Genealogy Chat

errol cheers for that...I wasn't sure as it has only just started to slow a bit..it must be the amount of files i have collected over the years and all the back files i haven't downloaded on to disc. I'll think i'll have to do a brutal clean up..... thanks sylviax

Sylvia - now may be a good time to perform a disk cleanup and a defrag - let me know if you need help with these tasks

hi errol i regularly disc clean and i defragged two weeks ago. i have even unistalled some programs that i dont even use. The only thing i have never done (which I know is stupid and you are all going to shout at me) is when a program backs up a file automatically eg FTM, i never download on to a disc. So you can imagine how backup files i still have on my computer. I also have a lot of images of my artwork on files, which take up alot of space so i could put them on a disc. I will start tonight when i get home from work. I'll let you know how i get on. thanks for your kind offer. cheers Sylviax

Oh gawd.... I am way out of touch. I have no idea what this stick thingy is but I will certainly be investing in one. I have some of my data backed up on floppy discs. I have now had a CD RW installed on my computer and would like to back up using this. Trouble is I haven't a clue how to burn a disc. My grandson has installed something called Sonic and then ran off saying you're alright now Nan... it's easy.. EASY, EASY I have read this thread and then sat for over 2 hours trying to burn a disc.... hopeless...can't get past the first page of instructions. Can anyone explain to an idiot the Idiots Guide to Burning a CD. Thanks in advance. Jean x.

I also burn my family history to CD on a regular basis and make several copies. One goes to a neighbour and others to interested cousins around the world. That way, I've a fairly recent back up if the worst happens and the house burns down or someone breaks in, steals the computer and vandalises my office, etc. Sue

The first thing Jean is to understand the two different types of disk. CD-R is a recordable disk which means it cannot be used over and over again. CD-RW is a rewritable disk which means it can be re-recorded ad infinitum (well in theory although they do have a limited lifespan in reality) Think of it like this - CD-R is an LP record (showing my age) so once it is recorded that is that. CD-RW is a cassette tape so can be used over and over. If you are using CD-R it makes sense to amass enough data/files to fill a whole disk. Although I am not familiar with Sonic, most burning programmes work in a similar way. You need to tell it you are creating a data disk and then there should be step by step instructions - in the majority of cases you can probably accept the default settings.

Please would you put the step by step guide to backing up Outlook Express including addresses on here, because I am sure it would be useful to others, too, and in a PM then I can print it, thanks. Excuse going off topic - how is the baby doing, Shaz ? Jean - I *somehow* manage to burn the my documents just by keeping on clicking on next. Though at the end it says what would you like to do next? and I feel like typing something like well, a cup of tea would be nice ... :-) However, then it says at the end something about do I want to save an iso or something. Well, I've no idea what that is, so I say no. - if in doubt leave it out, as the saying goes! Then I put the CD in, hoping the my documents is there, and I check that a most recently done thing is there. Something I don't understand is that what is on CD is 'read only'. Not to worry though, there's lots of things I don't understand with computers, such as 'stick'. ... :-) Joy

Maid Marion - you do not need to save the ISO. The CD will be read only because once you have 'finalised' the disk no more data can be written to it. In order to alter a file you need to copy it back across to your hard drive. If you give me a wee bit I will write out the Outlook Express Instructions.

Oh good, don't need to worry about the iso thingy then ... :-) So ... if the hard drive disc thing should go awol again, and I need to import back the my documents, is it straightforward to just uncheck the read only and do that ? * just beginning to get sad about all those emails lost forever :-( * Joy

Maid Marion - if you open a file from CD and then select Save As from the File menu you can choose to save it back to your hard drive and it will be fine then. For a complete folder, just drag it across to wherever you want it on your hard drive. I'll be back in a bit - will take me a while to type out Outlook Express instructions.

Errol Thanks so much for your reply. Going away again to play with the programme and see if I can get it to work. Joy.... thanks for your explanation.... I think. Seems like we would be in the dunces class for IT. Like me you seem to go along on a wing and a prayer lol Jean x.

