This is the first time I have used one of these 'memory sticks'. I am not that well up on computers and had previously been considering purchasing a DVD read/write drive so that I could back-up my PC 'My Documents' file as the filesize was too great for writing to a CD-ROM with the PC's existing CD read/write drive.
The Kingston Data Traveller memory stick looked a far neater solution as it is quite small and merely requires plugging into a USB port to bring into use.
I looked at the various memory stick options available and opted for the Kingston Data Traveller 4Gb. I chose Kingston because I had purchased additional Kingston memory from PC World before and trusted both the manufacturer and the supplier to supply quality goods that did the job without any problems. The 4Gb was double the memory I required but the price of the larger memory made it seem a good buy and left plenty memory in reserve.
I had an initial problem in getting the PC to accept the device (error: Unable to start) which I had plugged in after switching on the PC. However, when I switched off the PC and re-booted with the device in position, it loaded without any problems.
I used the Start/All Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Backup program to start the 'Backup or Restore Wizard' which creates a backup file for what you want to backup. I created a shortcut on the Desktop for this program by right-clicking and dragging the shortcut onto the Desktop - this makes it quick and easy to use.
Options are given to allow you to select what you want to backup/restore.
The first option, 'My Documents and Settings' did not (I discovered after checking) backup my 'My Documents' folder on my PC but only the 'Documents and Settings' - I think that may be due to the configuration of my 'My Documents' folder (System (C:)/My Documents) when the PC was set up and perhaps it should have been placed in the 'System (C:)/Documents and Settings folder'. However, I chose the fourth option, 'Let me choose what to backup and selected just my 'My Documents' folder.
The Backup worked fine and loaded 1.7Gb in about ten minutes. You can then use the 'Backup or Restore Wizard' (in Restore mode) to check what has been backed up without actually doing a Restore. A log is kept of all backups.
To Restore, you can choose what folders/files you want to restore by clicking on check-boxes. I haven't done a Restore yet but suspect it might take a lot longer to Restore than to Backup.
Incidentally, I tried a straight Windows 'Copy' onto the Data Traveller and it takes much longer than creating a backup file using the 'Backup or Restore Wizard'.
To date, I am very pleased with the purchase which has provided a cheap and easy solution to my backup problems.
Cedric Mungall
19/07/2007
