REMINDER: BackUp Your Documents

Computer went down yesterday by a backdoor trojan horse. Tried all day to beat it, but to no avail. Stupid me, haven't backed anything up for the last two months (and I had a feeling this would happen!)...

...just a reminder for all of you that haven't backed your docs up in awhile...we can allfall victim someday. :(

I just bought an external hard drive so I could do just that!! I have various papers, bills etc on here. I also have all my ITunes music on my comp (30+GB) so I was worrying about just that idea. I have an 140 GB Hard Drive so I bought a 160 GB back up drive for about $100...

ok Cambo and techie folks, how often should I back up my data
and any other tips? I have all my music on my Ipod and 90+% on cds (tho most of those cds are now pretty display items.) I figure I could burn the iTunes stuff on CD.

Disco, I have my music from iTunes on my external as well. An important thing if you have an iPod is to make sure you UNCHECK the box that says "open itunes automatically when ipod is connected".

I once hooked up my ipod before I plugged in the external, and it screwed up the library (had to delete everything and start over).

Just as an added protection I also put the iTunes program on the external so that it can't possibly open unless the external is hooked up.

Want to back up anything of importance, so this differs from people to people, but it's an added protection that, at least I, constantly forget about.

but I didn't loose too much recently, but will have to rework my iTunes, lost some of my old homework, and will have to restart the game "Oblivion" from the begining (how annoying is that!):(

I don't keep personal information on my computer. I have had several trojan horses or more and luckily haven't had a crash so far. Just like I hate Macintosh's, I'm starting to hate Windows. I really like Linux while its still useable.But you're right,always backup your docs and system.

They'll get my penguin when they tear my cold dead hand off it.

Pontiac dude, it's unlikely the trojan will actually have gotten tucked in to your data files, I'd say boot the machine from a boot CD, windows, Linux, PC-dos, whatever, and copy the important stuff that way to a new drive or partition.

top backup tips......

Partition your drive! Only Windows and actual applications go on C: Games, audio libraries and such shit, go on other drives. You can now image your C: drive and save that image to another partition. You can then slide a fucked windows out, and a new one in, without buggering up all your games and shit. This protects you against common problems, like viri, trojans, and unprovoked windows insanity (like when I had a tv card in the win-box....every time I touhed it's teletext function I had to re-install my backup, cos it killed windows stone dead, permenantly. Norton ghost can do they job, acronis true-image will do it while bringing you drinks, and providing a backrub. Always have a good boot CD, Hirens-boot-cd is a real swiss army knife. It's worth having something like knoppix around too, having a second OS on tap is always a brilliant way to find out if windows is telling the truth about hardware being broken, or doing it's usual of blaming all and sundry except it's own dumbass self (eg: telling you you unplugged your network cable in response to any kind of network error whatsoever).

the day they release Cubase for Linux, and finish Racer, my days of MS-slavery are over. BTW...did you know why it's rare to see a linux PC in a shop? Cos Bill has all the makers signed up to some crap whereby they have to pay him MORE to build a machine withot DOS than with.

PS, if you actually use "my documents", move that to another drive too, it's actually easier to do in Xp. That way if you DO pop yer windows, and have to slide in a backup, you don't roll-back your work too.

Thanks Doc! That's good info.

as for the Trojan Horse, it was a ghost document, with the same name and in the same folder as one of the .exe documents only with a .com suffix. It happened to be mimicking a document that is required for start-up. I went to DOS mode and tried to delete it, but the computer couldn't find it. I tried repairing Windows, but it would not complete it in the "authorizing" stage because of the .com document. I tried bypasssing it in a few different ways, but I couldn't. At first the windows would try to start up in a continious loop...but after f'in around with it for a while, it would begin the start up than mysteriously everything would turn off (except the power button).

I think it's too late to partition now though. I have to do it when I reboot Windows right?

Taking what Doc said, the laptop I got from school had the hard drive partitioned into C and D drives. The C is for vital computer programs, while the D is used to save schoolwork, IM, and multimedia software.

