Solved POLL: How Often Do You Create a System Recovery Image?

???

Every 3-4 days using Acronis TI 2013.

Never. Mainly because I've only ever ran into difficulties once (ironically with Windows 8 when experimenting with storage controllers, it wouldn't boot and I couldn't get into safe mode).

I do keep regular backups of personal files though, but they're on separate drives anyway. So for me, in the rare event I would need it, the worst case scenario is I just re-install Windows.

Usually daily depending on what I'm doing; however, the most I go without make an image is 1 week using StorageCraft ShadowProtect. My images are not incremental; I make a one-to-one image of my C partition. Personal files/programs, etc on other partitions are updated on 4 storage drives every seven days (or as necessary).


I've learned the hard way and keep a lot of unnecessary backups that have saved my bacon more than once....

Yeah, I'm anal.....

Weekly

Never, I do keep my important files in another drive and if I find any serious problem, clean install to start all over again.

Hi there
on your poll you forgot possibly the MOST IMPORTANT option of the lot (You don't work for designing menu's for those Hideous automated Telephone Call Centers which amongst the zillions of options never has the one YOU actually want do you !!!).

Every time BEFORE making a change or installing software -- you should ALWAYS do this as restoring an image if the software doesn't perform is ALWAYS better and more reliable than "uninstall" procedures or using things like CCleaner.

By making a System Image too - I assume you mean just a Backup image --I use acronis --others use things like Macrium / Paragon etc --your choice but all these work far better and are usually more reliable than the Windows built in imaging program --but that's certainly better than NOTHING.

Cheers
jimbo

jimbo45 said:

Hi there
on your poll you forgot possibly the MOST IMPORTANT option of the lot (You don't work for designing menu's for those Hideous automated Telephone Call Centers which amongst the zillions of options never has the one YOU actually want do you !!!).

Every time BEFORE making a change or installing software -- you should ALWAYS do this as restoring an image if the software doesn't perform is ALWAYS better and more reliable than "uninstall" procedures or using things like CCleaner.

By making a System Image too - I assume you mean just a Backup image --I use acronis --others use things like Macrium / Paragon etc --your choice but all these work far better and are usually more reliable than the Windows built in imaging program --but that's certainly better than NOTHING.

Cheers
jimbo

Click to expand...

Hey jimbo45,

Thanks for that response (I think). Anway, since you are never brief in any of your responses (and apparently never lost for words), let me respond in the detail you are accustomed to:

First off, I do not work for a Call Center. In fact, I do not work at all. I was able to retire very early in life by making wise investment decisions on my own "without" the need of a stock analyst. In fact, one spreadsheet guy gave me a prospectus of his recommendations for what my retirement portfolio should look like, and he only wanted 2% (per anum) to maintain it for me. Well, I took it home and created a portfolio in Morningstar, and waddaya know, within 6 months, I would have lost about $600,000.00 using his plan but that included all the 5% front-loading fees for all those "special" mutual funds he was going to sign me up for. Unfortunately, many of my counterparts "took the bait" and went with investment advisors, and all were eventually forced to go back to work as Home Depot Associates, Wal-Mart Checkout Clerks, etc. and one even now works at a Telemarketing Call Center. Funny you should ask that question. So, how's that for off-topic?

Anyway, You never specifically identified what I missed. So, how about giving us the exact verbage of "what option I missed and how it should have read?"

Thanks for the response.

Hi there
The "Call center jibe" was just because I think you had missed an option and if you've ever used any of those HIDEOUS Call centers you know exactly what I mean -- you get led through endless sets of options NONE of which you want. !!!!

Option should say "Before making any significant change to the OS such as installing new Software / Hardware".

However you really should IN ANY CASE always take regular backups say at least once a week -- so you really need to give the users TWO options here. !!!

Actually I'm near retirement myself -- I now TRADE part time as a hobby on the US Markets quite a lot but using OPTIONS where each Option trade contract is for 100 shares. By using spreads like Iron Condors you can deal in a lot of contracts for a relatively small margin -- OK you don't make as much money but with decent spreads you can make say nearly 300 USD on a Margin of 2,000 USD on say the THURSDAY when the option expires on the FRIDAY -- not bad for ONE DAYS trade on 2,000 USD. - It's usually more like 100 USD on 2000 USD but if you look at the prices regularly there's always a chance of making MORE money near Contract EXPIRATION (ETF Contracts expire on SATURDAYS but the trade is settled at MARKET CLOSE on FRIDAYS).

I place these CONDORS on the "SPY" -- that's the ETF (Index) of the S&P 500 and is roughly the S&P 500 / 10 and it's fairly stable even in a volatile market -- for Iron Condors this is what you want. The trick is a REGULAR small profit rather than trying to get greedy -- approx. 2.5% a WEEK is far far better than a Bank etc.

Iron Condors Explained | Online Option Trading Guide

Cheers
jimbo

jimbo45 said:

Hi there
The "Call center jibe" was just because I think you had missed an option and if you've ever used any of those HIDEOUS Call centers you know exactly what I mean -- you get led through endless sets of options NONE of which you want. !!!!

