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Feb 11, 2010 Since I also have a Windows (Dell) PC running XP Pro, I was wondering if it's possible to use the same external hard drive to back up both. Someone mentioned partitioning to me but being a layman technically I just want to know if I buy an ext drive that supports both Mac and Windows is it possible/feasible to do this. Nov 12, 2019 The best way to back up your iCloud Photo Library is to download all its content to your Mac. Your entire digital library is probably huge, so you may need a Mac with a massive drive to handle the volume. Otherwise, back up your iCloud Photo Library to an external drive attached to your Mac. Mar 30, 2020 Backup4all is the paid version of the free FBackup solution, this time adding more advanced features and a wizard for easily setting up your back up options. The software.
Setting up a backup is probably on your to-do list. So why haven’t you done it yet? Maybe it’s because you’ve got a million other things to do, or maybe the technical aspects are a little daunting. A backup may seem like just another mundane task in your long list of to-dos, but a day will inevitably come when your hard drive dies, when your laptop is stolen, or when your accounts get brutally hacked. Like death and taxes, there are no exceptions to this rule — it’s only a matter of time. This doesn’t mean you should live in fear of a digital catastrophe; instead, take this opportunity to create the backup that your future self so rightly deserves. It’s easier than you might think.
So, where to begin? The first thing you’ll need is some kind of storage device to house your digital belongings. There are a multitude of mediums at your disposal, from USB hard drives to the anachronistic DVD. External hard drives offer the best price per gigabyte ratio and can be purchased at nearly any electronics retailer. They make an excellent baseline, but you can add more storage and better reliability with more advanced systems like RAID enclosures and NAS drives, which we’ll get to later.
When my computer is working correctly, it’s hard to remember to do the routine maintenance that, deep down, I know I should. It’s not that PC maintenance isn’t on my to-do list, it’s just that there’s always something more pressing that needs my attention. There’s always work to do or a new app to try, and I think to myself: “my computer’s acting fine, I can clean my desktop and backup my files tomorrow.”
It’s hard to remember to do the routine maintenance that, deep down, I know I should
But that promise of “tomorrow” always gets pushed to the next day, then the next, leaving countless college papers, years of pictures, and personal information stranded on a single spinning platter. But is that really such a bad thing?
If you’ve never experienced catastrophic data loss, you might not be all that worried about it. However, if you ask someone who’s paid for expensive data recovery — nearly $1,700 in Mat Honan’s case — and they’ll likely tell you that setting up backup is well worth the time. And that's not to mention all the people who never got their data back.
With a backup plan securely stationed at the top of my list of weekend activities, I knew that I needed to set up a system with three qualities: set-and-forget automation, some element of security, and a pleasant and straightforward user interface.
There are a litany of backup options for Mac and PC users, some more complex than others, and each addresses a slightly different type of user. Some backup software is customizable to the n’th degree, while others focus solely on ease-of-use. With a daunting number of backup hardware and software combinations to consider, I decided to take on the hardware side first.
You can backup your data to just about anything — a spare internal drive, an external drive, and even the aging DVD. We’re going to start with a basic external drive — be it USB, FireWire, or Thunderbolt — because of their affordability and easy availability. From there we’ll move on to more redundant forms of storage that do come at a higher initial outlay, but will last far longer and keep your data safe over a period of many years.
Drives either fail right away, or start to degrade after the second year mark
A single external drive is a good start for your first backup system, but not all external drives are created equal. Google did an extensive, five-year study on the failure rate of consumer hard drives and found that age has the most direct correlation with hard drive death — drives either fail right away, or start to degrade after the second year mark. The company’s study does allude to a disparity in quality between drive makers, but it doesn’t mention which manufacturers were better or worse, most likely as a professional courtesy to its suppliers.
There are also different kinds of external drives to consider. Portable external drives that use laptop hard drives are designed to be carried around with you, and make great, long-lasting backup drives if you don’t need tons of space. External drives that use 3.5-inch desktop drives offer more storage for less money, but they shouldn’t be carried with you — they’re not built to withstand strong vibrations, or worse, being dropped. For desktop users, a more capacious external drive based on 3.5-inch disks comes in particularly handy for frequent backups, especially those that track multiple file versions.