Also, don't forget to update your anti-virus software. Always receive automatic updates.

EdelBrock wrote: Thanks Doc! That's good info.

as for the Trojan Horse, it was a ghost document, with the same name and in the same folder as one of the .exe documents only with a .com suffix. It happened to be mimicking a document that is required for start-up. I went to DOS mode and tried to delete it, but the computer couldn't find it. I tried repairing Windows, but it would not complete it in the "authorizing" stage because of the .com document. I tried bypasssing it in a few different ways, but I couldn't. At first the windows would try to start up in a continious loop...but after f'in around with it for a while, it would begin the start up than mysteriously everything would turn off (except the power button).

I think it's too late to partition now though. I have to do it when I reboot Windows right?

EdelBrock wrote: Thanks Doc! That's good info.

as for the Trojan Horse, it was a ghost document, with the same name and in the same folder as one of the .exe documents only with a .com suffix. It happened to be mimicking a document that is required for start-up. I went to DOS mode and tried to delete it, but the computer couldn't find it. I tried repairing Windows, but it would not complete it in the "authorizing" stage because of the .com document. I tried bypasssing it in a few different ways, but I couldn't. At first the windows would try to start up in a continious loop...but after f'in around with it for a while, it would begin the start up than mysteriously everything would turn off (except the power button).

I think it's too late to partition now though. I have to do it when I reboot Windows right?

You can defrag and use Parition magic to do it.

The file was probably unfindable, because it's "windows name" and "real name" were different. For example, the folder c\program files is actually called c:\progr~1....the name you see is actually part of the file header block on both FAT32 and NTFS.

You cannot work on a live windows system, the little security it does have is far better at frustrating the repair than the bastard that damaged it. Using a boot disc, will bypass that problem. A dos based one is good, but if you can be arsed with a bit of re-learning( copy is cp, move is mv, and del is rm), a linux boot-cd can be an entire OS....you can get enough Linux on a 30MB buiness card CD to watch DVD's and Avi's and listen to mp3's, never mind repair a sick winbox. And on a full CD, you get a full desktop OS, that you can use every day, or at least until your windows gets well. knoppix

Doc, Anyway to partition without having to buy a new program? I see partition magic is a min. of $18.

Thanks for the good insight

EdelBrock wrote: Doc, Anyway to partition without having to buy a new program? I see partition magic is a min. of $18.

Thanks for the good insight

There may be freeware programs that can do it. Windows own Fdisk command can do it, but you'd have to delete all your existing ones to do it, so not really an option....and besides, it takes forfuckingever.

The Hiren's boot cd I mentioned may have something on it that can do it, but to be honest, PM is the mutt's nuts for partitioning. You can also use most linux install CD's to partition, but, there can be some issues with how windows perceives virtual drives made this way.

Of course, you could just rip PM off from the internet :D

You'll need a decent image backup program too, acronis trueimage is awesome, but there are also others like Norton ghost.

Again, you can do it from any linux boot-cd, something like.

Connect your "D drive" mount /dev/hda5 /mnt/windows then just back up the drive and zip it.... dd if=/dev/hda1 | bzip2>/mnt/windows/backup.bz2

To restore: mount the D drive as above then unzip and restore.... bunzip2 | dd of=/dev/hda1

(gzip is faster than bzip2 but gets less compression)

I used to use this CONSTANTLY as I had two versions of windows (one for games and one for audio) that I would swap onto the C: drive from Linux before rebooting (when I still had the dual boot machine), it works a treat, especially for free.

Of course it's no good for hardware failre, but, I think most drive mechanisms last longer than most Xp installations :D

You still need to back the other sht up, but it's a lot easier to deal with in terms of shoving it on some dv's, than an active OS is, hence my partitioning plan.

ally wrote: Partitioning does have it's advantages if you're confined to just the one drive.

Btw, my last XP installation lasted 2 years only ditched it because I was building a new machine and it's obviously best to start from scratch in that instance.

