I know most of you use IBM format and I use Mac, but perhaps someone who is a bit computer savvy can answer my question. The work computer appears to need to have the hard drive re-intialized which will erase everything, and then a clean install. The advice says to back up he hard drive. I cannot find any instructions on doing so. I did make an alias copy of the hard drive info and placed it on a zip disk and it seems to work-but before I go dumping the thing I need to know if it really will work. HELP ME!!! whining... What do you think? Thanks very much!

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), April 24, 2002

Answers

I'm lost, sorry. If it were an IBM than I would format a disk and dump it all on a 3.5. It would still have chicken tracks or ghosts on the drive but I could reload all my software back on and boot it back up. That's an IBM though. I know nothing of Mac.

-- Joel Rosen (JoelnBecky@webtv.net), April 24, 2002.

You will need to make a disk image of your hard disk. There should be a utility called disk copy on your mac. You shuld also check the mac web site if you don't and download it. An alias is like a shortcut (i could be wrong though) If you have norton utilies for mac, there should be a disk copy utility. To be on the safe side I would make at least a disk image along with what you have done, just to be sure you can recover your information. Also, a clean install is a great way to get rid of unneeded things. I hope this helps and good luck on your reinstall.

-- jonathan (jonathan_sz@yahoo.com), April 25, 2002.

Doreen, I believe an 'alias' is NOT a copy of a file but only some sort of pointer to it.

For example if you have lots for file directories and you are sick of drilling through several levels to find a particular set of files I believe you can create an alias to give you more direct access.

I am sure you know all this but anyway just to give a complete picture:-

All computers (that I have ever known) have an 'operating system', 'applications files', 'configuration files' and 'data files'. Obviously the data files includes all the stuff that you have created, the applications files are things like the word processor, compiler, data base system etc, the operating system is the program supplied with the computer.

In most cases the user has the original disks for re-installing the operating system and the applications. The user's data files are the crucial ones to back up as one they are gone the work is lost.

I recommend you get independant confirmation but I suspect you will be able to re-install the operating system and the applications without disturbing data files but to be sure you must save your data files to your zip disk. Saving your data files constitutes a 'back- up' of your data, a full backup would include all the details that were changed or recorded (these are the configuration files) when the operating system and application(s) were installed.

I have no current experience with Mac but I have noticed many sites offering back-up utilities for the Mac, maybe one of those would make life easy for you.

Don't you just love computers? You are trying to do a job of work but have to stop at intervals to fix the *&^%$# tools!

-- john hill (john@cnd.co.nz), April 25, 2002.

Ok, Jonathan and I were obviously typing at the same time!

-- john hill (john@cnd.co.nz), April 25, 2002.

Thank you folks. I'll let you know how it goes. I am much better at understanding three dimensional problems... you know- the kind you can hit with a hammer!!:)

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), April 25, 2002.

That works too Doreen, but you need enough cash to go buy another one! :-)

-- john hill (john@cnd.co.nz), April 25, 2002.