[TurboZamboni]

thanks in advance.

[Secret Agent Man]

Big usb thumb drive, copy copy copy. or use whatever backup program is with the o/s to the thumb drive.

[TomGuy]

Windows?

If so, trying a image backup rather than a regular backup.

Control Panel >> System and Security >> Backup and Restore

then select ‘Create a system image’

With a successful system image, you can install it on a new disk drive and possibly save having to reset and reinstall software.

==

If you just want to save data files, use the regular file back up.

[FunkyZero]

Macrium Reflect (easy to find with bing search). It’s a free application for non-commercial use. After you install it, you can image your computer to a network drive, USB external drive, etc. You can also make a bootable CD after you install it to be used to boot from in the case you need to recover. The software can also be scheduled to do backups unattended if it’s something you want (and should) do on a continuing basis. Read the user guide and understand it. The CD is only for booting, you need to keep your actual backups on accessible media. I highly recommend an external USB drive if you do not have a network for such purposes.

[Sparticus]

Get an external USB drive and copy all of your stuff onto there. Repeat weekly even after you get your laptop fixed or replaced. Burn important files onto a DVD and stash them someplace offsite, too.

[raybbr]

USB drive, you can get half a gig for about $50.

[Kirkwood]

If it is a dying HDD, get a replacement drive along with an external case. Clone your failing drive to the new one using a tool like Acronis - there are others, and then swap the new for the old in the laptop. Just be sure you know exactly the connector version needed on the HDD.

[smokingfrog]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816856103

[Chickensoup]

I use a Toshiba backup that I got at Staples.

[Excellence]

I got a passport, but use windows backup, not the one that comes with it.

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

bfl

[Bubba_Leroy]

You can buy a portable 1TB Western Digital Passport hard drive for less than $70. I have several. They are powered by the USB cable and are about the size of a deck of cards.

SyncBackFree is good freeware backup program that you can use. I have been using it for a couple of years now.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

BFL

[9thLife]

FYI Western Digital is selling a personal cloud storage device which I think is of interest.

[mrsmith]

The only way cheaper than a flash drive is pen and paper.

[OneWingedShark]

External hard-drive.

[Inyo-Mono]

Bookmarked.

[trebb]

I have an external HD that I only turn on and plug up when I want to do some backups.

I use thumb drives for interim preservation of important stuff.

[Faith65]

BKMK