I do, Jean, I do ... :-) (Is that Bryan's favourite song ? ) Oh, bring back the Amstrad word processor, I say. At least I had something to type on then, instead of staring at a non-doing anything monitor when the computer was unhappy! Joy

Instructions for backing up Outlook Express 5 or later (if you have more than one account/identity you have to perform this task for each one): Messages: 1. In Outlook Express click on Tools menu and select Options. 2. Click on the Maintenance tab. 3. Click on the Store Folder button. 4. In the box that opens highlight the address in the centre (something like C:\Documents and Settings etc). To do this point to the beginning of the address, hold down the left mouse button and move to the right as far as you can - it may scroll a little). 5. Press Ctrl and C to copy the address. 6. Click cancel and then cancel again. 7. Click on normal Start menu at bottom left hand corner of computer screen and select Run. 8. Click in the Open box and press Ctrl and V to paste the address. 9. Click OK. 10. In the window that opens go to the Edit menu and click on Select All. 11. Again on the Edit menu, select Copy. 12. Close that window. 13. In an empty space on your desktop, right click and from the menu select New and then Folder. 14. Give the new folder an obvious name such as Email Backup and press enter. 15. Open the new folder by double clicking on it. 16. Open the Edit menu and select paste. 17. The window may now be closed, containing a full backup of your emails. Next, I will post how to restore your messages from the backup folder. (apologies for the funny spacing - I'm writing in notepad and copying across so you got odd line breaks etc and I can't be bothered to correct them lol)

Wow!! All of you - what an amazing response! I am going to pick up my discs (from computer guy) with hopefully all my tree on, e-mails etc tonight. It has cost me £35, which I think is ok. However, I will deffo be backing up regularly when I get my new computer (borrowing friends laptop at present). Thanks everyone for your useful info esp re the backing up of e-mails by copying them to my docs. If this thread saves one person from losing all their stuff then it has been worth it!!!

If you are importing your data (mail, address book etc) and you had more than one account/identity, make sure you recreate each of those accounts first. 1. In Outlook Express click on the File menu and select Import and then Messages. 2. You will be asked to select an email programme - choose the one from which you exported your data earlier. 3. Click on Next. 4. Click on 'Import mail from an OEx store directory' where x is the version (5 or 6) of Outlook Express you exported from and click on OK. 5. Click on Browse and select the backup folder you created earlier. 6. Click OK and then Next. 7. Select All Folders and then click Next. 8. Click Finish. I'll post how to back up your address book and settings later.

BIG bookmark for me.

As promised, I'll now post the other steps for backing up Outlook Express.

To export your Outlook Express (v5 or 6) address book to a file: If you are using multiple identities a Windows Address Book (.wab) file is used. Individual data for each identity is stored in a folder by user's name. The only way to keep individual's data separate is to export the data whilst logged in as that identity. If the .wab file is disassociated from the identity then data can only be exported en masse. 1. Click on File, then Export and then Address Book. 2. Select Text File (Coma Separated Values). 3. Click on Export. 4. Click Browse. 5. Find the folder you created as described earlier when backing up your email. 6. In the File Name box type 'address book backup'. 7. Click Save. 8. Click Next. 9. Select the tick boxes for the fields you wish to export. 10. Click Finish. 11. Click OK. 12. Click Close.

To import your Address Book: 1. Click on File, then Import and then Other Address Book. 2. Select Text File (Coma Separated Values). 3. Click Import. 4. Click Browse. 5. Find the backup folder you created earlier. 6. Click on the 'address book backup.csv' file. 7. Click Open. 8. Click Next. 9. Click Finish. 10. Click OK. 11. Click Close.

To export your Outlook Express Mail Account: 1. Click on Tools and then Accounts. 2. Click on the Mail tab. 3. Select the account you wish to export. 4. Click Export. 5. In the Save In box find the backup folder created earlier. 6. Click Save. 7. Do this for all individual email accounts. 8. Click Close.