jerk]

Or is this a trip to PC World to get it fixed?

Did you buy it from PC World and is it under a care warranty from them? If not, then avoid them like a turd in a swimming pool. Take it to a local tech. Graham Knight on Rosemount is swell.

[Le Stu]

Did you buy it from PC World and is it under a care warranty from them? If not, then avoid them like a turd in a swimming pool. Take it to a local tech. Graham Knight on Rosemount is swell.

I endorse this message. I wouldn't even buy a cable from those assholes.

[Skubbs]

I think Boyo bought it from them (it was a christmas present), the uni office suggested I take it to the guys at tech support and see if they could do anything. They were lovely, managed to retrieve all the files, cleaned up the hard drive and put the files back on. They wouldn't take payment so I gave them a massive tin of sweets as a thank you.

I've ordered a smaller hard drive and I'm returning the old one to WD because I was advised not to rely on it anymore (basically get what files I needed and use it sparingly), so they'll replace it and I'll get into the good habit of regularly backing up my files on that. I've learnt my lesson

My laptop won't burn discs for some reason, I did go a bit mad-happy and uninstall loads of programs I didn't use anymore and *may* have removed something I shouldn't have. Or so boyo says. It reads cds, it won't read dvds, and it burns cds with itunes.

Thanks for the suggestions