computer crash

[GaryK]

Amazing how the rates for computer equipment fall... :wacko:

I remember back in the early 1980s when the first HD for an Apple II became available. It held a then whopping 5MB and cost US$700! I couldn't imagine filling an entire 5MB. Now I have single files larger than that and 1TB drives cost less than US$200!

Edited May 27, 2008 by GaryInMiami

[BeaStKid]

I remember back in the early 1980s when the first HD for an Apple II became available. It held a then whopping 5MB and cost US$700! I couldn't imagine filling an entire 5MB. Now I have single files larger than that and 1TB drives cost less than US$200!

I thought Bill Gates said something like that MS won't ever need to make a 16bit(?) Operating system...

[GaryK]

I thought Bill Gates said something like that MS won't ever need to make a 16bit(?) Operating system...

His most infamous quote was that computers would never need more than 640KB of RAM.

[BeaStKid]

His most infamous quote was that computers would never need more than 640KB of RAM.

I knew I was misquoting that man!!

[GaryK]

I knew I was misquoting that man!!

In all fairness, that quote was made when DOS 6.x was the reigning OS. There really wasn't much to do with any extra RAM unless you were using really big spreadsheets. But back then 1MB of RAM would have set you back thousands of US dollars so it wasn't really an option for most people or companies.

[TalonRider]

USB's aren't that expensive anymore. Most store's have resorted to locking them up because of the size of the packaging.

[Tiger]

His most infamous quote was that computers would never need more than 640KB of RAM.

That's way too little RAM. Anyway, times have changed. I wonder when RAM will be measured in terabytes.

[GaryK]

That's way too little RAM. Anyway, times have changed. I wonder when RAM will be measured in terabytes.

Dude, my first personal computer had a total of 16KB. That had to hold the OS, the program and the data. I managed to write my first forum software in that amount of space. It's one of the reasons I still write tight code today when so many programmers pay no attention to their bloatware monstrosities.

[TalonRider]

My very first computer only had 16K. It too had to have the program booted. I did find a 64K Ram that I could use to expand the member. Believe it or not, it was an Atari 1600.

[GaryK]

My very first computer only had 16K. It too had to have the program booted. I did find a 64K Ram that I could use to expand the member. Believe it or not, it was an Atari 1600.

Mind in the gutter again, Jan?

 

BTW, my bad. My first personal computer was a Texas Instruments 99/4A. My first real personal computer was an Apple II and it did eventually have a bus card that expanded the RAM from 16KB to 32KB.

[rknapp]

Maybe I'm not as old as I thought I was... I can barely remember the days of our old 286.

 

CJ here's something else you can try. Build a second desktop out of spare parts so that if the main one ever goes down you can hot swap the hard drive to get your data. I've got my big beastie here with its 2.1 GHz dual core processor, 500w ps, almost half a terrabyte in hard drive space, 2 GB of ram and a 256 MB 7-series GPU. I want to bump it up to 4 GB and one GB's worth of GPU (either 8800 series or 9600/9800 series nVidia GPU). Anyway, I've built my computer enough times that I can build a whole spare computer to have around in case of emergencies, or to use as an FTP server. All it needs is a GPU (will get my current one when I get the two new cards for SLI) and a hard drive. Just something to consider. I could actually build three desktops and have them all running at the same time I get another case, monitor, and hard drive.

[GaryK]

Maybe I'm not as old as I thought I was... I can barely remember the days of our old 286.

Hehe. You're nowhere near as old as you thought you were. While my first personal computer was that TI I mentioned, the first computer I worked with was an NCR Elliott 4120 mainframe back in 1970 even though that series wasn't officially introduced until 1971.

[C James]

Good points about flash drives.

 

The way I back up my data is multifold. I back it up to a separate physical hard drive, every two to three days. I do an incrimental backup so only new of changed files are archived. I'm thinking of activating RAID automatic reduentant drives (my system has the ability) so if one goes, no big deal.

 

I back up my entire system once a month to a removable drive, and keep it in a secure location offisite.

 

I connect my laptop to my main system via wireless home networking, so that's how I transfer things from one to the other.

 

At most, I'd lose a few days data unless I lost two HD's at the same time. This was the case with LTMP 41: I had e-mailed copies, but not the formatted final available.

 

I think USB thumb drive would be a great idea. I'll get one. I won't use it as the main home of my writing directories though; I think my main system is safer. But, as a backup, it would be great.

 

CJ

[GaryK]

The way I back up my data is multifold. I back it up to a separate physical hard drive, every two to three days. I do an incrimental backup so only new of changed files are archived. I'm thinking of activating RAID automatic reduentant drives (my system has the ability) so if one goes, no big deal.

Go for it CJ. That's what I do here using RAID 1 (mirrored disks) and three HDs. You can use more than three HDs but three is enough for me. If one drive dies the others keep on working.

[EMoe57]

His most infamous quote was that computers would never need more than 640KB of RAM.

In the last few years, he has claimed he never said that in the first place. Here is a discussion at Wired: http://www.wired.com/politics/law/news/1997/01/1484

 

 

Good points about flash drives.

Until you lose it

[GaryK]

In the last few years, he has claimed he never said that in the first place. Here is a discussion at Wired: http://www.wired.com/politics/law/news/1997/01/1484

He never installed the MSFT Brain 2.0 upgrade so he's still stuck with 640K of memory. It's no wonder he's forgotten some of the stupid stuff he's said over the years.

[MikeL]

He never installed the MSFT Brain 2.0 upgrade so he's still stuck with 640K of memory. It's no wonder he's forgotten some of the stupid stuff he's said over the years.

I doubt he is troubled by his own mistakes. He has other consolations...billions of them.