backing up files?

The best alternative is the DVD. A single dual layer DVD can hold upto 9.4 GB of data each. Get a good DVD burner. ( I suggest using Asus or LiteOn or Imation)

The CDRW is also reliable. You better try lowering the write to 16x speed and using Imation or Sony Blank CDs.

The only other alternitive is web backup. That is a website which uses servers to hold backup accounts for individuals computer files. You can easily goggle this and come up with a dozen or more services which provide this for a small fee. Price several first and check out the different types of accounts you can get. Different accounts will allow a certain number of uploads and downloads per month, with more access as the price goes up. However, for small home use a regular account should suffice nicely. I have not used these myself, prefering to use an external hard drive, but I know others how have used them and are very happy with the service. In case of any natural disaster files are actually safer in a web backup as there are not any backup files at home or office to get ruined during the disaster. Such as a hurricane like Katrina. You never know when something horrid will strike, and with your important data backed up on the web, instead of at home or the office will keep them far safer. When you are ready to setup the new computers or old if it was salvagable, then you are back in business.

So, just goggle web backup or internet backup or other key words and you will find many different services that may fit your needs and budget. Good luck and have a nice day.

Yes, I would also say DVDs you can buy an external DVD drive or install one in your PC. Or buy an other PC with one.

4-5 Disks will hold everything you have. If your very worried you can make dual backups that's what company's do with impotent data they make more then one backup. Then every once in a while you can check your backups and make sure they are OK. If there are any problems you can replace them with more backups. Most DVDs will last a very long time and can take considerable damage.

If you got a second hard drive once one fails you can get a new hard drive and move the data from the Still fine hard drive to it. The odds of two hard drives failing at once is rare. But it is possible.

you can get a cheap external USB hard drive for less than a hundred dollars. That is one way of backing up. You could get a DVD burner and put the files on DVD's which would be less space. If you want to go expensive they actually have external fireware based back up drives for more money. Also there are 4 GB flash drives out there now. Also, if you want to back up essentails on the internet you could get a google account and create a google drive that will back up 2gig of your files to another location.

Archivists will tell you that CD's and DVD's are not archival material, ten or twenty years and they're shot. Believe it or not, paper is remarkably long-lived, if well cared for. We still have the Declaration of Independence.

For data, the best defense is multiple copies, stored in seperate locations. Media must be refreshed regularly, both to fight deterioration and obsolescence. If you had your data on 8 inch floppies, where would you find a machine to read them?

Flash drives but at the size we're talking about won't do much.

I'd suggest you buy GOOD CD/RW. Not the crappy stuff at the dollar store. I've had no problems with mine.

A second hard drive would probably be the best way though. Much faster and a ton more space.

You can use usb flash drive - but it can also infected by virus

My advice is if you can back-up your files in CDRW and in another HD go ahead

it is better than nothing.

Keep multiple back up as much as possible cause anything can happen.

Good luck

Purchase Norton Ghost and backup. Make a DVD

I have a little Apacer Flash drive. It is great. You can get them with a lot of memory. Just plug it into the USB port and it shows up as a "removeable drive." You will love it. It's about the size of a bic lighter (thinner).

Good Luck

Look here:

http://www.apacer.com/en/index.htm

There is no Silver bullet with back-ups. There are just steps you can take to make it more unlikely. Depending on how much money you want to spend, you can go to RAID5, but that is kinda spendy. Tape back-up is popular among companies, then storing them in an off-sight location.