Option should say "Before making any significant change to the OS such as installing new Software / Hardware".

However you really should IN ANY CASE always take regular backups say at least once a week -- so you really need to give the users TWO options here. !!!

Actually I'm near retirement myself -- I now TRADE part time as a hobby on the US Markets quite a lot but using OPTIONS where each Option trade contract is for 100 shares. By using spreads like Iron Condors you can deal in a lot of contracts for a relatively small margin -- OK you don't make as much money but with decent spreads you can make say nearly 300 USD on a Margin of 2,000 USD on say the THURSDAY when the option expires on the FRIDAY -- not bad for ONE DAYS trade on 2,000 USD.

I place these CONDORS on the "SPY" -- that's the ETF (Index) of the S&P 500 and is roughly the S&P 500 / 10 and it's fairly stable even in a volatile market -- for Iron Condors this is what you want. The trick is a REGULAR small profit rather than trying to get greedy -- approx. 2.5% a WEEK is far far better than a Bank etc.

Iron Condors Explained | Online Option Trading Guide

Cheers
jimbo

Click to expand...

Never got into options myself but I hear there are some who are making tons of money by using some of those protection schemes that maximize rewards with a minimum risk. Good luck to you in that area. So, you are near retirement; yes? Well, when you get to 47, if your investment scheme works as well as mine did for me, then you'll be able to retire at 47 as well. Now, don't get me wrong, learning to invest safely was not an easy undertaking and I had to learn (the hard way) "how to not sell in a panic." Also, I think that my investment success was the result of more luck than skill but it (fortunately) worked out for me. However, if I were a startup investor in today's market, I would never attempt to repeat my strategy because there is a whole new breed of investors out there (with a whole bunch of 401K money) that are causing the market to do unconventional things IMHO. Anyway, hope you get to retire at 47!

JustATest said:

jimbo45 said:

Hi there
The "Call center jibe" was just because I think you had missed an option and if you've ever used any of those HIDEOUS Call centers you know exactly what I mean -- you get led through endless sets of options NONE of which you want. !!!!

Option should say "Before making any significant change to the OS such as installing new Software / Hardware".

However you really should IN ANY CASE always take regular backups say at least once a week -- so you really need to give the users TWO options here. !!!

Actually I'm near retirement myself -- I now TRADE part time as a hobby on the US Markets quite a lot but using OPTIONS where each Option trade contract is for 100 shares. By using spreads like Iron Condors you can deal in a lot of contracts for a relatively small margin -- OK you don't make as much money but with decent spreads you can make say nearly 300 USD on a Margin of 2,000 USD on say the THURSDAY when the option expires on the FRIDAY -- not bad for ONE DAYS trade on 2,000 USD.

I place these CONDORS on the "SPY" -- that's the ETF (Index) of the S&P 500 and is roughly the S&P 500 / 10 and it's fairly stable even in a volatile market -- for Iron Condors this is what you want. The trick is a REGULAR small profit rather than trying to get greedy -- approx. 2.5% a WEEK is far far better than a Bank etc.

Iron Condors Explained | Online Option Trading Guide

Cheers
jimbo

Click to expand...

Never got into options myself but I hear there are some who are making tons of money by using some of those protection schemes that maximize rewards with a minimum risk. Good luck to you in that area. So, you are near retirement; yes? Well, when you get to 47, if your investment scheme works as well as mine did for me, then you'll be able to retire at 47 as well. Now, don't get me wrong, learning to invest safely was not an easy undertaking and I had to learn (the hard way) "how to not sell in a panic." Also, I think that my investment success was the result of more luck than skill but it (fortunately) worked out for me. However, if I were a startup investor in today's market, I would never attempt to repeat my strategy because there is a whole new breed of investors out there (with a whole bunch of 401K money) that are causing the market to do unconventional things IMHO. Anyway, hope you get to retire at 47!

Click to expand...

Hi there
There's only ONE rule I'd give to investors -- and it's amazing how people forget this -- NEVER EVER EVER CHASE LOSSES.

That is a 100% guaranteed way to LOSE ALL your MONEY. !!! If you make a bad guess or do a bad trade -- forget it, learn from your mistake and move on to the next one.

Anyway have a good day - I'm in Brussels at the moment and it's BAKING at 34 deg C in the City Centre - from where I'm from anything over about 14 C is a " Heatwave". !!! Anyway down to a nice cool pub soon -- nearly done for the day -- I go home Thursday anyway (Mon - Thurs 12.30 CET contract -- just fine until Xmas) Hope I'm not too "pissed" to get on the plane tonight but I'm dying for some cold beers now.

Cheers
jimbo

My computer prompts me every so often to do it.
Otherwise I make backups of everything whenever I make serious changes like updating drivers or something.
I may never use the backups but I have them in case I do.
I have copies of all my program serial numbers & exe files too.