So what’s the best choice for backup hardware? Realistically, your budget will determine what’s right for you, but we recommend buying for quality rather than capacity, since you can always add more later. Western Digital or Seagate are current market leaders — they have brand names to protect, and even their cheapest hard drives are solid choices — but recent consolidations in the industry have leveled the playing field to a certain degree.
If you’ve got a Mac, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better value than Apple’s Time Machine software included with OS X since version 10.5. All you’ve got to do is tell it which drive to use, enable encryption (on Lion and later), and bam, you’re set. Time Machine is both a full system backup, meaning you can use it to restore your system even if your entire hard drive fails, and an incremental backup that keeps track of older copies of files. There are other options, like SuperDuper! and Carbon Copy Cloner, but these are focused more on “system images” and don’t offer features like Time Machine’s slick UI or effortless automation.
Despite its strengths, Time Machine isn’t an infallible backup solution for Mac users — it doesn’t handle redundancy or customization very well. You can’t designate a custom backup interval (60 minutes is the hardcoded default) and it’s not easy to see what was recently backed up. In keeping with Apple’s long-running choice of form-over-function, Time Machine forgoes advanced options for approachability, but once it’s set up you can let it run and forget that it’s even there.
For Windows users, Microsoft’s built-in backup solutions leave a lot to be desired. It’s not obvious that Windows 7 even has a backup function, since it’s buried in the Control Panel, and different versions of Windows have different capabilities, adding to the confusion. Windows 8 remedies some of Windows 7’s backup woes, but its interface still lacks compared to Time Machine’s. While it is included free of charge, even Microsoft admits that only five percent of Windows customers make use of Windows Backup — a clear indication that the process is more convoluted than it should be.
That leaves the door wide open for third-party backup managers. CrashPlan’s free client has many of the qualities I was looking for: easy and straightforward automation, 128-bit encryption, and an aesthetically pleasing UI. While the interface is nothing to write home about, it’s very clear and even the advanced settings are organized in a logical and approachable way. One of the best features of CrashPlan’s free client is the ability to backup to another computer on your network — a potential boon to laptop users who want to keep their data safe but prefer not to tether their machines on a daily basis.
Notifications may seem trivial, but knowing when a drive has failed gives you a chance to fix the problem faster
If you’re willing to pay for what we consider be on of the most comprehensive Windows backup solutions, Genie Timeline Professional combines an intuitive, Windows 8-style interface with lots of customization options for those looking to get their hands dirty. Like Time Machine, Genie Timeline’s most alluring feature is a chronological view of backed up files (including previous versions), sorted into either the raw Windows folder structure, or categorizations of content. Genie Timeline also offers a system-level backup, but to restore your entire OS you’ll have to keep track of its bootable restoration disk. Genie Timeline Professional is one of the best Time Machine clones out there, but it costs a hefty $59.95 for a single license.
All of the aforementioned options will keep your data backed up, but both CrashPlan and Genie Timeline Professional offer a small but enticing feature — they’ll email or tweet at you when a backup happens or if something goes wrong. At first glance, notifications may seem like a trivial inclusion, but knowing when a drive has failed gives you a chance to fix the problem faster.
Using a single external drive will afford you peace of mind, but having only one backup isn’t a perfect solution, especially considering the results of Google’s hard drive study. Ideally you’d have a least one “onsite” backup to one or more hard drives in your home, plus one “offsite” backup to the cloud or any other secure location. Offsite backups were originally popularized in enterprise and small business environments so that a robbery, fire, or flood wouldn’t leave them computationally incapacitated, but storage prices have fallen so much in the last decade that even home users can get in on the action. Remove dropbox app from mac.
Storage prices have fallen so much that even home users can get in on the offsite action
Many people have chosen to keep their backups in the cloud. There are countless services that offer some allotment of space on their servers for a monthly fee, though you’d be wise to check their privacy policy before signing up. Apple’s iCloud offers 5GB of backup space for free for in addition to other services like calendar, picture, and contact syncing, making it an alluring option for Apple customers with multiple OS X and iOS devices. However, Honan’s experience aside, recent bouts of reliability problems make iCloud hard to recommend for pure backup purposes. That said, it’s still a good way to keep documents, calendars, and music synced across Apple devices as long as you’ve got a backup to fall back on.