Now before you command-line your response......

My XP is pushing 3 years now, but it has been rolled back from backup a coupla times ( tho mainly out of laziness rather than any dire need)

Well in my desireto partion my drive, I screwed it all up and also let in a rampat virus. Got tired of trying to fix all this crap, so I rebooted once again.:angry2:

Someone please shoot me!

What AV do you use? I use kaspersky, but I believe AVG's free version is great too.

well, while you're re-installing, set the drive up in useful partitions. I think the XP installer itself has the ability, you delete your existing partitions and make new ones to your taste (20-30GB is loads for windows, and still backup-able to about 2-3 DVD's with compression)

On the AV I use Norton, mainly because I have a free updates for life version.

But it really is my fault, I thought I'd try the "programs" search in Limewire to get the partitionmagic....bad idea....strike that....idiotic idea. I knew better, but I thought "what the hell". I invited the virus, and though I would delete it, it would recreate itself in different names, until I accidentally deleted a file needed on start-up.

I,too, thought I could partion on startup...but it didn't give me any options to do so. A bit disappointed, as this was one of the main reasons I decided to start back over again. I could have beat that virus and got back windows, but thought I'd kill two birds with one stone.....ended up just wasting my time.

Oh well.

Any ideas where to rip partion magic from? I actually downloaded a demo version (thinking it would allow me a one time use). Instead it actually was a demo of the program!

If you do bittorrent, demonoid is yer boy for most things.

If not, mail me, I will work something out for you when I get home from work.

Thought I'd make it public:

Cambo is da man!!!!

It's my mission to help humans defeat computers :D

Well now, just remember.....manageable C: drive, on which go Key applications, especially anything that integrates with windows closely (some versions of MS orifice go really loopy if you dare put them anywhere put their default location, for example). Games, and anything else with massive data archives can fook off to D: or E: or whatever.

The ratinale being.... 1.you do not need to back games and big pre-installed databanks up half as often, unless they are user modified, but then they are easily backed up one at a time, or in bulk using more mundane methods than drive imaging, mainly because..... 2. Games and the like tend not to play registry bandit all that often.....for example, lets say you install BF1942... as long as you back up your windows drive after that point, it doesn't really matter a toss how far you progress in the game, if you roll back your windows you'll lose nothing because it's all stored in the game's folder.[1] 3. Viri and such netscum tend to attack two classes of thing, currently running programs ( tho usually as a way in to other things), and common system bits and pieces, all on C: (of course, using stuff on other drives once your machine's properly infected will spread the virus there). And most importanly 4. Because you have a manageable sized windows, you can back up more frequently.

But as has been pointed out, it's only another layer of protection it does sod all if your drives eats it's bearings one morning.

[1]actually most games could not give a rats cock if they are actually installled or not. In BF's case, the installation registry keys are only needed when you update the game, and then only because the installer is retarded and has no "find game folder" button.

Doc,

Questions on Torrents:

How reliable are they?
Is there a large issue with viruses?
Also read that your ip address is remembered in the document, so do I have to worry about lawsuits down the line?
Also how good do the movies come in? Are there alot of gliches in them?

Thanks again.

EdelBrock wrote: Doc,

Questions on Torrents:

How reliable are they?
Is there a large issue with viruses?
Also read that your ip address is remembered in the document, so do I have to worry about lawsuits down the line?
Also how good do the movies come in? Are there alot of gliches in them?

Thanks again.

Depends on the site you get it from really. A decent place like demonoid.com is very safe and if anyone uploads a virus it's gone in minutes.

Azureus and some other clients come with safepeer, which stops scumbags connecting to you, so no lawsuits ever. Software is usuallty OK anyway, most companies veiw folks downloading their stuff as people getting old versions for free, they tend not to care a lot. Movies are the thing that'll get you busted, movies and music, and in both cases, only the new releases should be avoided....but with safepeer on you shold be fine even with those.

Movies vary from glitchy, snowy screener to full dvrips.