The Importance Of Email Backup

Author: marias alexandru

Viruses, software failures, power failures, human errors, hard drive failures are only a few examples of what could destroy the data on a hard drive, including all documents, pictures, emails and other files!

Most home computer users don't need an expensive backup solution; as they only need to burn the folders with important documents and pictures to a CD-RW from time to time; this ensuring that in case of a disaster they can easily get them back.

Togeder with documents and pictures, it's a critical operation to save the emails, attachments, address book and other important data from within the email client; otherwise in case of a computer problem the user will find himself in the impossibility to get them back, and this can be a really unwanted situation especially for webmasters or people who rely on their emails. Unfortunately many people actually start to do backup copies only after they lose data.

This article will explain how one can create a Outlook Express Backup copy ( as Outlook Express lacks a backup function ) This email program is usually installed with the Windows operating system and is probably among the most commonly used email programs today. While using Outlook Express is fairly easy, finding and backing up the emails can be a little more complicated. Since there are a large number of files and folders on a computer running Windows, the first problem is to find the files containing the emails. Outlook Express stores emails in .dbx files and there might be several different dbx files depending on how many email folders you have created in Outlook Express. If you are using Windows 98, you can probably locate your emails somewhere in the Windows directory. In Windows 2000 and XP, emails are usually stored somewhere in the user data or application data folder.

The easiest way to find out exactly where your emails are stored is to start Outlook Express, go to the Tools menu, and open the Options dialog box. In the Options dialog box, select the Maintenance page and click the Store Folder button. Here you can find the path to the folder containing your emails. To open the folder, copy the path and paste in the address field of the Windows File Manager. You should see a number of .dbx files and possibly some other files, too.After locating the email folder, you can simply select all the files and press Ctrl-C. Then open the folder where you want to keep the backup copies (on another hard disk, a DVD or a network drive, for example) in Windows Explorer, and press Ctrl-V.

To backup the Address Book, you can follow these steps:
a.. Select Tools Address Book... from the menu in Outlook Express.
b.. Choose File Export Other Address Book... from the address book's menu.
c.. Select Text File (Comma Separated Values) as the export format.
d.. Click Export.e.. Select the location you want to export your address book to using the Browse... button.
f.. Give your backup copy a meaningful name.
g.. Click Next.
h.. Select the fields you want to include in your backup.
i.. Finally, select Finish.
j.. Click OK.
k.. Click Close to end the process (successfully, I hope).

Additionally, there are several email backup utilities which can make the backup operation much easier. Outlook Express Backup Genie is one piece of software that can offer peace of mind by creating compact backup copies of emails, attachments, address book, signatures, blocked list, mail rules and settings periodically. The difference between using a automatic email backup utility and manual backups, is that the first can be scheduled to create backups quiet in the background at specified time intervals, and that it will include all email information ( signatures, blocked list, etc ) which otherwise would be more difficult to save. Also if ever the backup is needed, the application will ensure that the restore process is made smoothly. And, it works with top 9 popular email clients. The downside of using a automatic email backup utility is that it costs money, usually about 20-30 USD as one time payment, while the manual backups are ofcourse, free.

The conclusion is that either manual or automatic, backing up emails is a critical operation for every computer user that would regret losing them.
A trial copy of Outlook Express Backup Genie can be found at: http://www.amicutilities.com/outlook-express-backup/
Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_3183_2.html

Password Keepers - How Do They Work?

There is a special category of software called password keepers with the help of which you can effectively organize your logins and passwords. So what is a password keeper and what advantages does it bring to you? The password keeper is a desktop application which can be installed on your local computer or directly to a USB flash drive. When installed to a USB flash drive, the password keeper becomes a portable application which you can carry with your wherever you go.

Once you have installed the passwords keeper to your computer or a USB flash key, you can create a password database where you can keep passwords and logins. This functionality can be very useful for anyone who has so many different logins and passwords that it’s getting really hard for them to remember each and every password they type. With the password manager, you don’t have to remember your logins and passwords, nor do you have to type them when you need to login to your accounts.

The automatic form filling is another useful functionality of a passwords keeper. To register an online account, you always have to fill in a registration form. Sometimes these forms can be so large that you actually give up the whole idea to register an account. The password keeper offers a perfect solution to that problem. You only need to fill in the registration information once and save it to a database. The next time you need to fill in and submit a similar web registration form, the password keeper will do the job for you!

Moreover, the password keeper doesn’t just keep passwords; it also provides the passwords’ security with such useful features as secure password storage database and the ‘no-type’ functionality. The database where your passwords are stored is itself password protected so no third party will ever have a chance to look at your passwords. The database is also equipped with the auto-lock functionality, so if you forget to close the database, it will be closed automatically after a specified period of time.

The ‘no-type’ functionality prevents keylogger and spying software from reading your passwords, as you don’t have to type them. This allows you to avoid accidents of stolen passwords and compromised passwords. The strong password generator is another useful feature of the passwords keeper. It allows you to create the ‘hard-to-crack’ passwords using the highest password creation standards. All in all, the password keeper allows you to increase speed and improve the quality of your Internet browsing with such features as secure password storage database, automatic form filling, strong password generator, and running from a USB flash key.

Tips and Tricks Keep Safe, Desktop Machine

Author: Vipann Kumarr

Having a laptop computer these days is just as important as having your desktop machine. You need to have access to the internet, your email, and other important data at all times. It''s important to remember that the same problems that data recovery, spyware and viruses can cause on your PC can also affect your laptop computer. Security for your portable machine is also doubly important because of the risk involved in having your laptop stolen. It''s also very important to make certain your laptop security is in tiptop shape before you head out for work or on a business trip with your laptop. There are certain laptop security tips you can follow to keep your machine and data safe at all times.
If your machine and data are super-sensitive, you can have tracking software installed in your laptop. Security experts can then track and follow the location of your machine as it moves. It works in the same fashion as a global positioning system does for your vehicle. This proposition is expensive, but it does increase your computer security and your overall chance of data recovery should your machine ever get stolen or lost.
Mostly, though, effective laptop security comes from good old-fashioned common sense. Being aware of your surroundings and movements can severely limit the potential of your portable computer being stolen, misplaced or lost. Here are some simple tips that can increase your computer's security and help minimize the risk of theft to your laptop.
-Never leave your laptop unattended. When you stay with your laptop computer, security increase and the risk of losing your machine decreases.
-Do not leave your laptop in your vehicle. If you have to, improve laptop security by locking it in the trunk of your car. Don''t leave it in plain view.
-When you are not using your laptop, lock up the machine itself or lock it in a secure cabinet or desk.
-Make certain that using hard to decipher passwords enhances your laptop security. If someone does steal or come into possession of your computer, security caused by passwords will make it difficult for someone to access your data.
-Purchase a laptop security cable and lock so you can tightly keep your laptop closed when it''s not in use.
Just as with desktop CPUs, you can potentially lose unsaved data unexpectedly and require data recovery services. Make certain that any important documents or files have data backups at all times. Don''t just save items on your laptop''s desktop. If you lose something on your desktop computer, security experts at least have a chance to recover it for you. If you are not diligent with your laptop security, technicians can''t retrieve the lost data for you because your laptop itself will be gone. It''s hard to work on something that isn''t there.
Laptops are becoming wireless enabled every day. And wireless security is just as important as conventional laptop security. Because laptops can work in hot spots, there are many hackers ready to get into your system. Make certain your laptop computer''s security is up to date with the latest antivirus software to combat potential thieves. Also remember to follow the common sense tips listed above. If you do these things, you''ll never have to worry about your laptop security.

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