CrashPlan+ Unlimited is another cloud option, one that’s both affordable and and feature-rich. It’s a $3.00-per-month upgrade to CrashPlan’s free client software and offers truly unlimited cloud storage. While it won’t keep your Apple devices synced, it can keep all of the computers in your home backed up to the cloud with almost no hassle. It offers enhanced 448-bit encryption, meaning that even if CrashPlan were to be hacked — a real concern in today’s online environment — you can rest assured that your personal data is safe. Together with a local backup, CrashPlan+ Unlimited is one of the best ways to keep your data as safe as it can possibly be.
The cloud may not be for you, though, if you like to maintain complete control of your data. There are only a handful of cloud backup services that support client-side encryption like CrashPlan+ Unlimited (where files are encrypted before being uploaded to their servers). Wikipedia has a convenient sortable list of cloud services (and don't miss our own comparison of cloud sync services), and we recommend checking it out if you like the idea of cloud storage but have reservations about security.
For those who prefer to keep their data local, there are many other ways to keep a redundant backup without pushing data up into the cloud, and one of the easiest and most affordable alternatives is to set up your own RAID storage. Visiting Wikipedia’s page explaining RAID can get technical in a hurry, so we’re only going to explore one implementation — RAID 1.
RAID 1 involves two hard drives — one that holds accessible data, and the other that serves as an identical mirror to that drive. While you only get half the space of both drives combined, you can rest assured that, even as your drives age become more likely to fail, you’ll have one duplicate copy. USB 3.0 and eSATA RAID 1 enclosures have become much more mainstream in the last decade, and can be had for around $150 dollars. That is a bit steep for a glorified external drive, but the cost still pales in comparison to commercial data recovery services which can easily cost $1,000 or more. It should be noted that Time Machine doesn’t support multiple backup drives, so a RAID 1 enclosure is a particularly alluring option for Mac users who value redundancy.
Another option, one often preferred by power users and computing enthusiasts, is to set up what’s called Network Attached Storage, or NAS drives. A NAS consists of single or multiple drives attached directly to your router, rather than a single PC. App to play rf on mac. They’re very useful for backups, but will also provide a centralized storage location for all the electronics in your home. A NAS can serve music, TV shows, movies, and other media to your living room and, in some implementations, your mobile devices when you’re away from home.
NAS enclosures don’t come cheap — easy-to-use and feature-packed products like the Drobo FS and Synology NAS systems range from $200 to $500 without drives. However, more affordable options from D-Link, Buffalo, and other consumer manufacturers offer slightly fewer features at prices from $100 to $150. The ones linked here even include RAID 1 mirroring, keeping your data mirrored and safe.
If you’ve got several computers in your home, a NAS is definitely worth considering. NAS drives that support Apple’s AFP protocol work perfectly with Time Machine and can backup multiple Macs without a problem. Setting up a backup on a NAS with Windows is a little more challenging, but most enclosures include their own backup software that can streamline the process. The added functionality and reliability of a NAS comes with a slightly higher learning curve and setup time, but once you’ve got it configured, a NAS is a rock-solid backup target for multiple computers. Apple’s Time Capsule is a good choice for Mac users who just want things to work, but they’re expensive and have had reliability problems in the past, making them hard to recommend.
What's best for you?
For most people, CrashPlan+ Unlimited’s combination of local and cloud storage offers an easy-to-use, secure, and redundant backup strategy that works automatically in the background. It’s low price and multi-platform support for all the PCs in your home make it one of the best options for home users looking to keep their data safe.
Having an automated backup of any kind is what’s important
Using a RAID 1 enclosure with Time Machine, CrashPlan’s free client, or a commercial backup app like Genie Timeline Professional is a great way to make sure your data is very well protected from spontaneous hard drive failure without using cloud storage. That said, a NAS enclosure can be had for not much more (less, in some cases) and can provide a great deal of functionality beyond simple backups.
Ultimately, having an automated backup of any kind is what’s important. There’s a certain atmosphere of impermanence to a digital lifestyle — we switch devices all the time, online services come and go, and computers get more reliable all the time. But if Honan’s self-described epic hacking taught me one thing, it’s that I have to be responsible for my data. It’s easier to let a company worry about the details, but accidents happen. Data gets lost. The old adage saying “if you want something done right, you’ve got to do it yourself” rings truer than ever, even in an age where online services are climbing over one another to handle your data. You’ll have to decide what works best for you, but the peace of mind that comes with knowing your data is safe makes it well worth the trouble.
