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Not2Techie
4 Posts
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77025
March 3rd, 2016 16:00
very basic questions about Dimension 4100 backup - also it's a bit long
Here are some really basic questions. Any help is appreciated! Sorry it's so long.
I have a Dimension 4100 that I am finally taking the time to backup and then recycle. I have never backed it up bc I did not know how - so I'm lucky it still works I guess. It's been mostly gathering dust a good 12 years and isn't even connected to the web anymore.
Anyway, I've been doing various searches, here and elsewhere, to try to figure out what to do. (Weirdly, I searched "backup Dimension 4100," but some of the best results were on like page 3 or 4. I think I only went to 5. Is it me?) It does have a JustLink rewritable disk(?), that says 52x32x52x on it.
So, one question is, if I only backup the stuff I actually used, say for example the list Bev generously provided here (en.community.dell.com/.../19152422), will there be a problem when in the future, I want to read or use one of these old files?
Won't I need to also have copies of the version of Word I was using, f.e., back in the early aughties? (I am a pack rat who is trying to become a not-pack rat, which is why I want to recycle it... so I probably do have the system disk (or whatever) somewhere, if Dell sent it with the pc. But then again, I'd rather not rely on that. What if I can't find it?)
Somewhere in here, I thought it said that these OS files (is Word an OS file? I don't really know...) can't be backed up by CD, bc of encryption? Or did I get that wrong? That was in a discussion of Ghost, iirc.
The second issue is, as a general rule... because I am typing this on a Dimension 2400, which is also maybe getting to the end of its days... we are still running XP, f.e. (Anyway this thing is huge. We want to switch to imac)(but for this one, we do have an external drive...), how do other people deal with this concept of wanting your old files to still be usable when the versions of software are, like, the great great grandchildren?
What will I wish I had done 10 years from now, if heaven forbid, I need one of these files? I ask bc I hear rumors that soon people won't use cds anymore either. I guess I could do cloud storage? What do other people do? I guess there are both software and hardware issues.
Anyway, I am going to chase down some CD RW disks and see if I can figure out how to backup my data files. (I have not found any instructions for this *anywhere.* It's so weird. It must be so simple that no one else needs to ask?)
Please, if you can sense that I'm about to do something really, really stupid.... or fall down some kind of backup rabbit hole.... let me know, even if it just a link to someplace else to search. Seriously it's weird to me that I couldn't find directions on the Dell site, where it said "manuals" but only had troubleshooting. It has directions for what to do when your CD RW stops working, which is great... but not just the basics. Speaking of which, I've never burnt anything, either. Wish me luck??!!!)
I'll say this though - people have been very helpful online to me before. I will probably post this in a Symantec forum too and see what happens. I've really been lucky. In fact, except for when my old pc got stolen, I've never had any problems with losing important things. (Well except for when I used to use AOL... that was a whole other thing though.)
I thought about trying to just plug the USB into my Seagate external drive... but I think the kind of USB is too old.
So, thank you in advance for any help/suggestions.
Here are some of its other traits, in case they matter:
Dell MS Windows Me
4.90.3000
Pentium(r) III processor
128.0MB RAM
C: drive says, 11.7 GB free, 18.7 GB capacity... (which seems odd to me, I didn't think I had that much on it...)
disk drives
Generic IDE Disk Type 47
Generic NEC Floppy Disk
Ports
Communications Port (COM1)
Printer Port (LPT 1)
Universal Serial Bus controllers
Intel(r) 82801BA/BAM USB Universal Host Controller 1
USB Root Hub
32 bit
Not2Techie
4 Posts
485
0
Posted March 4th, 2016 15:00
Thanks so much!!!
You've definitely made this a lot easier -- it's great to hear I probably won't need to back up all the non-data stuff!I will get some disks and it will probably work - for some reason I feel lucky today. And maybe I'll try the Seagate too, it probably can't hurt anything.
Thanks again!
Not2Techie
4 Posts
485
0
Posted March 10th, 2016 17:00
Thanks so much! Your comment is a little bit over my head in the sense that I only really use gmail and outlook these days, so I think those are all cloud-y? At least, I am not aware that I store them anywhere locally. Maybe I should? But that's a whole other kettle.
Meanwhile, after talking to the guy at the store where I was going to buy my cd-rws... I decided to try to use my Seagate Backup first, and if that doesn't work maybe a thumb. Which led to more questions, but I think I should start a new thread.
Thanks so much for your help! You've been very kind.
LMC91
12 Posts
485
0
Posted March 4th, 2016 13:00
Hi, it seems like you're basically only trying to backup your files and reuse them later on maybe a newer computer? Unless I'm wrong in understanding what you want, but just dragging your files onto a usb stick, harddrive, or if you have a CD/DVD rewriter, drag and burn the files onto a CD/DVD should be all you need to do. Then plug it into the new computer and drag them back on, that goes for your normal files, like documents (Word files and stuff), pictures, music etc. But you can't drag your programs or shortcuts and expect them to work, they'll need to be reinstalled on the new computer. Just create a list of what programs you had on the old computer.
A lot of old Word files will work in newer versions of Word, and even free software like Libreoffice will open those files too. If you're worried if you're backing up wrong or something, then it might be best to do a test, like going to a friend or relative's computer and see if you can open up those ancient files on their newer computer.
Over 10 years ago, I created a CD full of old files (CD was getting a bit ruined over time though, so some things couldn't be read), I ran it on my 2010 computer and was able to open my files using the up to date versions of software.
You said you were searching for "backup Dimension 4100", I think the reason for so little results is because most computers backup the same way, so it's not really computer specific, maybe a search for "Backup Windows Me" might help, I think that OS (Operating System) is similar to Windows 98 so searching for backup guides for that will probably help too. Word files are not an OS file by the way, I don't think you need to backup OS files anyway, because then you'd be backing up the entire computer and Windows itself. Really it's just a case of opening the harddrive from My Computer, and dragging the files on.
To backup favourites, I would do a search on "backup Internet Explorer favourites", unless you're using another browser then search how to backup their favourites/bookmarks.
I would attempt to plug in that Seagate external drive to see if it works, then drag all the files (or folders full of files) that you want to keep. Then try open those files on another computer so that way you know they're saved on the harddrive.
If I didn't answer any question or you need more help, let me know and I'll see what I can do.