You have probably discovered by now that as a small business owner, you’re faced with dozens of decisions every day that will impact your company. Some of these decisions, like determining your budget or hiring employees, are large-scale and expected.
On the other hand, there are numerous smaller, more minute choices that you didn’t realize you were going to have to make. One example? Choosing between a Mac or PC. You may not have given much thought to which hardware and software your business should use, but it’s a choice that could have wide-spread implications for your company.
In this article, we’ll help you weigh the pros and cons of a Mac vs. PC for business. We’ll cover the features of each so that you have a clear understanding of what the two have to offer. This article should help make the Mac or PC decision much easier for your business.
Mac or PC: The basics
Before we dive too deeply into the technical specs and benefits of Macs and PCs, let’s look at a clear outline of what the two products are.
Macs, short for Macintosh, are computers produced by Apple. Apple has produced these computers since 1984. The Microsoft Windows operating system came one year later.
While Macs never quite did so, they remain a very popular option. About 10% of people globally use macOS, the operating system for Mac computers. However, these numbers are a bit disproportionate, as usage in the United States is higher than it is globally.
macOS interacts seamlessly with iOS, the software on Apple’s phones and tablets. So, for instance, if you are a Mac user who uses an iPhone, iPad and Mac, things like your photos, texts and calendar sync effortlessly between the devices. Apple products that run this software include:
- iMac, the company’s version of the desktop computer
- MacBook Pro, a laptop
- MacBook Air, a slimmer version of the laptop
- iPad, Apple’s tablet
- iPhone, the company’s smartphone
The PC, on the other hand, runs on Microsoft Windows software. A PC stands for “personal computer” and, in that sense, refers specifically to the hardware of the device. It’s possible to run two other types of software on a PC — Linux, an open-source operating system used primarily by gamers and techies, or Google Chrome OS, which runs Android-based software.
PCs that run Windows account for more than 87% of the global market share, so we’re going to focus much of our review on that. The Linux operating system accounts for around 2% of the market, while Chrome owns less than .5%. So know that while these are certainly options, your likely choice is going to be between a Mac and a Windows PC.
Windows PCs are unique because you have much more flexibility in the hardware. For instance, Dell, Sony, Acer and Lenovo all run Windows. Microsoft does produce devices, like the Surface Pro, but its operating system is not exclusive to its products.
This is a stark contrast from the macOS, which only runs on Apple computers. Apple allows you to “Bootcamp” its machines so that you can run Windows 10 on it. But. you cannot run macOS X on anything other than Apple computers.
Why a Mac may be best for you
Now that we’ve outlined a few of the basic and fundamental differences between Macs and PCs, let’s get into the nitty-gritty to determine which is the better option for you. First up, we’ll highlight five reasons to choose a Mac.
1. You already use Apple products
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If you already use Apple products, the decision to pick up a new Macbook should be easy. As we mentioned, there is seamless integration between macOS and iOS devices. This is thanks to a feature called Handoff.
Let’s say you’re in a meeting and write a note on your iPhone. When you open your Mac back in the office, the note will be there automatically. There’s nothing for you to send or share. Being a business owner can be stressful, but Handoff simplifies things tremendously.
2. There are plenty of Mac options available
One of the potential downsides of a Mac is that you can only use Apple hardware. However, Apple has worked to expand its product line, bringing options including the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac Pro (which is different from the MacBook Pro) and Mac mini. You should have no problem finding a model that fits your needs and price point.
3. You crave quality and sleek design
Mac’s computers are expensive, often significantly more so than their PC counterparts. However, Apple builds Macs with top-grade components. They all have an aluminum shell, which proves to be quite durable. Mac laptops are also sleek, thin, and portable.
About a decade ago, Mac also made the switch to Intel chips and graphics cards. This was one of the primary reasons why Mac was lagging behind PCs, but its a gap that Mac has closed in recent years.
4. You work in a creative field
Macs are the preferred computers of marketers, graphic designers, and those who routinely use photo or video editing features. Macs have an impressive Retina display and an array of apps designed specifically for creation and editing, such as iMovie.
Many of these apps are pre-installed and available out of the box. Many Mac users cite the device’s ease of use as one of the reasons they love the product.
Lastly, Apple has a particular “look” about it. Much of Apple’s success in the United States has been because of branding. Apple products are viewed as somewhat of a status symbol.
If you work in a techy or creative field, a Mac could demonstrate that you “belong.” Is this, in and of itself, a reason to buy a Mac? Probably not. But, it’s worth mentioning and could tip the scales in Mac’s favor.
Furthermore, if you ever have to work with another company in your field, they will likely run on Macs. You’ll be more familiar with the technology, which will prove beneficial when you need to use it for your industry.
5. You value security
You may have once heard that Macs are “virus-free.” For a while, this was the case, primarily because hackers had yet to figure out Mac OS. In recent years, this claim has become less and less valid. Macs are vulnerable to viruses and malware, just like PCs.
However, there is still a case to be made that Macs are more secure than PCs. Macs come with industry-standard antivirus software built into the device, designed specially to block and remove malware.
Why a PC may be best for you
Are you convinced that you need to buy a Mac for your business? Don’t be so sure. Consider some of the benefits that PCs can offer before you make your final decision.
1. You’ll have even more buying options
Although you may be able to find a Mac that fits your needs, you have significantly more buying options when choosing a PC. Many companies allow you to customize your computers as well. You can choose things like how much hard drive space (computer storage for files) you need, how much RAM (computer memory) you want, and the strength of the graphics card in the computer.
And, although Macs offer excellent specs, they’re not the end-all-be-all. For example, some Windows laptops operate as two-in-one tablets with touchscreens, offering you far more versatility on the go.
Additionally, you may find that PCs are easier to repair than Macs. It’s possible to fix a Mac by taking it to an Apple store or trying the repair on your own. But, if you decide to do it on your own, you may run into some difficulty depending on the part you’re trying to replace.
Apple solders some components, such as the RAM, to the motherboard. Unless you’re very tech-savvy, you’ll need a professional to make changes for you. However, most PC manufacturers don’t do this. You may find it easier to switch out parts in a PC than in a Mac, depending on what you need to replace.
2. You can save a ton of money
A single Mac can cost close to $1,000, with many options costing much more than that. However, you can find a Windows PC for a couple of hundred dollars. If you’re looking for a primary device that can perform simple tasks, there’s no need for you to consider breaking the bank for a Mac. Stick with the cheaper alternatives.
And because Windows runs on so many devices, you have more options when it comes to cost and warranty. Perhaps Dell or Acer is offering a sale one week, and you can get a good deal — you can compare different companies to find a model that fits your price range.
3. PCs use normal ports
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As a business owner, you may use things like flash drives, SD cards, or external hard drives. You may also use things like HDMI cables to hook up external monitors to your device. If you use a PC, you’ll find that you can connect all of these devices without a problem. These ports come standard in PCs.
Macs, on the other hand, are much more limited in what ports they have. They only have USB-C ports and Apple’s own Lightning port. If you wish to hook up standard devices, you’ll need to purchase an additional connector for your computer. This is not only expensive, it’s one more thing you’re going to have to carry around with you.
4. Office Suite is designed for Windows
If you use Microsoft Office Suite, you may want to stick with the PC. Although you can run Office Suite on Mac, it’s much easier to use on Windows. That’s because Microsoft designs Office Suite and Windows. Windows is the native operating software, which means you’ll find Office Suite much more streamlined and easier to use on a PC.
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5. Windows is still king
Although macOS is becoming more popular, especially with those in tech and creative fields, Windows is still king. Stats show that 39.22% of computers run Windows 10, 36.90% run Windows 7, 5.33% run Windows 8, and 4.54% run Windows XP. This is compared to 10.61% of devices that run macOS X.
You’ll find it’s much easier to collaborate and work with other companies if you operate on Windows and use Office Suite. Macs may be trendy, but not so much in the business world. In the business world, you’ll be in the slim majority.
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Mac vs. PC for business: Which is best?
So, should you choose a Mac or PC? There’s no black and white answer. If you’re in a tech or creative field and don’t mind shelling out a bit of money for a device, then you may want to focus most of your attention on a Mac.
On the other hand, if you’re someone with a lot of employees who’s looking for high-quality devices you can customize without breaking the bank, you’ll want to look into PCs.
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The good news? No matter which you choose, you can still run QuickBooks accounting software to keep your business’s finances in order. Apophysis download.